0 ItemsHBOT uses at Burges Street Clinic
Thursday, January 31, 2008
The new monoplace hyperbaric chamber, arrived in October 2007 and is being used for a large number of conditions.
We have treated the following problems with a wide range of responses, from small changes to life altering ones.
NEUROLOGICAL :-
1 Parkinsons-- ( a degenerative condition where free radicals attack a specific area of the brain ) our experience is that it is useful for this condition. Dr. Polyakova felt that she had not had too much in the way of benefits but that some of her colleagues found HBOTvery useful .
2 Multiple Sclerosis -- an auto immune condition- which attacks the myelin sheath of a nerve, thus interfering with electrical conduction. As HBOT is useful in ANY auto-immune condition due to its immune modulatory effects- it has a role to play here. Various reports have been written in favour of its use in MS and also stating that is has no benefit whatsoever : our observation has shown there to be limited benefits. If the person is able to afford it, then HBOT should become part of a comprehensive method of treating MS; particularly if they are also considering trying stem cell therapy ( rabbit stem cells are used, to avoid the issues of religion)
3 Friedrich's Ataxia- a genetic condition- leading to the build up of abnormal proteins-- of very limited use .
4 Autism -- a rapidly growing problem, particularly in the States, where 1:50 children are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder-- possibly due to the use of mercury containing vaccinations ; a very contentious area as the Pharmaceutical companies are not that keen to acknowledge that fact. However recently there was a huge payout for a child who was awarded a large sum of money following an immunisation reaction which lead to autism.: the drug company concerned did point out that the child in question had been diagnosed with a pre-existing problem, namely a mitochondrial disorder. Whatever the underlying aetiology, or aetiologies : what is known is that it is commoner in boys and that there is a greater incidence of epilepsy in autistic children, which suggests some form of brain damage ( male brains are more sensitive to insult than female ones )In one study it was also shown that studying hair samples showed a greater amount of mercury within autistic children's hair than that of normal controls.
HBOT - in association with some form of chelation, dietary modification and B12 is of benefit. There are a number of Paediatricians who have autistic children and who swear by the use of HBOT as part of their child's therapy.
Our experience is that HBOT definitely has a part to play in this condition.
5 Stroke therapy: a lot of information on the use of HBOT in both acute management of CVA's as well as in those who have had strokes many years in the past : again the papers are divided on this issue: however the Russian experience as well as that of the late Dr. Neubauer is that HBOT should be used in all forms of stroke therapy.
At the Burgess clinic our experience is limited, but we have had had some big improvements in Mini Mental Scores ( MMS) in those suffering with multi infarct dementia.
6 Bells Palsy- a condition that is often caused by HSV infection ( can also be caused by Lyme Disease - about which- later)- affecting the 7th cranial nerve- this results in the nerve swelling and becoming ischaemic as it passes through various foramina. It is manifestly mismanaged by a large number of GP's : the basic therapy has been shown to be Steroids + anti-viral therapy- initiated as soon as possible after symptoms start. HBOT has effects on inflammation as well as reducing the ischaemia suffered by the nerve and therefore should be used in all cases of Bell's palsy.
7 Motor Neurone Disease ( MND ) another auto-immune condition leading to the destruction of motor neurones within the body. HBOT helps with some symptoms, but does not halt the progress of this condition.
8 Migraine- thought to be immune/allergy based ( strong association with atopic conditions )-- HBOT has been shown to be of use in the acute management of migraine ; we have not treated anyone for that as yet, however we have found that it did reduce the frequency of migraines in some sufferers.
9 Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)- it is well known that HBOT hugely reduces the mortality from TBI, but due to this effect people survive with severe brain damage. We have treated a few people with mild to moderate TBI, with remarkable results.
10 Peripheral Neuropathy- usually in diabetics : the blood supply to the peripheral nerve is impaired causing the ischaemic changes to occur. Obviously HBOT is extremely useful in this situation. However it has to be used as an adjunct-- it is not a cure, thus managing issues like glycaemia as well as weight are the mainstays of therapy.
Gastro-intestinal (GI)
1 Inflammatory Bowel Disease(IBD) - Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis :- both Auto immune conditions , both of which respond very well to HBOT - in conjunction with dietary manipulation.
Dr. Polyakova has managed to obtain complete remissions in some individuals - however the process does take a number of years to achieve. We have seen some dramatic improvements within a remarkably short space of time : thus we feel that HBOT should play a larger role in the treatment of IBD.
