HYPERBARIC OXYGEN -

I want to make one thing perfectly clear ... 

I am not a croo ..

on no, wait.

I did not sleep with that wom ...

nope, that's not it either.

Oh yeah.

I wanted to say that I hope there is no confusion about my purpose with this blog. I talked to someone today who felt that it was only about one person's journey with HBOT. That many people who read this would probably not understand the overall message that I was trying to convey. I was surprised because I thought I had come across with my goals fairly well. 

I hope that in my writings I have shared much more than that. 

My purposes in doing the blog were many. Among them;

1) Open up the world of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy to the CRPS Community.

2) Share as much of the vast amount of information available on HBOT as I could; articles, studies, websites, clinics, etc. as I went through the weeks of therapy.

3) Try to answer questions patients/loved ones had who were considering HBOT, were going through HBOT, or maybe had gone through it in the past.

4) Explain from a first-person viewpoint what it was like to experience the therapy, what the side effects were, what to expect along the way, what if any supplements were recommended to take to enhance its' effectiveness, what a dive was like, how to prepare for the days/weeks when the going got tough, etc.

If I only succeeded in making it appear as "one-person's experience" and nothing else, then I have failed. If I have not gotten across the point that every patient's treatment may be different, every experience, while following similar patterns, many be different, then I have failed.  If I did not get across the point that my own personal treatment must be looked upon in the aggregate rather than what each individual day was like, then I have failed. 

I hope I have not. I hope I have been able to move the discussion forward. Time will judge :)

There are some other tidbits I wanted to share in response to questions I have received in the past few days. 

HBO therapy affects the body in other ways. For example, it enhances the function of white blood cells, which fight infection. This is important because increasing the efficiency of white blood cells through the use of HBO therapy has a positive effect on the immune system. Also, HBO therapy has a positive effect on peripheral blood vessels and causes the formation of new capillaries, which are tiny, thin-walled blood vessels. Such formations effectively increase blood flow to the body's extremities (your hands and feet)

The above is from CHICO HYPERBARIC website. 

I have talked a lot about what the monoplace (single person) chambers are like, because that is what my personal experience is. I have also tried to throw in some information on the other types as well. But while looking for some information in response to a question I received, I found this great description. 

How Is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Administered?

When a patient enters the hyperbaric chamber they sit in a chair for the duration of the treatment. If a patient is unable to sit in a chair then a gurney can be used. When the chamber door is closed compression takes place with standard air, or the air we normally breathe. It takes 10 to 15 minutes to reach the desired pressure, equivalent to a depth of up to 60 feet of sea water. Once the desired pressure is reached a large, see-through hood is placed over the patient's head and 100 percent oxygen begins to flow into the hood. The patient breathes 100 percent oxygen for the prescribed amount of time, usually 60 to 90 minutes depending on the condition being treated. During treatment the patient can watch TV, read a book or just relax. 

After the prescribed amount of time has elapsed the flow of 100 percent oxygen is stopped and the hood is removed. The chamber is decompressed, or returned to the same pressure that exists outside the chamber, which takes 10 to 15 minutes. The patient then leaves the treatment environment. If a patient is receiving two treatments a day the second treatment follows the first after a 3 to 4 hour break outside the chamber. 

A patient receiving one treatment per day will spend about two hours at the treatment facility in either the morning or afternoon. A patient receiving two treatments per day will spend about four hours per day at the facility. The Chico Hyperbaric Center offers treatments Monday through Friday; treatments are not normally scheduled on weekends. 

Someone asked me about HBO's affects on the vasoconstriction problems of CRPS. This is an excellent question and the answer I got, when I first looked into this, is what gave me my "lightbulb moment". It is what first opened my eyes to the possibilities and made me seriously look into the existing research. 

