Parkinson’s disease and hyperbaric chamber

Parkinson’s is a progressive degenerative neurological disorder that affects both men and women. More than 70% of people diagnosed with Parkinson’s over 65. However, it is not a disease exclusively of elderly people: it is also estimated that between 5% and 10% are under 40 years old, for example actor Michael Fox who was diagnosed at age 30.

A cure for the disease has not yet been found, nor do we know how to prevent it. The causes are also unknown although most of the studies refer to genetic causes, environmental causes or a combination of both, but there are no conclusive studies, which is why research continues.

What are the main symptoms?

-Sacudidas or tremor

-Lentitud of movements

-Rigidity in the arms, legs or torso

-Problems of balance or postural instability.

-Others: loss of facial expression; have very small calligraphy or a very low voice volume.

Doctors often diagnose Parkinson’s when at least two of the main symptoms occur for a long time.

How does it affect daily life?

Being a chronic and progressive disease, the symptoms worsen with the passage of time, significantly affecting the quality of life of people, who begin to present difficulties to perform daily activities such as bathing, dressing or moving normally.

What treatments are there to improve the quality of life?

As mentioned above, there is still no known cure for Parkinson’s disease, but there are treatments to slow down its evolution and improve the quality of life of patients. One of them is the Hyperbaric Oxygenation Treatment (HBOT), a non-invasive method that consists of supplying oxygen to the blood in high concentrations. The hyperbaric chamber is pressurized to a minimum of 1.4 atmospheres ATM (higher than the normal atmospheric atmospheric pressure that is 1 atmosphere). In this way, the person breathes oxygen 100%.

The treatment with hyperbaric chamber produces an increase in cerebral blood flow, it is desinflamatory from vasoconstriction and the decrease of edema, stimulates the repair processes of injured tissues, regulates inflammatory processes, has direct effects on some neurotransmitters and increases the Oxygen consumption of the central nervous system. All these beneficial effects of the Oxygen present diverse clinical improvements in patients with neurological pathologies and greater capacity of rehabilitation.

In the case of Parkinson’s, Hyperbaric Oxygen has an anti-inflammatory effect, produces a redistribution of blood flow at the level of the Central Nervous System, stimulates the repair of nervous tissues and has effects on neurotransmitters. This combination of effects results in the improvements referred by patients treated, such as the reduction of tremor and, above all, reduction in stiffness, which results in a better quality of life.

„More than 80 percent of patients who do hyperbaric medicine to treat this disease manage to improve their quality of life. Oxygenating the Central Nervous System reduces oxidative stress and inflammation throughout the nervous system; As a result, they improve muscle strength, balance and motor coordination, allowing patients a better quality of life. We have had patients treated with different stages, which presented response in the evolution in terms of tremor, walking, coordination and muscle strength“, says the medical director of BioBarica, Dr. Mariana Cannellotto.