2 Auto-immune Hepatitis :- as the name implies inflammation and destruction of the liver due to auto-antibodies. Not a common condition, but relatively serious : standard therapy are the usual immune modulatory drugs ( steroids- usually in large doses as well as azathioprine )-- we have seen a marked improved in Liver Function tests in one patient with this condition, in association with dietary changes.
3 Hepatitis C :- improvement in symptomatology , particularly lethargy; seen in one patient treated with HBOT.
Rheumatological
1 Rheumatoid Arthritis :- an auto immune condition in which we have have found HBOT to be useful for some symptoms, particularly pain.
We have not had experience with other rheumatological conditions like SLE, Scleroderma , Dermatomyositis whcih all benefit from HBOT as well.
2 Osteo-Arthritis :- HBOT is useful for pain relief in those with an inflammatory component.
3 PMR :- a disease of unknown aetiology - but does cause a fairly widespread arteritis :- the mainstay of therapy being steroids, however HBOT can be used to ameliorate some of the symptoms later on in the disease process.
Oncological
A previously contentious area as it was assumed that HBOT promoted cancer growth; however there are a number of papers that show that at the very least HBOT does NOT promote cancer growth-- the most complete paper I have read on this issue is - 'Does Hyperbaric Oxygenation accelerate cancer?' by Professor John Feldmeier- Professor in Oncology, Medical College of Ohio- 2002- in which he finds no evidence that HBOT promotes cancer growth- in fact he cites a number of areas where the opposite holds true.
In fact it seems evident that HBOT should be used in a large area of oncology as it acts as a radiosensitizer; in prostatic cancer it turns all the cancer cells to the same part of their life cycle, thus making them more sensitive to chemotherapy; in head, neck and cervical cancers it has been shown to reduce the relapse rate ( Cochrane Study )--HBOT is also known to be hugely beneficial in the complications of various cancer therapies ( FDA approved for radiation osteo-necrosis- but also useful for radiation proctitis as well as haemorrhagic cystitis ) so why it is not more widely used remains a mystery.
Our experience has been with a number of cancers- merely as a supportive therapy :- Breast Cancer : Oropharyngeal Cancer : Metastatic Malignant Melanoma : Oesophageal Cancer : Pancreatic Cancer : Hodgkin's Lymphoma . It seems to have been of benefit again in conjunction with dietary modification and the use of chelation as well as other IV therapies.
Surgical
1 Post op wound infections :- not an area that mainstream medicine has an issue with, but still grossly underutilised particularly with the rise of 'superbugs' We have found it of huge benefit in this area.
2 Leg Ulcers - from whatever cause :- a major benefit and recognised by the FDA for the treatment of diabetic ulcers.
Orthopaedic
1 Non healing fractures :- we have found HBOT to be extremely useful in this area, it also helped with the pain experienced by these patients.
2 Soft tissue injuries :- healing was markedly improved by the use of HBOT.
Other Areas
1 Chronic fatigue/fibromyalgia :- the patients we have seen with these issues have all noticed an improved degree of functioning as well as better quality of sleep. The various aches and pains associated with these syndromes have also been greatly improved. Thus we would advocate the use of HBOT, again in association with dietary modification for the treatment of both fibromyalgia and CFS.
2 White tailed spider bite :- amazing degree of healing found following the use of HBOT in a patient who had suffered with this: a necrotic looking ulcer that healed very rapidly. This is in keeping with the findings at various American Hospitals using HBOT, following bites from the brown recluse spider.
3 Ross River Virus (RRV):- an unpleasant viral disease passed on by the bite of an infected mosquito; endemic in parts of Western Australia- causing profound fatigue and muscle pains. Our experience has been that HBOT helped in symptom control and vast improvement in the quality of life. In those who suffer with the after effects of this condition, they are keen to jump into the chamber to receive therapy.
4 Usual Interstitial Familial Pneumonia :- huge benefit in symptom relief, but only transitory, HBOT made no difference in the progression of this condition.
Now onto more specifics regarding HBOT + Diabetes.
I will reiterate the fact that the keys in Diabetes and if possible more so in Type 2 DM-- Diet + exercise + weight loss-- proper glycaemic control ( through various medications ) + lipid control
and in smokers- smoking cessation + BP control.
