Patient FAQs
What do I need to do first in order to start Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?
First, Relax! We try to make it as simple as possible.
Step 1: Obtain a prescription from
a referring physician.
Step 2: Complete and sign our Patient
Intake Forms Packet.
Step 3: Speak with our Billing Specialist
or Financial Manager to discuss payment.
Step 4: Schedule a date for your first
treatment through one of our technicians.
For more detail and information, see our Patient Procedures.
The hyperbaric treatment is both painless and non-invasive. You simply sit or recline in one of our private chambers where pure oxygen is administered through a clear, comfortable face mask. During the treatment, you can watch a movie, listen to music, meditate, or sleep. We have hundreds of DVD movies from which to choose or bring your own.
Patients receiving hyperbaric oxygen therapy come to the clinic for multiple, consecutive visits. Typically, treatment is 10 to 40 visits (sessions), administered 4-5 times per week. Each visit is 90-120 minutes, depending on the condition being treated; the duration of the treatment is suited to each patient’s specific diagnosis and determined by the patient’s physician and accepted medical protocol.
Our chambers are airy and light-filled and two-way communication with the technician is continuous. A technician can hear you at all times while in the chamber … no buttons to press! This is your time to relax and unwind.
What does the treatment feel like? Will it hurt?
The treatment is painless and non-invasion. During the first and the last 10 minutes of the treatment (pressurization and depressurization), you may feel a fullness in your ears similar to what you might experience in an airplane during take-off or landing. Your technician can teach you certain techniques that allow you to equalize the pressure in your ear(s) and help with any discomfort during these brief pressurization periods.
How many visits to the clinic will I need to complete my treatment? back to top
The number of clinic visits (or sessions) you need to complete your treatment depends on your specific diagnosis or condition. For example, decompression sickness (“the bends”) or smoke inhalation may take only 1-2 visits to the clinic. Radiation damage or certain types of bacterial infections may take 30 or more visits. There are established hyperbaric medical protocols for many diagnoses and conditions. We will work with your physician to determine what is best for you.
How long does each visit (or session) last?
Each visit to the clinic lasts 1½ to 2 hours. The actual treatment time during which the 100% pure oxygen is administered to the patient is 60-90 minutes, depending on the condition or diagnosis being treated. The pressurization and depressurization time period is 10-15 minutes each, for a total treatment of 90-120 minutes per visit.
Can I have more than one treatment per day?
Typically a patient has only one treatment per day. Occasionally a patient’s diagnosis will justify more than one treatment in a day. However, the treatments must be separated by at least 4 hours, i.e., if a patient has a treatment ending at 10am, the next treatment could not be administered in that same day until 2pm. Our Clinic Director and the patient’s referring physician must approve this exception.
What do I do while in the chamber? back to top
Relax! Sleep! You simply sit or recline in one of our private chambers. Pure, odorless oxygen is administered through a clear, comfortable face mask. During your treatment, you can watch a movie, listen to music, meditate, or sleep. It’s a great time to unwind and relax.
I might be a little claustrophobic. Will I have problems being in the chamber?
Typically our patients are comfortable in our spacious chambers and do not experience any confinement anxiety. Our technicians are experts in helping patients feel at ease! However, if you are claustrophobic or think you might feel uncomfortable in an enclosed space, ask your physician for medication you can take prior to your visit to help you relax and feel more comfortable. We recommend you see our chambers ahead of time to assess whether or not you will need medication. Many of our patients say, “I was scared before seeing the chamber the first time, but now it’s not problem. I get right in!”
Is it a problem if I miss a visit in my treatment plan?
Clinical studies on the success and effectiveness of HBOT were conducted based on five treatments per week. HBOT has a cumulative effect. It is important to adhere to your treatment plan and HBOT protocol. We understand that occasionally a situation may arise that will cause you to miss a treatment. It is important to restart your treatment as soon as possible. Based on our experience, patients who were treated less than four times per week demonstrated a slower healing rate.
Our cancellation and tardiness policy is as follows: A patient must call BayArea Hyperbarics at least 24 hours in advance to cancel or to reschedule a treatment. There is a $35 fee for each missed appointment. If a patient is late for a scheduled appointment, his/her treatment time may be reduced accordingly and he/she will be charged for a full treatment.
What diagnoses, illnesses, disease and injuries are treated by HBOT? back to top
Numerous conditions are effectively treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Please see a list of some Treatable Diagnoses. HBOT helps preserve damaged tissue, advances wound healing, fights and often cures infections that do not resolve with antibiotics alone, helps reduce the effects of toxic substances, rebuilds skin, bone, and muscle, reduces bruising and swelling of tissue, stimulates and speeds up collagen matrix, normalizes many body functions, strengthens the immune system, and more!
Will my health insurance pay for HBOT?
Insurance pays for hyperbaric oxygen therapy for treatment of quite a few specific conditions. There are also conditions for which your insurance may not pay. We recommend you call your insurance company prior to starting HBOT to discuss the reimbursable portion of your treatment. We also recommend working with our Billing Specialist to finalize your payment agreement before beginning treatment. (Please see our Financial and Insurance Information.)
Why do I need a prescription for HBOT?
A written prescription from a physician is required by federal law in the United States since 100% oxygen is considered a drug by the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). Oxygen needs to be administrated properly to be effective and safe. We adhere to strict treatment guidelines in order to insure your safety.
What is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, abbreviated HBOT or HBO, will help you heal. HBOT is a medical treatment that uses pure oxygen to speed and enhance the body’s natural ability to heal. It supercharges certain medicines, such as antibiotics. It reverses certain damaging effects, such as compartment syndrome. It delivers 100% oxygen at a pressure greater than sea level in a certified hyperbaric chamber. High dose oxygen therapy is approved by the American Medical Association, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Medicare. It is safe and effective.
The treatment is non-invasive and painless. A patient undergoing treatment spends a prescribed amount of time sitting or laying in one of our cylindrical, body-length chambers, where pure oxygen is administered through a clear face mask. Atmospheric pressure is increased and controlled under meticulous conditions. The dosage, which includes pressure, time, and frequency of treatment, is suited to each patient’s specific diagnosis.
How Does Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Work? back to top
Oxygen is a necessary part of cellular life. When parts of the body are starved of oxygen they become impaired. This makes healing difficult or impossible. Hyperbaric oxygen dissolves 400 times more oxygen into the blood. This process increases oxygen to damaged areas and regrows small blood vessels. It restores cell growth, rebuilds bone, skin and muscle, kills infection, and speeds the body’s healing.