What is HBO treatments? Thanks, Brenda

Hi Brenda

HBO stands for Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment. If you do a search here on the forum you will get alot of information on this topic.

I have had this treatment and there is NOTHING to fear or concern yourself about if you have to have them. It involves going into a chamber and breathing in oxygen through a mask for about an hour. I had 30 treatments or "dives" as they are referred to.

I hope this helps a little, but as I said there is lots of detailed info on this site.


Karen

Hi Karen, thanks, do you mind telling me why did you have to have the treatments? The reason I ask is I am afraid that I have to get the rest of my teeth pulled and my mouth is so dry. I have nothing to fight infection with. If its personal I understand. Thanks, Brenda

HBO is the best!!!! Ive had lots of dives, so far 75 with 10 more to go. Its what healed me after surgery. I also give it credit for helping with my fatigue, arthritis in my back, anemia and jaw pain. Those items are just my personal experiences. It is necessary to prevent ostioradionecrosis, and for post radiation dental work.

My 'dives' we done in a glass cylinder where I watched tv or slept the 2 hours I was in there. No mask was used for me. The only problem I had was due to radiation after effects where I wasnt able to swallow enough to clear my ears. I had to get tubes put in my ears like kids who have alot of ear infections do. Since then, no problem at all with the treatments.

HBO is the easiest tx Ive done.

I was diagnosed with Osteoradiocrosis (spelling??) ORN following radiotherapy in 2007. Therefore I had to have nearly all of my lower mandible jaw reconstructed with bone from my hip. So before the operation to replace my jaw bone I did the 30 HBOs.

As nearly all of my bottom teeth had to be removed along with my jaw bone the HBO is highly recommend, in actual fact they insist on having HBO before the surgery. HBO helps with healing. With people who are having teeth removed they use this treatment often.

It is also used here for people who have been involved in things like vehicle accidents to help healing.

Karen

We used to have the TV on also and we used to play scrabble. The time went really quickly. As Christine has said HBO is really easy... compared to everything else it is a walk in the park.

Forgot to mention, there is always a nurse in with you so therefore you know that you are in good hands and if you have any questions someone is right there to assist.

Karen

The idea of HBO is to saturate your system, esp bones, to strengthen them prior to work affecting bones, esp teeth, to avoid necrosis.

This is a post that I have made before several times.

Osteoradionecrosis...bone that has received doses of radiation may lack the ability to repair itself after trauma. Radiation destroys the blood vessels in the area causing a reduction of circulation to the area of oxygen and other nutrients. This then will prevent normal healing in that area if the bone is injured.

Hyperbaric oxygen to the area will stimulate new blood vessel growth and therefore stimulate bone healing.

Without hyperbaric oxygen, removal of a tooth will probably result in bone that won't heal.

This is a good article: http://www.virginiamason.org/dbHyperbaricOxygen/sec181033.htm

Hope this has been helpful.

Jerry

Christine
75? you must have the patience of a saint. I did 30 dives and although it did help it was boring as hell. Having said this, I did have an extraction later on (without any extra dives) and that caused no problems. Even if you do not plan to have any dental work/extractions done it is worth it if you can get it.

M

Jerry,

Quick question. I have been using my daily fluoride trays since 30 days pre Tx and my dentist says it won't hurt to use them for the rest of my life. My question is what does the fluoride do to prevent Osteoporosis ?