Disease States

Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment of Strokes

It has been estimated that at the present time there are about 1.7 million stroke survivors in this country. Regrettably, a commonly held belief is that once an area of the brain has been damaged by a stroke, nothing can be done to restore the function of that area. Recent scientific research has revealed that while after a stroke the more central areas of brain tissue may be irreversibly damaged, there exists an area surrounding this tissue which may be functionally salvaged with the use of hyperbaric oxygen. Since the early 1970s, scientific journals have reported over 1,000 cases demonstrating a 40-100% rate of improvement for stroke patients treated with HBOT. In the journal Stroke, Dr. Richard Neubauer, a pioneer in the use of hyperbaric oxygen treatment of strokes and various neurological diseases, reported outstanding results in a group of 122 stoke patients treated with HBOT. In one case, significant functional improvement was noted when HBOT was given 14 years after the initial stroke event.

The benefit of hyperbaric oxygen treatment for stroke patients likely results from its ability to enhance the metabolism of so-called "idling nerve cells" as well as increasing oxygen supply surrounding the area of maximal damage.

West Germany has long recognized the effectiveness of HBOT in stroke rehabilitation to the extent that now virtually all stroke patients in West Germany receive a three week intensive course of hyperbaric oxygen treatment paid for by insurance companies.

In addition to the remarkable results in stroke patients, Dr. Neubauer has reported similar results in other types of brain injury treated with hyperbaric oxygen including traumatic injuries and anoxic events (near drowning and cardiac arrest).

Hyperbaric Center of Alabama provides post stroke hyperbaric treatment to patients in Birmingham that come from throughout the state of Alabama, Mississippi, West Georgia and Northwest Florida.