Hyperbaric Oxygen Proven to Relieve Fibromyalgia Symptoms

What is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a condition that affects the way your brain processes pain. Fibromyalgia affects about 2-4% of the total population, and it affects women at a far higher rate than men (about a 9:1 ratio). Symptoms include chronic widespread pain, tenderness, fatigue, and sleep disturbance, and there are currently very few treatments able to address these symptoms outside of pharmaceutical intervention. The goal of this study was to discover the effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) on patients with fibromyalgia, both in their nerve pain symptoms and associated brain activity. 

Results From the Study of HBOT’s Effects on Fibromyalgia

Researchers at Rice University in Texas treated 60 women who had been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia at least two years prior. Patients underwent a 40 session protocol: 5 days/week for 90-minutes at 2.0 ATA, breathing 100% oxygen. Patients in both the treatment and control-crossover groups experienced improvement in their symptoms, leading the researchers to determine that “HBOT in both groups led to significant amelioration of all FMS symptoms, with significant improvement in life quality.” Excitingly, they found “HBOT can induce neuroplasticity and significantly rectify abnormal brain activity in pain related areas of FMS patients.” Neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to regrow tissue and form new neural pathways that change how the brain interprets electrical signals from the body. 

This is extremely important news for anyone diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. Unlike current pharmaceutical interventions, HBOT actually helps to heal the underlying issues that cause the disease. Instead of using narcotics to manage the pain, fibromyalgia patients can use HBOT to address the root of the problem, and find lasting relief. 

Here at ATX Hyperbarics, we can run the same protocol used in this study to help treat your Fibromyalgia. Contact us today to find out more!