At sea level, our lungs absorb a certain amount of oxygen molecules from the air. When descending to lower altitudes (below sea level), the pressure is greater (above 1ATA) and now the lungs more easily absorb the compressed oxygen molecules in the air.  ... During a hyperbaric “dive” the fluids and tissues of the body receive an infusion of readily available oxygen. In fact, even cells and areas of the body with limited circulation become saturated in oxygen. The effect is an uptake of oxygen in the blood, plasma cerebral-spinal fluids, and tissues. In addition, the vaso-constrictive nature of hyperbaric therapy has an added effect of reducing inflammation and edema. (From Wisconsin Hyperbarics)

So let me close with this thought;

"Hyperbaric oxygen adhering to all the gas laws of physics delivers free molecular oxygen to the cells for immediate metabolic use without energy exchange, even with compromised circulation" -- Edward Teller PhD (Father of the Hydrogen Bomb)

The late Dr. Edward Teller (1908-2004), one of the great geniuses of our century, served as Director Emeritus of the Board of Advisors of the Ocean Hyperbaric Neurologic Center.

Peace, Keith

 

CRPS / RSD TREATED WITH HYPERBARIC OXYGEN

Sometimes a pickle ... is just a pickle ...  

Many of us have gone to the Doctor and tried to explain to him, or her, exactly where our pain is. Sometimes there is an simple explanation ...

A man goes to the doctor and says to the doctor:
"It hurts when I press here" (pressing his side)
"And when I press here" (pressing the other side)
"And here" (his leg)
"And here, here and here" (his other leg, and both arms)

So the doctor examined him all over and finally discovered what was wrong... 

"You've got a broken finger! 

and then there is our disease. 

I hurt my foot. Now my ankle hurts too. It burns. Now I think my other foot is burning too. And it feels like my bones are being crushed, and it my foot is freezing all the time. yeah, I know I said it burns, but it is freezing too. Oh yeah, I forgot things a lot. And I have trouble concentrating. And my foot and leg keep having muscle spasms and these little red dots are appearing. Sometimes it feels like I have these creepy crawlies all over my foot and leg. And it seems swollen. Oh yeah, every time a breeze blows over it I scream. Did I mention that? And loud noises make it worse too. Am I depressed? Wouldn't you be? 

So, what is it? 

Now do you see why it is so hard for Drs to diagnose?

At the same time, patients who educate themselves about CRPS, and learn about these symptoms, see how obvious the set of symptoms are and think, "If someone came to me with these symptoms I would be able to spot CRPS right away!" Once you know what a kumquat looks like, they are easy to spot. 

For more information on the SYMPTOMS OF CRPS, drop by the American RSDHope website. 

Someone asked about the various MEDICATIONS USED TO TREAT CRPS, we have a section on the website for that. 

My latest flare has slowly quieted down, especially after todays HBO session. Today we did the shallower depth for 90 minutes, yesterday we went to the deeper depth (45 feet) for 90 minutes. 

Someone asked what the typical treatment depth was for CRPS. That is 45 feet, or 2.4 atm's. 

Something interesting I have noticed. I feel so rejuvenated after I get out of the chamber, even though i am tired. It is such a positive feeling. Hard to explain. Maybe someone else who has been through it or is going through it can explain it better than I.

I got an email from "Janice" and she shared - "I am on my 5th treatment and I am already seeng a big  difference.My stiff dystonic hands are starting to move much more freely and my dystonic feet /toes do not look at attention(my terminology). They seem more relaxed and they do not hurt at all. My calves are not permanently cold YAY!"

That is fantastic! Thanks for sharing Janice! 

She also mentioned that her clinic does not take patients to the 2.4 atm depth, not for CRPS or for any disease. I was a little surprised at that since most clinics I have talked with, and patients, it seems that that is the standard treatment depth for CRPS patients. But every clinic is entitled to treat their own way :) 

She seems to be having success right? Hopefully Janice will keep us informed as she approaches remission.

Short blog today. Time for dinner and then a Red Sox game. I am taking the night off! 

Tune in tomorrow :)

Peace, Keith

PS - Payback is a , well, a pain in the butt.

The CEO of a large HMO dies and goes to heaven. St. Peter shows him to a lovely villa, wonderful music, great views, full staff of servants, gourmet meals, etc.

The CEO says, "This is terrific!"

"Don't get too comfortable," says St. Peter. "You're only approved for a three-day stay."

HYPERBARIC OXYGEN AND CRPS -- If a CRPS Patient screams in the woods, and no one is around to hear it, does he still make a sound???

