Hyperbarics and Fibromyalgia
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has been shown to be useful for wound healing and non-healing injuries, but more recently, it has also been utilized for traumatic brain injury (TBI) and symptoms related to post-concussion. HBOT has also been studied for inflammatory and autoimmune conditions including rheumatoid arthritis and ulcerative colitis. But what about chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia? It is not quite known what causes fibromyalgia, but possible causes include chronic infections, neurotransmitter imbalances, and emotional or physical trauma.
Studies of the brain SPECT scans of patients with fibromyalgia have found abnormalities in the hippocampus region of the brain. This part of the brain is associated with pain perception along with cognitive functions and sleep. Since HBOT has been shown to improve symptoms of other types of brain injuries, it is possible that HBOT can improve hippocampus function and decrease symptoms of fibromyalgia such as pain, fatigue, impaired sleep, and mood disturbances.
In one study, 60 female patients underwent 40 treatment sessions with at 2.0 ATA with 100% oxygen for 90min 5 days per week for 8 weeks. The study showed significant improvements in repairing brain activity which led to significant improvement in symptoms.1 In addition, the need for taking pain medication was reduced in the HBOT treated group.
In another smaller but more recent study, 17 patients with fibromyalgia underwent 40 treatments at 2.0 ATA with 100% O2 over 8 weeks. Improvements in overall functioning, symptoms of anxiety and depression and sleep quality were all improved.2 In addition, patients were seen to benefit from symptom improvement 3 months after the completion of treatment.
HBOT is a treatment that can be very effective at healing parts of the brain that are responsible for causing symptoms related to fibromyalgia. As most conventional treatments are prescriptions medications to treat the symptoms, HBOT can offer another treatment approach that is healing and therefore has long lasting effects.
References
1. Efrati S, Golan H, Bechor Y, Faran Y, Daphna-Tekoah S, Sekler G, Fishlev G, Ablin JN, Bergan J, Volkov O, Friedman M, Ben-Jacob E, Buskila D. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can diminish fibromyalgia syndrome--prospective clinical trial. PLoS One. 2015 May 26;10(5):e0127012. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0127012. PMID: 26010952; PMCID: PMC4444341.
2. Atzeni F, Casale R, Alciati A, Masala IF, Batticciotto A, Talotta R, Gerardi MC, Salaffi F, Sarzi-Puttini P. Hyperbaric oxygen treatment of fibromyalgia: a prospective observational clinical study. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2019 Jan-Feb;37 Suppl 116(1):63-69. Epub 2019 Feb 6. PMID: 30747099.
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