HBOT is an adjunct-- it is extremely beneficial for a number of conditions associated with DM
1 Stroke -- improving the situation for those who have suffered with a CVA - HBOT is of benefit to a number of individuals ; results are varied from the miraculous to very lttle benefit seemed.
Logic would also dictate the use of HBOT as an additional therapy in the treatment of an acute ischaemic stroke ( which accounts for 75% of all CVA's )-- the mainstay is to obtain a diagnosis and initiate some form of clot busting agent as a matter of extreme urgency; thus minimising the degree of brain damage and hence the degree of disability.
2 Patients undergoing cardiac surgery ( Diabetic pts are more at risk of developing ischaemic heart disease and hence requiring cardiac surgery ) are at significant risk of developing some degree of mental impairment as a result of the surgery. if these patients are treated with HBOT both pre and post operatively, that risk is minimised.
3 Renal Disease :- commonly seen in pts with DM-- again the key areas of therapy are as above. It is also known that HBOT does improve the function of Losarten an ARB- often used in diabetics to control BP and to help treat the proteinuria also commonly seen in diabetics.
Patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) may require haemodialysis- a rare but serious complication is sudden loss of vision- which can be treated with HBOT.
Calcific uraemic arteriolopathy (CUA ) a rare but very serious disorder of ESRD ( 1%/year)- in which calcification of the sub cutaneous tissues occurs- leading to the development of painful ulcers. These often become infected and are slow to settle- they are also the cause of sepsis which is the leading cause of death in these pts (90%). HBOT has been shown to be a very useful weapon in the healing of these ulcersas well as in infections related to them.
4 Leg ulcers-- an FDA approved use for HBOT! Also the use of HBOT reduces the rate of amputations in those with non healing ulcers and chronic infections ( Chronic Osteomyelitis is another approved use for HBOT- also grossly under utilised )
5 Peripheral neuropathy :- as alluded to above, we have seen enormous benefits in symptom relief when HBOT has been used for diabetics suffering with peripheral neuropathy; with one person who had been complaining of burning in her feet for three years despite a host of medications, having her symptoms settled after one treatment.
However I must reiterate that the approach to tackling DM in any race of people is a very difficult one requiring a true mutli disciplinary approach : HBOT should be part of that but it is NOT the mainstay of therapy.
We have treated the following problems with a wide range of responses, from small changes to life altering ones.
NEUROLOGICAL :-
1 Parkinsons-- ( a degenerative condition where free radicals attack a specific area of the brain ) our experience is that it is useful for this condition. Dr. Polyakova felt that she had not had too much in the way of benefits but that some of her colleagues found HBOTvery useful .
2 Multiple Sclerosis -- an auto immune condition- which attacks the myelin sheath of a nerve, thus interfering with electrical conduction. As HBOT is useful in ANY auto-immune condition due to its immune modulatory effects- it has a role to play here. Various reports have been written in favour of its use in MS and also stating that is has no benefit whatsoever : our observation has shown there to be limited benefits. If the person is able to afford it, then HBOT should become part of a comprehensive method of treating MS; particularly if they are also considering trying stem cell therapy ( rabbit stem cells are used, to avoid the issues of religion)
3 Friedrich's Ataxia- a genetic condition- leading to the build up of abnormal proteins-- of very limited use .
4 Autism -- a rapidly growing problem, particularly in the States, where 1:50 children are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder-- possibly due to the use of mercury containing vaccinations ; a very contentious area as the Pharmaceutical companies are not that keen to acknowledge that fact. However recently there was a huge payout for a child who was awarded a large sum of money following an immunisation reaction which lead to autism.: the drug company concerned did point out that the child in question had been diagnosed with a pre-existing problem, namely a mitochondrial disorder. Whatever the underlying aetiology, or aetiologies : what is known is that it is commoner in boys and that there is a greater incidence of epilepsy in autistic children, which suggests some form of brain damage ( male brains are more sensitive to insult than female ones )In one study it was also shown that studying hair samples showed a greater amount of mercury within autistic children's hair than that of normal controls.
HBOT - in association with some form of chelation, dietary modification and B12 is of benefit. There are a number of Paediatricians who have autistic children and who swear by the use of HBOT as part of their child's therapy.
Our experience is that HBOT definitely has a part to play in this condition.