There's a little black spot on the sun today
It's the same old thing as yesterday
There's a black hat caught in a high tree top
There's a flag-pole rag and the wind won't stop

I have stood here before inside the pouring rain
With the world turning circles running 'round my brain
I guess I'm always hoping that you'll end this reign
But it's my destiny to be the king of pain

---- Music and lyrics by Sting and the Police - "King Of Pain"

I talked to a 13 year old girl recently who has been dealing with CRPS pain for over a year. She has it in her foot and leg. Her whole life has been turned upside down due to this disease. She had to leave school, stop cheerleading, most of her friends have stopped calling and stopping by, and she spends every day in agonizing pain. 

She asked me, will she ever get better? Will there ever come a time when she isn't in pain? 

None of the Doctors her parents have brought her to have helped. Nothing they have done has helped; blocks, medications, EMG's, etc. Some of these things actually made her worse, especially the EMG (as it will most often do for CRPS patients). 

As a matter of fact, her Doctors have told her parents that because nothing has helped her she probably doesn't really have anything medically wrong with her; that her problems are psychological in origin. Oh sure he says, she has spasms, her skins changes color, and she is exhibiting signs of pain. But he insists that she is causing these changes, causing these symptoms, to occur and if she wanted to she could stop them just as easily. She "must be doing it for attention", or there are "problems in the home", or a few other things he tossed out. 

I remember when she first wrote to me, shortly after she started having symptoms. Her case escalated in the classic way and her symptoms are classic. 

The biggest problem now comes in that her parents are believing the Doctor instead of their daughter. And the months tick by without her getting the help she desperately needs. She has educated herself via the internet, going to our site and a couple of others and learning all she can about the true facts of this disease; description, signs, symptoms, stages, and so much more that is available and tried to share some of it with her Dr; to no avail. 

She feels confused, alone, and doesn't know where to turn. She is a member of a strong on-line group and that has greatly helped her but she can't live there. We all need someone to believe in us, it should be those closest to us but unfortunately, especially with this disease, that isn't always the case. 

Why have I shared this story with you? Because there are a few things I share with people when I talk with groups on this topic (well more than a few but a few that I try and stress);

1) Never compare your pain with someone else's.

2) The pain IS in your head,(that is where we register pain) but you aren't making it up!

3) You aren't alone anymore. 

4) Don't sweat the petty stuff ... and don't pet the sweaty stuff. 

Don't feel you have to battle this disease, or any chronic pain disease, by yourself. There are support groups and chat-rooms, and listserv's all over the internet. Or look for a local support group to belong to, to help grow, to share your energy with. Just do your due diligence to ensure they end up being a positive influence on you and others. And if you are in remission or heading there ... don't pull away from these groups. Now is when the other patients need to hear from you the most. 

So the next time a Dr or a friend or anyone says "Your pain is all in your head", say "OF COURSE IT IS SILLY! For that is where we register everything; pain, happiness, sadness, taste, you name it!"  Then walk away with your head held high. Or roll away, or limp away, but --- away with you! Leaving them with a confused look on their faces and you smiling. 

I have stood here before inside the pouring rain
With the world turning circles running 'round my brain
I guess I'm always hoping that you'll end this reign
But it's my destiny to be the king of pain

There's a king on a throne with his eyes torn out
There's a blind man looking for a shadow of doubt
There's a rich man sleeping on a golden bed
There's a skeleton choking on a crust of bread

King of pain

So, how is the HBOT going?

On Sunday I had a bit of a setback. The burning pain in my feet, hands, lower legs, and arms came screaming at me and went through the roof! I realize, in talking with other patients that this can happen during treatment but boy-o, was it tough. It felt like I was run over by a truck on Sunday and then a smaller truck on Monday. 

Today is a little better. I had a treatment this morning and the burning pain is much lower again in my hands and right foot (that left foot is stubborn). What also got raised on Sunday was the crushing pain ( a common CRPS symptom) in my legs, which has thankfully subsided, and that most horrible of feelings; what I like to call "walking on broken glass". It feels like my heels are full of pieces of broken glass and every time I place my feet on the ground those shards slice upward. I haven't had those feelings for many weeks and so it was ugly having them back. 

My eyes, which were the first place I ever got CRPS, have always been the worst pain for me. I haven't met too many other people who have it in their eyes but I have had a lot of people ask me what it is like having CRPS, chiefly burning pain, in the eyes. 

