HBOT side effects do exist but are very rare and usually very mild in nature. Transient and benign changes in visual acuity could occur, but usually after a prolonged use. You should save you prescription glasses even if you feel that your vision has improved, because after some time your visual acuity will return to the original values. You should therefore postpone your visual acuity check-up for some four months after the completion of HBOT. If you have eye cataract, some risk of its further deterioration may exist, but this has happened very rarely. For all explanations about side effects of HBOT please feel free to ask our doctors. While breathing oxygen at an increased pressure signs of oxygen toxicity may develop. The signs of toxicity are nonspecific (nausea, sweating, narrowing of the visual field, muscle twitches, hiccups ....). If any of them happen during oxygen breathing, you should immediately notify the attendant in the chamber to take action and prevent further development of symptoms.
IMPORTANT! PLEASE, BE SURE TO INFORM US IF ...
- you have common cold, runny nose, or breathing problems,
- there is a possibility that you are pregnant,
- have diarrhea, nausea or vomiting,
- you have a sinus infection, or infection of the middle ear,
- you have changed your regular therapy (medication),
- you did not have breakfast,
- you have diabetes, but did not take the usual dose of you drug medication,
- you are, for whatever reason, more anxious than usually.
Patients with implanted cardiac pacemakers should at arrival to the first treatment submit manufacturer's certificate that the device is safe for use in a hyperbaric chamber. Patients with an implanted artificial heart valves need to bring proof of the type of prosthesis.
Wounds should be bandaged. Our physicians must approve cleaning and dressing wounds modalities.
Our staff will assist you when entering the chamber and during your stay. Special care will be provided to the persons with moving difficulties. Each patient will be comfortably placed in the chamber and given his/he respirations unit (mask or helmet) that will be used during the treatment.
During the treatment, a tender (nurse, physician, or other authorized personnel) will be with you all the time to assist you and operate devices installed inside the chamber.
During the compression of the chamber, you would have to actively "clean" your ears (equalize the pressure in the chamber with the pressure in your middle ear and sinuses). Our professional staff will in simple words instruct you about the meaning of this maneuver and how to perform it safely and easily. Pressurization of the chamber takes between 5 and 10 minutes and during that time you will have to repeatedly and frequently perform the procedure for equalization of pressure. You would not have to perform this maneuver if small tubes would be inserted through your tympanic membranes. In that case, pressure equalization will take place automatically. At the first sign of discomfort, pain or unsuccessful pressure equalization, you are obliged to immediately notify the tender calling or waving to him/her. Pressurizing of the chamber will be halted immediately and you will receive appropriate assistance.
During the compression of the chamber, you will notice that the temperature in the chamber increases. Sometimes this can be unpleasant. Anyway, this effect of compression is very short. When desired chamber pressure is reached, temperature increase will stop and ventilation of the chamber interior and the air-conditioning system will soon bring temperature within comfort limits.
During the treatment ...
The tender will take care of all the preparations and verify that your mask works properly before gently adjusting it on your face by straps. The tender is responsible to operate the entire technique, and all devices inside the chamber. The patients are not allowed to adjust masks to themselves or the others, to open or close the valves or to touch any pipes, valves or other devices. In that way we will ensure safety in the chamber without any possibility of risk, which is our first goal.
Having finished daily treatment (pressure exposure, or the so-called "exposure" or "session"), the chamber will be slowly "brought to the surface", i.e. will be depressurized (decompressed) to zero meters of sea water pressure (normal room pressure). This procedure will take about 10 minutes. During depressurization, active equalization of pressure in the middle ear cavity with the pressure in the chamber is not necessary; it can even have unpleasant consequences. The pressure in the middle ear cavity equalizes much easier during decompression, a lot easier than during compression, and it is enough to occasionally perform the act of swallowing. During decompression, you should not be holding your breath, but breathing normally all the time. If you would by any chance experience chest pain or breathing problems, you should alert the inside tender immediately.
During compression, decompression and ventilation, increased airflow creates some noise. Although this noise is well within safety exposure limits and could not harm your hearing, it might be unpleasant to some persons. Therefore, we recommend that in such situations, in order to protect your ears from unpleasant sounds and possible harmful effects, you use protection devices that are at your disposal). Placing any plugs in your ears while in the hyperbaric chamber is not allowed, because it can cause damage to your eardrums.