5 Stroke therapy: a lot of information on the use of HBOT in both acute management of CVA's as well as in those who have had strokes many years in the past : again the papers are divided on this issue: however the Russian experience as well as that of the late Dr. Neubauer is that HBOT should be used in all forms of stroke therapy.
At the Burgess clinic our experience is limited, but we have had had some big improvements in Mini Mental Scores ( MMS) in those suffering with multi infarct dementia.
6 Bells Palsy- a condition that is often caused by HSV infection ( can also be caused by Lyme Disease - about which- later)- affecting the 7th cranial nerve- this results in the nerve swelling and becoming ischaemic as it passes through various foramina. It is manifestly mismanaged by a large number of GP's : the basic therapy has been shown to be Steroids + anti-viral therapy- initiated as soon as possible after symptoms start. HBOT has effects on inflammation as well as reducing the ischaemia suffered by the nerve and therefore should be used in all cases of Bell's palsy.
7 Motor Neurone Disease ( MND ) another auto-immune condition leading to the destruction of motor neurones within the body. HBOT helps with some symptoms, but does not halt the progress of this condition.
8 Migraine- thought to be immune/allergy based ( strong association with atopic conditions )-- HBOT has been shown to be of use in the acute management of migraine ; we have not treated anyone for that as yet, however we have found that it did reduce the frequency of migraines in some sufferers.
9 Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)- it is well known that HBOT hugely reduces the mortality from TBI, but due to this effect people survive with severe brain damage. We have treated a few people with mild to moderate TBI, with remarkable results.
10 Peripheral Neuropathy- usually in diabetics : the blood supply to the peripheral nerve is impaired causing the ischaemic changes to occur. Obviously HBOT is extremely useful in this situation. However it has to be used as an adjunct-- it is not a cure, thus managing issues like glycaemia as well as weight are the mainstays of therapy.
Gastro-intestinal (GI)
1 Inflammatory Bowel Disease(IBD) - Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis :- both Auto immune conditions , both of which respond very well to HBOT - in conjunction with dietary manipulation.
Dr. Polyakova has managed to obtain complete remissions in some individuals - however the process does take a number of years to achieve. We have seen some dramatic improvements within a remarkably short space of time : thus we feel that HBOT should play a larger role in the treatment of IBD.
2 Auto-immune Hepatitis :- as the name implies inflammation and destruction of the liver due to auto-antibodies. Not a common condition, but relatively serious : standard therapy are the usual immune modulatory drugs ( steroids- usually in large doses as well as azathioprine )-- we have seen a marked improved in Liver Function tests in one patient with this condition, in association with dietary changes.
3 Hepatitis C :- improvement in symptomatology , particularly lethargy; seen in one patient treated with HBOT.
Rheumatological
1 Rheumatoid Arthritis :- an auto immune condition in which we have have found HBOT to be useful for some symptoms, particularly pain.
We have not had experience with other rheumatological conditions like SLE, Scleroderma , Dermatomyositis whcih all benefit from HBOT as well.
2 Osteo-Arthritis :- HBOT is useful for pain relief in those with an inflammatory component.
3 PMR :- a disease of unknown aetiology - but does cause a fairly widespread arteritis :- the mainstay of therapy being steroids, however HBOT can be used to ameliorate some of the symptoms later on in the disease process.
Oncological
A previously contentious area as it was assumed that HBOT promoted cancer growth; however there are a number of papers that show that at the very least HBOT does NOT promote cancer growth-- the most complete paper I have read on this issue is - 'Does Hyperbaric Oxygenation accelerate cancer?' by Professor John Feldmeier- Professor in Oncology, Medical College of Ohio- 2002- in which he finds no evidence that HBOT promotes cancer growth- in fact he cites a number of areas where the opposite holds true.
In fact it seems evident that HBOT should be used in a large area of oncology as it acts as a radiosensitizer; in prostatic cancer it turns all the cancer cells to the same part of their life cycle, thus making them more sensitive to chemotherapy; in head, neck and cervical cancers it has been shown to reduce the relapse rate ( Cochrane Study )--HBOT is also known to be hugely beneficial in the complications of various cancer therapies ( FDA approved for radiation osteo-necrosis- but also useful for radiation proctitis as well as haemorrhagic cystitis ) so why it is not more widely used remains a mystery.