This is where I can absolutely relate to those patients who have talked about how they wanted to have their arm or leg amputated. Their pain was that intense, that horrible. Of course nowadays we all realize that doing so would simply lead to phantom limb pain, no limb, and the patient still having CRPS. But early on in my disease, back about 30 years, they looked into the idea of some sort of an eye transplant. Not because of the CRPS (they hadn't diagnosed it yet) but because of the poor vision. They thought the eye disease I had, that originally they believed was the cause of the pain, might be eliminated if they switched out the eyes. We never did it of course although I did end up with a corneal transplant, which didn't help either the vision or the pain. 

When I was younger and they were still confused about what was happening what they were convinced of was that I was exaggerating the pain. There was no reason for the kind of eye pain I was describing so I was either making it up or possibly taking drugs or seeking attention or maybe a combination of the above. I was fortunate in that I had parents who believed in me absolutely. 

So, what does it feel like? The burning in the eyes?

It feels like having two hot burning coals where your eyes should be. Like there are giant flames shooting out of my eyes all the time and I am confused why no one else can see them. If I could only rip them out of my head, I wouldn't hurt so much. I need to constantly douse them with water to keep them moist but it is like trying to put out a forest fire with a squirt gun. (part of that is because I had my tear ducts sewn shut many years ago - not because I didn't want to cry but due to another issue). Bright lights hurt them, a slight breeze causes them pain, if I am tired they burn more, when I am stressed they are the first area of my CRPS that gets increased.

The bottom line is, although I have CRPS full body (although less so currently due to the Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy thankfully), my eyes are definitely the most painful area of my body.

When I went into nearly complete remission in 2003 and again in 2007, the part of my body that was not affected by the ketamine was my eyes. For that treatment, as with HBOT, it is "what was affected first will go way last". So even though many patients report a positive change in their vision during HBO Therapy, I am not anticipating any change in the eye pain until nearer the end. But I am praying and hoping to be surprised sooner!

In spite of Sunday, in spite of that spike in pain, I won't give up. I did take off Monday from HBOT, hence no Blog yesterday, but I was in no shape to drive. But I was right back at it today. 

I am too stubborn to give up!

Peace, Keith  

HBOT - END OF WEEK FIVE - Varied Depth Dives

Ok, so not a very exciting title today but it is Friday :)

Someone asked me what the difference was between the two different depths, why should the two different depths make a difference in the treatment of CRPS? 

Good question. The simple answer, as shared by Susan Rodriguez of RAPID RECOVERY HYPERBARICS ; "RSD is neurological in nature and yet it manifests itself in physical symptoms," she says. "What that means is that the disease needs to be treated with two approaches. One goal is to restore circulation, reduce inflammation or edema, and remove the swelling in affected limbs so the limbs can live. The other goal -- if you want to eliminate the disease -- is to work on the brain."

"With RSD, pain is read through sensors in the sympathetic nervous system. (The sympathetic nervous system is what is activated in phantom leg pain, for example.) "Hyperbaric Oxygenation Therapy, however, can make the switch in the brain back to the central nervous system," Rodriguez says. Under a doctor's direction, she treats both the affected limb and the brain by different atmospheric pressures when the patient is inside the chamber."

"Different undersea depths work on different parts of the body," she explains. "Deeper depths (up to 33 to 45 feet undersea) work more on tissue and bone, while milder hyperbarics (such as 18 to 24 feet undersea) work on the brain. Since we are working on both things, I take patients to all those levels. Almost always, the first symptom to come is the last to go. And then the symptoms are gone!"

You can read more on this article by going to "HBOT, WHAT IS IT" 

Studies have shown that CRPS patients have abnormal blood flow in the brain, and that blood flow is restored to the brain at between 1.2 and 2.0 atm. The goal is to normalize the blood flow and enable the brain to "read pain" properly. That can sometimes be achieved by HBOT at the shallower depths; such as 1.75 to 2.0 atm. But first you have to normalize blood flow and nerve function to the affected part of the body, the CRPS affected area, through the deeper dives. Relief, and a "re-setting back to normal" if you will, can hopefully therefore be achieved by a combination of the two depths. 

This is the idea behind the varied depth dives. 

