Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (diving therapy)

[wildwater]

Just wondering about the subject of "Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy" or just standard diving therapy.

We are all divers here and I have heard the pressure/increased oxygen reaching the capillaries during diving, will help in the healing process. So I have done two 33 ft dives which is the depth I heard was appropriate for healing. (?)

I am investigating this subject and asking these question because, two weeks ago I had a mystery bout with an incapacitating, left: upper back/neck/arm problem - including numbness out to my index finger- (like it is asleep- still)

This occured over night during my sleep without cause - strange - and painfull - I couldnt move to even get out of bed.

All this to say I had xrays done with no identifiable issues in the bone and was just prescribed pain killers, anti inflammatories and some relaxation, which has reduced the pain to an ache in the arm and numbness in the hand and fingers.. so It will probably pass eventually.

Any information you may have on this subject of diving therapy, or a pointer to some, would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Andrew

 

[Gene_Hobbs]

I am investigating this subject and asking these question because, two weeks ago I had a mystery bout with an incapacitating, left: upper back/neck/arm problem - including numbness out to my index finger- (like it is asleep- still)

Hi Andrew

Let me preface this by saying that I am not an MD and did not even stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

I am assuming that if you had x-rays done, you have been to see at the very least your General Practitioner. Can you see if this person would refer you to a neurologist? A good Neurologist will be able to get to the source of the problem and move to a better resolution scan of a specific area if that is needed to treat. If you saw a neurologist already and did not get a course of action, find another one.

As for Hyperbaric Oxygen (HBO)... The best way to know if HBO will work for your case is to see a trained hyperbaric MD. The best way to find one close to you is to call DAN. This person would be better contacted after you have a diagnosis from a good neurologist unless the hyperbaric physician also happens to be a neurologist (not many of them but a few...). The DAN call physicians are board certified hyperbaric medical physicians so it may help you just to ask them your questions.

Assuming that you would not have asked here if you did not want an opinion to go with a basic course of action, HBO will probably not help in your case. The type and quality of pain you describe seems to be more related to an injury than a break down of the nerves. You might see some reduction of swelling that may help with the neuropathy but it would not be fixing the problem if the pain is mechanical in nature.

Information on hyperbaric medicine as a treatment is becoming easier to get your hands on. Please see my talk on Diving and Hyperbaric Medical Literature (PDF here) for information on how to find these documents. Please search through our Repository for papers as well (example: nerve injury), this is part of the reason we started this work.

Hope this helped some. Take care, -G

---I would not trade a good chiropractor for anything either

 

[fire5man]

Go see a good neurologist. Where do you live. I know there are some good one in the Baltimore, MD area. Don't just stop with the GP and some x-rays. I went 6 years ago to a doctor (gastro) and he informed me after many tests of blood and scopes that I had a disease. I just found out I don't from a real specialist and what a weight off my shoulders that is.

I know I wake up in the middle of the night with my arms asleep all the time. It takes a few for the pain and tingle to stop and then I go back to sleep or get up. Sometimes its vary painful and sometimes not. Does this happen when your sleeping only? Maybe it could be the way you sleep.

I hope you find the information you need and feel better

 

[divingmedic]

The treatments they do in a chamber for treating wounds and other things are done on a 100 percent oxygen, which in turn will saturate the tissues. Just diving on air will not treat a injury. What you have sounds more like nerve damage from an unkown cause. Face it we get older and things just start breaking down. As the others have said go see a neurologist and have them evaluate them.