Offical Newsgroup FAQ's - Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

From: JWismille (jwismille_at_aol.com)
Date: 08/27/04 

Date: 27 Aug 2004 03:32:02 GMT

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)

High-pressure (hyperbaric) oxygen is legitimately used to treat deep sea divers
suffering from decompression sickness ("the bends") and smoke inhalation, and
to help treat several other conditions [13]. There are 300 hyperbaric
facilities in the United States. Some of these facilities have been used to
treat AIDS, chronic fatigue syndrome, and Lyme disease. The Lyme patients
subjecting themselves to long hours in these small chambers apparently hope
that high-pressure oxygen will enhance oxygen-dependent immune mechanisms and
kill spirochetes lurking beyond the reach of antibiotics.

Is HBOT effective against Lyme disease? At far as I know, it has not been
subjected to clinical testing for that purpose. One Lyme patient who reported
on the Internet said, "After 30 hours of therapy [at $4,000] in 90-minute doses
I had no positive results for chronic Lyme treatment." Another online patient
wrote, "The director of the clinic is refusing to refund . . . me. This money
was for some of the dives I was scheduled to take, but was unable to because I
was sick." At best, HBOT is an experimental treatment for Lyme disease. At
worst, it is a big waste of time and money.

Relevant Pages

  • Offical Newsgroup FAQs - Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
    ... High-pressure oxygen is legitimately used to treat deep sea divers ... that high-pressure oxygen will enhance oxygen-dependent immune mechanisms and ... Is HBOT effective against Lyme disease? ...
    (sci.med.diseases.lyme)
  • Offical Newsgroup FAQs - Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
    ... High-pressure oxygen is legitimately used to treat deep sea divers ... that high-pressure oxygen will enhance oxygen-dependent immune mechanisms and ... Is HBOT effective against Lyme disease? ...
    (sci.med.diseases.lyme)