Hyperbaric oxygen therapy

[[File:FatherandSoninChamber.jpg|thumb|right|165px|A questionable treatment for autism]]
{{altmed}}{{cquote|As they pull you out of the oxygen tent, you ask for the latest party|||David Bowie, "Diamond Dogs"}}
'''Hyperbaric oxygen therapy''' (HBOT) is a medical procedure involving the administration of large amounts of [[oxygen]] to the patient, which has, in recent years, been used in questionable ways. The atmosphere they are treated with is both higher in oxygen content than normal air (or even 100% oxygen), and at a higher pressure than normal. Proponents of its more questionable uses claim that it can be useful in the treatment of a variety of ailments, including allergies, depression, and ulcers. However, large doses of oxygen can damage the body and cause seizures.

Hyperbaric chambers are used legitimately in the treatment of the bends, or other lung injuries, but these chambers generally use compressed air (normal oxygen, normal nitrogen, ''et al.'') and slowly release the pressure to alleviate symptoms.  They are also used in cases of carbon monoxide poisoning to force oxygen to dissolve directly in to the blood, bypassing the carbon monoxide-compromised blood cells to get oxygen to the body's cells. HBOT has also been used for cutaneous gas gangrene, as the [[bacterium]] that causes it — ''Clostridium perfringens'' — cannot tolerate the presence of free oxygen; but results have been mixed, and it appears to be effective only as part of a larger, systematic approach to treatment.

HBOT is one of the many [[quack]] therapies that US Health Secretary [[Robert F. Kennedy Jr.]] and professionally [[credulous]] podcaster [[Joe Rogan]] have touted.<ref name=digregorio>[https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/04/oxygen-chamber-maha ‘It’s absolute anarchy’: Oxygen therapy chambers have led to horrific deaths. Why are Maha elite raving about them?] by Sarah DiGregorio (4 Dec 2025) ''The Guardian''.</ref> What the quacks fail to realize is that oxygen, though natural and normally inhaled as 21% of the atmosphere, oxygen is itself toxic. Excessive oxygen potentially causes "coughing, trouble breathing, and even death in severe cases".<ref>[https://www.ummhealth.org/health-library/understanding-oxygen-toxicity Understanding Oxygen Toxicity. Oxygen toxicity is damage to the lungs that happens from breathing in too much oxygen. It can cause coughing, trouble breathing, and even death in severe cases.] ''UMass Memorial Health''.</ref> The probable cause of oxygen toxicity is the increased creation of oxygen-derived free radicals by the body. These are chemicals that are highly-reactive and increase cell damage and death.<ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430743/ Oxygen Toxicity] by Jeffrey S. Cooper et al. (August 1, 2023) ''StatPearls''.</ref> Oxygen-derived free radical are believed to play in important role in the development of [[cancer]]s.<ref>[https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1479806/ Reactive oxygen species: role in the development of cancer and various chronic conditions] by Gulam Waris & Haseeb Ahsan (2006) ''Journal of Carcinogenesis'' 5:14. doi:10.1186/1477-3163-5-14.</ref>

== Risks ==
Use of a hyperbaric chamber comes with risks. These include middle ear injuries, lung collapse, sinus damage, seizures, and fire (since the environment is oxygen-rich).<ref>[https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy/about/pac-20394380 Hyperbaric oxygen therapy] ''Mayo Clinic''.</ref><ref>[https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/complications-of-hyperbaric-oxygen-treatment Complications of Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment] ''John Hopkins Medicine''</ref><ref>[https://archive.ph/6hAU5#selection-271.0-275.161 Man dies after flash fire in hyperbaric chamber in Arizona, authorities say. Lake Havasu City authorities said the fire killed clinic owner Walter Foxcroft, 43. Hyperbaric therapy involves breathing pure oxygen in a high pressure chamber.] by Victoria Craw (July 12, 2025 at 9:21 a.m. EDT) ''The Washington Post'' (archived from 12 Jul 2025 14:51:57 UTC).</ref> Due to the risks associated with hyperbaric chambers, it's best not to use them unless you have a proven medical need. '''Never''' allow an amateur to control the chamber.

==Quack treatments==
===Kent Hovind and hyperbaric oxygen therapy===
[[Kent Hovind|Kent "Dr. Dino" Hovind]] has stated, among other highly imaginative claims, that the [[earth]] before the flood was a kind of hyperbaric chamber in its own right. He uses this argument to bolster his views that in [[Great flood|pre-flood]] times, humans could grow to [[giant]] heights and live many hundreds of years. This is probably what [[Andrew Schlafly]] was getting at when he made note that [http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Hyperbaric_oxygen_therapy&diff=prev&oldid=683722 liberals typically oppose or disparage the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy.]