As I wrote yesterday every patient is different. I have heard from quite a few people who had the varied depth dive protocol and there were a handful of different approaches with basically the same idea; the main variations being the number of total treatments (averaging around 35-40), the days used for each depth (either every other day or switching depths during each dive), minutes at each depth, etc. The bottom line ends up the same. 

I also have some other information to share today.

Some have asked what the larger multi-person chambers looked like; CLICK HERE FOR A PICTURE.

There is even a picture of one of the earliest "monoplace" units used in 1915. Reallllly looks comfortable!

The National Hyperbaric Centre in Ireland website answers another question submitted; "does smoking affect my HBO Therapy or would it preclude me from even trying it?" 

The whole idea behind this treatment is to promote healing and recovery. This process of introducing oxygen, in solution, into the tissues of the body, promotes the clustering of capillaries and increased collagen to the tissues where the body needs the effect the greatest. Tobacco smoke is known to reduce that effect and literally retard the benefit of the therapy the smoking patient receives. It is highly recommended that the patient refrain from smoking during their entire course of treatment, maybe even allowing the patient to quit all together.

Also, Two other questions were asked at the recent pain meeting as well as asked via email. 

DOES MY PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN OR A SPECIALIST REFER ME FOR THIS TREATMENT?

That depends upon the reason you are being referred for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. Your Primary Care Physician may refer you directly to us for treatments or he or she may first refer you to a specialist who may then recommend treatment with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.

In any case do not feel intimidated from asking your Primary Care Physician to prescribe the therapy for you. If you need treatment for one of the above source diseases or disorders, you may wish to seek advice from a second physician to be sure you are getting the best treatments available. If your practitioner hesitates or is not completely familiar with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, check out our library of articles and show them to the practitioner, or even refer your practitioner to us.

WHAT DOES THE TREATMENT FEEL LIKE?

If you have ever dove to the bottom of a pool, or flown in a plane, you can relate to the sensation of your ears popping. You will be instructed on methods of equalizing the pressure in your ears. Please follow the instructions carefully and avoid a feeling of fullness in your ears, this will protect your from any discomfort during your experience. By holding your nose and attempting to blow through it, or simply swallowing, chewing gum, or sipping on water will allow the pressure to equalize in the middle ear, through the eustachian tube. It is only necessary to do this during the first few minutes of the treatment. The remainder of your treatment should be a time for you to read, sleep, watch TV, or just relax. Patients of all ages generally tolerate the treatments very well.

At first, while the chamber is being pressurized, or what is referred to as a diving to depth, you will experience the sound of the air or oxygen (This is depending upon the type of chamber you are being treated in.), which may be quite noisy. It will get warm at first because as you add pressure to any given object, it will increase the temperature, but when the chamber reaches the pressure or “Depth of Dive”, the temperature will automatically adjusted to a comfortable setting.

Both of these answers come from the National Hyperbaric Centre in Dublin, Ireland. 

Thanks!

Have a great weekend guys! 

peace, Keith

HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY FOR CRPS - VARIED DEPTH DIVES

Good day everyone! 

Or good evening, depending on when you read this of course.

I want to thank everyone who has not only shared this with their friends but also those who have forwarded it on to the CRPS and RSD websites they are a part of. I appreciate the vote of confidence.

On another note, because this blog has been so successful I was thinking of starting one this weekend for another organization I belong to; Procrastinator's Anonymous. But on second, that can wait until September. 

People have asked how I like it down here in Florida, if it has been good for my CRPS. Absolutely. The cold weather made our CRPS worse. If you check out the RESULTS OF A NATIONAL SURVEY OF CRPS PATIENTS that American RSDHope did a number of years back (most of the results of which remain the same), you will see that 71% of respondents felt that the cold made their pain worse.  16% felt the warm weather made it worse, 22% felt it made no difference. (it adds up to more than 100% because some patients reported that both the warm and cold weather made their pain worse) 

Also in that survey, 95% of CRPS patients reported having Burning Pain; 79% memory problems (I think that was the number);  74% said they dealt with Depression; 89% dealt with Allodynia; 60% were Touch/Sound Sensitive; 64% dealt with Weight Gain. There were many other findings. Drop by and check out some of the findings!

I think that one number that mot likely has significantly increased from the time of the survey is that 44% belonged to a Support Group. I think in the last five years alone membership in these groups, both local and on-line, has increased dramatically; as well it should. 

