How deep during a hyperbaric oxygen therapy session?
When you perform a hyperbaric oxygen therapy session, it is commonly explained that you are performing a "dive". But why this term?
It's all about pressure!
When you enter a portable hyperbaric chamber (at home), or even better a hard hyperbaric chamber (in a health center), the pressure increases gradually to reach the desired value.
This pressure will be displayed on a pressure gauge connected to the box:
And it will be expressed using one of the following (too!) many units:
- absolute atmosphere (ata)
- atmosphere (atm)
- bar (bar)
- pound-force per square inch (psi)
- pascal (Pa)
- millimeter of mercury (mmHg)
- kilogram-force per square centimeter (kgf/cm²)
- and many more!
This is exactly what will happen during a scuba dive: the deeper you go underwater, the more the pressure will increase. This pressure corresponds to the weight of the water above the submerged diver. So during a hyperbaric oxygen therapy session, we are simply simulating an underwater dive... while remaining dry.
Hence the expression used when carrying out a session: "do a dive"
But how deep do you dive during a hyperbaric oxygen therapy session?
A picture is worth a thousand words:
Here are some remarks:
- The blue lines correspond to hyperbaric oxygen therapy called "low pressure", or "light". You can do this type of diving at home, or in a health center.
- The orange lines correspond to "medical" hyperbaric oxygen therapy. In fact, the High Authority of Health requires, for this type of hard single-seater hyperbaric chambers, the presence of a hyperbaric doctor and an operator.
- Portable hyperbaric chambers (blue lines) can go up to pressures of 1.3 ATA without problem. Some models can go up to 1.49 ATA, however I do not recommend them because their lifespan is shorter! It is better to turn to hard hyperbaric chambers (made of steel).
Now you know how deep you "dive" during your hyperbaric oxygen therapy sessions.
What pressure should you choose for your hyperbaric oxygen therapy session?
There is no universal answer that will fit everyone. It depends on the pathology, your budget, your time, etc. However, one thing is for sure: more pressure is not necessarily better .
How does a session in a hyperbaric chamber take place?
Below, I offer you a short video to show you concretely the progress of a session (which is also called " diving ") in a hyperbaric chamber. Subtitles are available for the hearing impaired.