Our experience has been with a number of cancers- merely as a supportive therapy :- Breast Cancer : Oropharyngeal Cancer : Metastatic Malignant Melanoma : Oesophageal Cancer : Pancreatic Cancer : Hodgkin's Lymphoma . It seems to have been of benefit again in conjunction with dietary modification and the use of chelation as well as other IV therapies.
Surgical
1 Post op wound infections :- not an area that mainstream medicine has an issue with, but still grossly underutilised particularly with the rise of 'superbugs' We have found it of huge benefit in this area.
2 Leg Ulcers - from whatever cause :- a major benefit and recognised by the FDA for the treatment of diabetic ulcers.
Orthopaedic
1 Non healing fractures :- we have found HBOT to be extremely useful in this area, it also helped with the pain experienced by these patients.
2 Soft tissue injuries :- healing was markedly improved by the use of HBOT.
Other Areas
1 Chronic fatigue/fibromyalgia :- the patients we have seen with these issues have all noticed an improved degree of functioning as well as better quality of sleep. The various aches and pains associated with these syndromes have also been greatly improved. Thus we would advocate the use of HBOT, again in association with dietary modification for the treatment of both fibromyalgia and CFS.
2 White tailed spider bite :- amazing degree of healing found following the use of HBOT in a patient who had suffered with this: a necrotic looking ulcer that healed very rapidly. This is in keeping with the findings at various American Hospitals using HBOT, following bites from the brown recluse spider.
3 Ross River Virus (RRV):- an unpleasant viral disease passed on by the bite of an infected mosquito; endemic in parts of Western Australia- causing profound fatigue and muscle pains. Our experience has been that HBOT helped in symptom control and vast improvement in the quality of life. In those who suffer with the after effects of this condition, they are keen to jump into the chamber to receive therapy.
4 Usual Interstitial Familial Pneumonia :- huge benefit in symptom relief, but only transitory, HBOT made no difference in the progression of this condition.
Now onto more specifics regarding HBOT + Diabetes.
I will reiterate the fact that the keys in Diabetes and if possible more so in Type 2 DM-- Diet + exercise + weight loss-- proper glycaemic control ( through various medications ) + lipid control
and in smokers- smoking cessation + BP control.
HBOT is an adjunct-- it is extremely beneficial for a number of conditions associated with DM
1 Stroke -- improving the situation for those who have suffered with a CVA - HBOT is of benefit to a number of individuals ; results are varied from the miraculous to very lttle benefit seemed.
Logic would also dictate the use of HBOT as an additional therapy in the treatment of an acute ischaemic stroke ( which accounts for 75% of all CVA's )-- the mainstay is to obtain a diagnosis and initiate some form of clot busting agent as a matter of extreme urgency; thus minimising the degree of brain damage and hence the degree of disability.
2 Patients undergoing cardiac surgery ( Diabetic pts are more at risk of developing ischaemic heart disease and hence requiring cardiac surgery ) are at significant risk of developing some degree of mental impairment as a result of the surgery. if these patients are treated with HBOT both pre and post operatively, that risk is minimised.
3 Renal Disease :- commonly seen in pts with DM-- again the key areas of therapy are as above. It is also known that HBOT does improve the function of Losarten an ARB- often used in diabetics to control BP and to help treat the proteinuria also commonly seen in diabetics.
Patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) may require haemodialysis- a rare but serious complication is sudden loss of vision- which can be treated with HBOT.
Calcific uraemic arteriolopathy (CUA ) a rare but very serious disorder of ESRD ( 1%/year)- in which calcification of the sub cutaneous tissues occurs- leading to the development of painful ulcers. These often become infected and are slow to settle- they are also the cause of sepsis which is the leading cause of death in these pts (90%). HBOT has been shown to be a very useful weapon in the healing of these ulcersas well as in infections related to them.
4 Leg ulcers-- an FDA approved use for HBOT! Also the use of HBOT reduces the rate of amputations in those with non healing ulcers and chronic infections ( Chronic Osteomyelitis is another approved use for HBOT- also grossly under utilised )
5 Peripheral neuropathy :- as alluded to above, we have seen enormous benefits in symptom relief when HBOT has been used for diabetics suffering with peripheral neuropathy; with one person who had been complaining of burning in her feet for three years despite a host of medications, having her symptoms settled after one treatment.
However I must reiterate that the approach to tackling DM in any race of people is a very difficult one requiring a true mutli disciplinary approach : HBOT should be part of that but it is NOT the mainstay of therapy.