===Hyperbaric Medical Solutions===
Hyperbaric Medical Solutions located in Medford, [[New York]] offers hyperbaric treatment for both [[FDA]]-approved and other conditions, including likely [[quack]] treatments for such conditions as [[Lyme disease]], inflammatory bowel syndrome, [[fibromyalgia]], and [[multiple sclerosis]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110927075432/http://hyperbaricmedicalsolutions.com/hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy-conditions-treated/ List of treatable conditions according to Hyperbaric Medical Solutions]</ref>

Hyperbaric Medical Solutions is affiliated with and located in the same building as New Beginnings Community Center, which provides "treatment to individuals with traumatic brain injury" and accepted the body of a [[Death#Brain_death|brain-dead]] child for "treatment".<ref>http://www.nbli.org/Services Services of New Beginnings Community Center</ref><ref>http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-courts/ci_26354881/reports-that-jahi-mcmath-is-coming-home-are Reports that Jahi McMath is coming home are false</ref>

===Autism===
[[Autism|Autistic]] children may be subjected to hyperbaric oxygen therapy, even though autism is definitely not caused by lack of oxygen.{{nofact}}

Pseudoscientific groups such as the [[Autism Research Institute|Autism "Research" Institute]] have encouraged hyperberic oxygen therapy to be used on autistic children, claiming that it treats the neuroinflammation supposedly tied to autism.<ref name="asat">[https://asatonline.org/for-parents/becoming-a-savvy-consumer/hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy/ Is There Science Behind That?: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy]</ref>

Frighteningly, parents can buy hyperbaric chambers for their homes,<ref name="asat" /> even though they may have no idea how to use it safely.

===Deaths===
In the United States, HBOT is an unregulated therapy. The professional organization Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society has estimated that seven people have died from HBOT in the period 2019 to 2025.<ref name=digregorio/>

Four people were charged with second degree murder and other crimes after a hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber at a business called The Oxford Center exploded at [[Michigan]] alternative medicine provider Oxford Center, killing a five year old child under "treatment" for sleep apnea and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.<ref>[https://lite.cnn.com/2025/03/11/us/hyperbaric-chamber-explosion-boy-killed/index.html 4 charged in death of 5-year-old boy in hyperbaric chamber explosion]. ''Associated Press'' via ''CNN'', 11 March 2025.</ref><ref>Elizabeth Chuck, [https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/family-absolutely-devastated-son-killed-hyperbaric-chamber-rcna192263 Family whose 5-year-old was killed in a hyperbaric chamber is 'absolutely devastated,' attorney says]. ''NBC News'', 2025.</ref> Oxford Center claims to treat over a hundred medical conditions <ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20230201114454/https://theoxfordcenter.com/other-conditions/ Other Conditions], The Oxford Center.</ref> using hyperbaric oxygen therapy.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20230201132049/https://theoxfordcenter.com/therapies/hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy/ What is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?] The Oxford Center.</ref><ref group=note>But one must navigate to the [https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130008/https://theoxfordcenter.com/legal/ legal page] at Oxford Center to see the disclaimer: {{quotebox|The content and information provided within this site is for informational and educational purposes only.

Consult a doctor before pursuing any form of therapy, including Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. The Information provided within this site is not to be considered Medical Advice. At The Oxford Center, we use Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for conditions that are not covered by insurance.}}</ref>
The Michigan Attorney General alleged in the lawsuit against The Oxford Center that there were no medical personnel on site, that the staff had inadequate training, and that the child who died was not wearing a grounding strap to prevent static electricity, the most basic safety precaution in an HBOT. Wearing a safety strap would have prevented the fire.<ref name=digregorio/>

==Actual medical uses==
While [[woo]] promoters make made-up claims about the uses of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, there are actual medically proven uses for it, which include:
*Treatment of massive smoke inhalation (such as in a house fire)
*Treatment of carbon monoxide poisoning
*Treatment of thermal burns
*Treatment of decompression sickness (also called the bends)
*Treatment of gas gangrene (caused by the obligate anaerobe ''Clostridium perfringens'')

In most of these cases, a higher than normal concentration of oxygen is given to counteract a reduced efficiency of the lungs to absorb oxygen. In the treatment of decompression sickness, the oxygen enriched breathing gas increases the rate at which nitrogen will be eliminated from the body.

==See also==
*[[Oxygen therapy]] — alternative medicine often involving hydrogen peroxide
*[[Lyme disease]] — a disease that a large number of HBO therapists claim to treat.

==External links==
*{{wpa|Oxygen bar}}

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Woo]]
[[Category:Medicine]]
[[Category:Autism woo]]

Categories: Woo, Medicine, Autism woo