| My husband suffered strokes in August 2006 that | | | | wounds of the brain for many years." Astrup, Siesjo |
| resulted in total loss of short-term memory, slurred | | | | and Symon suggested that within these damaged |
| speech, and difficulty walking. The doctors said he | | | | margins, idling neurons are present. They are |
| may never recover, and if he did it would take at | | | | metabolically lethargic and are non-functional, because |
| least two years. Now, after only two months of | | | | of low oxygen levels and secondary damage. But |
| hyperbaric therapy his memory is back, and his | | | | they remain viable and are subject to being revived |
| speech and walking are normal. His energy has | | | | with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. |
| improved. | | | | Proof of this dormant life of the brain's cells has been |
| Conditions that harm the brain have a wide reach. | | | | demonstrated with the use of SPECT brain scans |
| Whether from a stroke (vascular accident) or a | | | | done before and after a series of hyperbaric oxygen |
| traumatic brain injury, the results impair the whole | | | | therapy. In the journal Stroke, Dr. Richard Neubauer, |
| family. The loss, or potential loss, of hopes, dreams, | | | | a pioneer in the use of this therapy for treating |
| and expected joys and accomplishments is a loss | | | | various neurological diseases, reported outstanding |
| suffered by all of those who care. | | | | results in a group of 122 stoke patients treated with |
| Brain damage has a wide reach; it damages the | | | | HBOT. In one case, significant functional improvement |
| whole family. | | | | was noted when Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy was |
| Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is not a cure . . . . but it | | | | used 14 years after the initial stroke. |
| can often help. | | | | These studies by Dr. Richard Neubauer conclusively |
| Following is a MUST SEE video from the Montel | | | | demonstrate the development of new blood vessels |
| Williams Show. | | | | to the rim of tissue surrounding the area of the brain |
| Even though science now knows better, the | | | | that had been damaged. |
| "old-school" idea still often remains: that once an area | | | | These newly formed blood vessels resulting from the |
| of the brain has been damaged by a stroke, TBI | | | | hyperbaric oxygen therapy can then bring fresh blood |
| (traumatic brain injury), or near drowning, that | | | | (oxygen) and nutrients to the damaged tissue. The |
| nothing or very little can be done to restore the | | | | tissue begins to repair itself and returns to normal or |
| function of that area. | | | | near-normal. These "resuscitated" neurons gradually |
| Recent scientific research has demonstrated that | | | | reconnect to the rest of the brain. These revived |
| while the core-area of the damaged brain tissue may | | | | neurons and their connections help to return the use |
| be irreversibly damaged, there is an area surrounding | | | | of lost cerebral and bodily functions. |
| this tissue that hyperbaric oxygen therapy can | | | | Hyperbaric therapy does not resurrect dead brain |
| restore and these neurons (brain/nerve cells) can | | | | tissue, but it can facilitate the functioning of those |
| re-establish their function. | | | | dormant, idling nerve cells that have suffered |
| The majority of tia, stroke and brain injuries are | | | | secondary damage by stroke due to diminished |
| caused by blood vessel obstructions, such as a blood | | | | oxygen. Oftentimes, the brain area suffering |
| clot, that cuts off blood flow and oxygen to parts of | | | | secondary damage is a larger part of the brain than |
| the brain. This results in the death of nerve cells | | | | that which suffered the primary damage. This area |
| within a very short time. These dying brain cells begin | | | | of secondary damage to the brain (the ischemic |
| to swell due to their cell walls breaking down, allowing | | | | penumbra) is the area that HBOT helps. |
| fluid to move into the cells. As these cells swell, they | | | | Improvements have been achieved, gains have been |
| begin to expand into the surrounding tissues. | | | | made, even with patients who are more than a |
| This causes constriction of the blood vessels in the | | | | decade post-stroke. |
| surrounding tissues, which then causes a lack of | | | | Note: TIA: Transient Ischemic Attack, is a "mini |
| oxygen to these previously normal cells. These | | | | stroke", or "warning stroke" that often produces mild |
| surrounding cells then begin to swell as well. This | | | | stroke-like symptoms but usually no lasting damage. |
| gradually increasing, damaged, hypoxic tissue | | | | A TIA is often a forecast of a full-fledged stroke on |
| surrounding the original injury is called the "ischemic | | | | the horizon, which makes this a good indicator for |
| penumbra," and contributes up to 85% of the | | | | beginning this therapy. |
| disability resulting from a stroke. The cells in this | | | | Day after day, patients are overcoming the bleak |
| secondary area have the potential of being restored | | | | forecasts about recovery from their stroke or |
| to near-normal, and sometimes normal function. | | | | traumatic brain injury, using Hyperbaric Oxygen |
| The neuroscientist Dr. Cyril B. Courville wrote, | | | | Therapy. |
| "crippled nerve cells may persist in the margins of | | | | |