Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is an oxygen treatment that helps improve healing inside the body by delivering pure oxygen. For this reason, Aaron Rodgers was seen using hyperbaric chambers to treat his torn Achilles and make a comeback to football.
What Are Hyperbaric Chambers?
Hyperbaric chambers are utilized to deliver HBOT therapy. The therapy increases pressure and offers 100% oxygen to improve oxygen flow inside the body and trigger healing processes.
When pressure is increased, bodily liquids such as plasma and cerebral spinal fluid also start carrying oxygen. This way, oxygen supply to injured sites, cells, and tissues, increases, which helps activate healing responses.
Understand this with an example of a soda bottle. When the bottle is sealed, it has gas dissolved in the liquid. This is due to increased pressure. As soon as you open the bottle, pressure releases and returns to normal, which is why the bubbles come to the surface.
Hyperbaric chambers are utilized to deliver this therapy to patients for different illnesses, such as decompression sickness, non-healing wounds, carbon monoxide poisoning, etc.
Types of Chambers
Depending upon the requirements of the patients, this therapy can be taken in different types of chambers:
Mono-chamber: This type of chamber accommodates only one person. There’s space to lie down and receive therapy for 60-90 minutes comfortably.
Multi-chamber: The multi-chamber accommodates as many as 10 people at once. These patients are carefully chosen by the clinic and a supervisor is always present to take care of patients when required.
Home chamber: This is a portable unit that is designed for home use. However, the user needs to consult the doctor, understand the function, and only take therapy at suggested intervals. Aaron Rodgers was spotted using this type of machine for home hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
How Did Hyperbaric Chambers Help Aaron Rodgers With Achilles’ Recovery?
Aaron Rodgers suffered an Achilles injury during his debut for the New York Jets, and since then, he’s been trying to make a comeback to the game.
Around a month back, a photographer spotted people unloading a hyperbaric chamber from a pickup truck outside Rodgers Malibu’s home.
He utilizes this treatment to fight bacterial growth and improve stem cell regeneration, promoting overall healing within the body.
When asked about returning to the Jets, Rodger responded, “Anything is possible.” While the optimism was radiating in the player, the recovery phase still took 8-12 months for this injury.
Rodger even received surgery in the last month, but the details of his recovery journey are still not known. However, it is believed that with hyperbaric chambers and his unwavering dedication, he can, make an amazing comeback to the world of sports.
What Happens When the Patient Is in the Hyperbaric Chamber?
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a non-invasive but important treatment for patients suffering from different types of injuries and illnesses. Therefore, before starting the therapy or purchasing hyperbaric chambers, the patient should properly consult their doctor and create a treatment plan.
Once inside the hyperbaric chamber, the patient can sit or lie down and just relax. The pressure inside is slowly increased, and the air is 100% oxygen. The patient doesn’t need to do anything extra, just breathe in the pure air. The therapy goes on for 45-90 minutes and in some cases, up to 300 minutes.
During the session, the patient may feel light pressure in the air, as if in an airplane. This is because of the increased pressure. The trick is to chew gum or swallow to return to a normal state.
When the patient is inhaling in the hyperbaric chamber, the body starts carrying more oxygen, and injured cells and tissues receive the appropriate supply. This releases necessary enzymes and accelerates healing processes.
The impact of hyperbaric oxygen therapy is known to last even when the patient is not inside the chamber.
Precautions to Take
While your doctor is equipped to understand your medical history and offer correct treatment, there are a few precautions for patients as well.
-
If you have any type of ear infection or injury,or you have had ear surgery recently, please inform your doctor. An increase in pressure can cause damage to your ear, thus, your doctor needs to analyze the situation carefully.
-
The therapy is not suitable for anyone who is experiencing a fever or cold. Usually, the clinic runs regular vital checks before starting the therapy. However, when taking therapy at home, the patient should be careful.
-
For people who have certain lung diseases, they should also consult the doctor before considering hyperbaric therapy for an appropriate treatment plan.
Conclusion
Hyperbaric chambers help patients recover from many illnesses, such as decompression sickness and non-healing wounds. Athletes use this therapy to reduce their recovery phase and injury period. Aaron Rodgers also uses hyperbaric chambers to accelerate healing from his Achilles injury.
If you are experiencing any such issue that can be treated with hyperbaric therapy, consult your doctor and make a treatment plan today.
