Best Practices Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy - Rejuv Carlsbad - Encinitas - La Costa

   Before your therapy begins, practice equalizing your middle ear pressures. You will find this prevents ear pain during therapy. Both nicotine and caffeine cause blood vessels to constrict, and reduce the effectiveness of Carlsbad hyperbaric oxygen therapy. We strongly advise avoidance of all tobacco during the period of your therapies and thereafter if at all possible. If it is not possible for you to quit tobacco or caffeine, we advise avoidance for as long as possible before and after each therapy. Nicotine gum and patches are not permitted in the hyperbaric chamber. If you have a wound, ensure that no oil or petroleum ointment is applied. Please bring as few personal items as possible to your therapy, since very few materials are allowed into the hyperbaric chamber. Avoid using body oils, perfumes, lotions, nail polish and deodorants to prevent harmful vapors from forming in the chamber. Hearing aids, metal framed eyeglasses, hard contact lenses, jewelry, watches, dentures and other prosthetic devices cannot be taken into the chamber room. These should be left home or placed in your storage before therapy.

   Please have a light, nutritious meal one to two hours before your scheduled therapy. Because therapies last about an hour, it is recommended you use the restroom immediately before therapy. If you experience a fever or symptoms of infection such as cough, sore throat, runny nose, aches, sinus pain, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, please notify us immediately. It may be necessary to cancel your therapy until your symptoms improve. Equalizing ear pressures can be difficult in the presence of a respiratory infection, resulting in discomfort and possible injury to your eardrums. Please check in for your therapy 15 minutes before your appointment. This allows sufficient timing for clothing change, reviewing processes & restroom visits. After check-in, you will be directed to the dressing room, where you will be provided cotton clothing specifically for use in the hyperbaric chamber.

   At this time you will enter the chamber and pressurization will begin. DURING THERAPY Even before the chamber door closes, you should begin to equalize your ears. The maximum pressure difference between the chamber and your middle ear occurs in the first few moments of pressurization, and it is important to begin equalization before significant increase in pressure makes this more difficult. If you experience pain of any type, immediately signal “STOP”. The technician will pause compression until you are comfortable continuing. During your therapy, oxygen flows continuously through the breathing hose. It’s most beneficial to use the 20 minutes on 5 minutes off method during oxygen breathing this provides an additional protection against oxygen toxicity and provides the most benefits for your session. You will hear a flow noise, which can vary from time to time, but which is a normal sound associated with chamber operation. It is also normal during pressurization to experience warming and humidity (cloud/fog like) within the chamber. This will normalize once therapy pressure is achieved.

   Once the chamber reaches therapy pressure, you are unlikely to experience difficulty equalizing your ears, since pressures are not changing. During this period, you can watch a streaming service (exterior mounted) meditate, or read a book. At the end of your therapy, pressure will be reduced within the hyperbaric chamber. Depressurization is performed slowly, but you may experience cooling and humidity (cloud/fog like) inside the chamber. It is particularly important during this time to maintain normal breathing. Holding your breath could result in expansion of gas within your lung, which could lead to injury. Never hold your breath when in a hyperbaric chamber. AFTER THERAPY It is normal to experience mild fatigue immediately following therapy.