On-line groups provide a place for patients who aren't mobile and/or don't have access to a local group as well as provide patients with a way to share information regarding their disease. Local groups provide much needed personal contact for not only patients but also their loved ones. They also enable patients to share information on local physicians and therapists. 

It is time we did another national survey though. 

So, how is my HBOT going?

It is going well. We had hit a wall, as most of you know who have been following my blog, a sort of impasse, where my pain had actually increased. This is a typical point in the therapy for CRPS patients unfortunately. It is one most of you will also have to deal with at some point and have to PUSH THROUGH. It isn't easy but any of you who have dealt with this disease, have lived with this disease for a year, or two or five, are tough, are strong. If you can deal with the constant pain of this disease you can handle pushing through the wall, especially when it could mean a lot less pain on the other side!

So how did we do it? What did we do to help get me through, over, around the wall? 

We did something that was brand new to Dr Spiegel and his clinic. Something suggested by Susan Rodriguez of Rapid Recovery Hyperbaric's in CA, and several full-body CRPS patients I know who have been helped. That is, the varied depth dives. 

There are some clinics around the country that are doing variations of this method; where they vary the depth of the dive either from day to day or even during the same dive; from the standard treatment depth of 2.4 atm to the shallower treatment depth of 1.75 atm.

I heard from many places and nearly all had great results. Dr Spiegel was open to trying this since we seemed to have come to an impasse in my treatment. I was not getting beyond the wall so we decided to try three days completely at the shallower depth.  At the end of those three days we seemed to have broken through the ice and the healing seemed to have begun. 

That was last week. You will notice that was when my pain began to drop. 

This week we did, Monday and Wednesday at the standard treatment depth, and Tuesday, Thursday at the shallow depth. If you recall, my burning pain has been receding steadily!

So we will continue on this path and se where we are at the end of next week, and then reassess. 

Now, does this mean that this approach should be used on every patient or that here at Dr Spiegel's clinic he is going to change his protocol for CRPS patient's to the varied depth protocol? 

No and No. 

Remember, every patient is different, especially with CRPS. Every time I speak at a pain conference or meeting I try and stress this point when patients and/or loved ones ask about various treatments. CRPS is a very complex disease. It can begin in many different ways and take many different paths as it progresses. One treatment may work for 3 patients and not for the next 7. About the only thing that holds true is that we need to try and stay away from invasive treatments, anything that can possibly further involve nerve damage.

So, we will continue our therapy, continue trying this version and learning as we go. maybe it will help another patient down the road and hopefully it will continue benefitting me as well.

Take care everyone,

Peace, Keith 

HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY - PUTTING CRPS INTO REMISSION?

Well, it is still too early to tell what the end result will be but it sure has gotten a foot in the door. 

As I mentioned with quite some excitement yesterday the burning in my hands went down to about a one last night. By the morning it went up a little to about a 1.5 or a 2. Still amazing. I am anticipating it will continue to fall. The left foot continues to be about an 8, the right foot has dropped to about a 5, the eyes are still very strong and my ears as well. But, considering I started out with burning almost everywhere, THAT AIN'T VERY MUCH :)

I have noticed that my allodynia hasn't gone down very much yet. Some of the past patients have mentioned they saw a big difference around the 30 to 35 treatment mark. 

So before I get to your questions, here is mine for you.

For those of you who were helped by HBOT, did you have your allodynia decrease as well, and if so, when did that occur? 

Also, I have only heard from four of you who had the varied depth treatment. Are there any others who had their HBO therapy changed after the 25  or so treatment? In other words, where they altered the depth, maybe day to day, going from shallow one day to deep the next? If so, what were the results?

Ok, now here are your questions. 

Someone had written to me asking if it were possible for someone with a spinal column stimulator to have HBOT?

The answer is yes. As a matter of fact I have a link for an HBOT study that was done on patients who had SCS units. 

Someone else asked, "Why does HBOT work?" 

On the Hi-Tech Hyperbaric Medical Center website, it states;

"Nature has dictated that healing cannot take place without appropriate oxygen levels in the body’s tissues. In many cases, such as those involving circulatory problems, Strokes, anoxic brain injury, and near drowning just to name a few, adequate oxygen cannot reach the damaged area and therefore the body’s natural healing process fails to function properly.Oxygen given with increased pressure can correct many serious health problems. To provide this increased pressure one must be within a pressurized room, a Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber. Oxygen, given at normal atmospheric pressure is insufficient to raise tissue oxygen levels. The answer is to deliver oxygen with a slight increase in pressure with a chamber to raise the oxygen tension above the normal red blood cell saturation.

Interesting.

Also, it was asked whether you could continue your HBOT if you develop a col or the flu. This is best addressed by your HBO Doctor but the main problem here would be the inability to clear your ears. If you can't clear your ears you won't be able to descend. 

Another question was "How do I know that my HBO Technician is properly trained?"

In 1991 the National Board of Diving and Hyperbaric Medical Technology (NBDHMT) introduced a standard certification program for all hyperbaric technicians.

And someone asked for more testimonials besides the ones on Dr Spiegel's site and the Rapid Recovery Hyperbaric site. Here is yet one more site with more testimonials of various diseases treated with HBOT. 

Lastly, if anyone is reading this who lives in the Tampa Bay/Palm Harbor area, or happens to be visiting the area, our local CRPS support group will be holding a pool party this Saturday, August 2nd, in Tampa Bay. It should be fun and we will be having a cook-out as well. C'mon over! I promise to try very hard to stay awake for the whole afternoon!

Take care guys, and remember, hug your caregiver tonight!

Peace, Keith 

OXYGEN IS A GAS!

Humor is one of the best ways to deal with chronic pain. Laughing triggers endorphins and that helps battle pain. 

So hear are a few little tidbits for you;

 

Science Exam Quotes (from 11 year olds) 

_{Laurie Sale/Norman Josephs}

* "Water is composed of two gins, Oxygin and Hydrogin. Oxygin is pure gin. Hydrogin is gin and water."
* "When you breath, you inspire. When you do not breath, you expire."
* "Three kinds of blood vessels are arteries, vanes and caterpillars."
* "Blood flows down one leg and up the other."

So, what is the latest update? 

Fantastic news. After this mornings treatment, I noticed the burning in my hands has decreased to only about 10% !!!!!!!!!!!  That is nothing! So exciting!!!!

The allodynia is still quite strong, as it is in in my feet, legs, and arms still and the burning is still strong in my left foot and a little less so in my right foot. But one step at a time. This is so amazing. 

After my discussion the other day of the Third Symptom of CRPS, Spasms in the blood vessels and muscles of the extremities, I received a few emails. Some saying they were grateful to hear they weren't the only ones who experienced those things and some asking what the other three symptoms were. I even got two asking if you needed to have all four symptoms in order to have a diagnosis.

So let me try and answer all of those here :)

First, the FOUR MAIN SYMPTOMS OF CRPS are;

1) Constant Chronic Burning Pain (includes allodynia - extreme sensitivity to touch, sound, vibration, 

2) Inflammation - This can affect the appearance of the skin, bruising, mottling, etc.

3) Spasms in blood vessels and muscles of the extremities

4) Insomnia and Emotional disturbance (includes major changes to the limbic system; among them are short-term memory loss, concentration difficulties, inability to find the right word, depression, etc.)

 

There are other CRPS symptoms of course. 

In answer to the question about whether you need to have all four symptoms; no. But it is unusual for a patient not to have at least three of the four. Not every patient has the constant burning pain but probably 85% of patients do. 

On another note, we recently added an article from TIMES ONLINE called "IS PAIN ALL IN THE MIND?"

It is an interesting article but I think it falls far short of what the typical chronic pain patient deals with. It deals more with what I term "simple pain". But check it out and decide for yourself.

HBOT CLINICS - Someone asked me for a list of clinics around the country. If you visit the links in our HBOT section you can find some of the clinics there and most of them have a list of clinics. For example; the AZ HBO Clinic has a LISTING OF HBOT CLINICS 

Also, someone asked what conditions are covered for HBOT and which aren't covered by are treated with HBOT.

On the RAPID RECOVERY HYPERBARIC website, there is a great page that lists these two things right next to each other. Check it out!

Ok guys, that is it for today. Check back tomorrow!

peace, Keith