HBOT and Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Learn the benefits

How HBOT offers new hope for IBD patients

Over three million Americans live with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a condition characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. [1] Despite significant advances in treatment, many patients find themselves struggling with severe symptoms and complications, especially when standard therapies fail. 

Enter hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT): an innovative, science-backed treatment that’s giving new hope to IBD patients. In groundbreaking research, HBOT has shown remarkable promise in reducing inflammation, promoting tissue healing, and improving patients’ quality of life.

Continue reading as we explore more about Inflammatory Bowel Disease and how HBOT can help mitigate symptoms. 

 

Understanding Inflammatory Bowel Disease

IBD is an umbrella term for chronic conditions characterized by inflammation in the digestive tract, primarily Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Patients with IBD may experience persistent diarrhea, abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, weight loss, and fatigue. With the millions of Americans affected by IDB, many are diagnosed in young adulthood. 

Despite advances in treatments like corticosteroids, immunomodulators, and TNF inhibitors, many patients fail to achieve long-term remission. The root cause of IBD involves a combination of genetic, environmental, and immune factors, leading to an overactive immune response in the gut.

 

How Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy works

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is unique because it involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber, allowing the body to absorb more oxygen than under normal conditions. This additional oxygen helps reduce inflammation by suppressing the production of inflammatory cytokines like TNF-α and IL-6. [2] 

HBOT also enhances healing by increasing oxygen delivery to tissues, promoting repair and regeneration, and boosting antioxidant defenses through enzymes like superoxide dismutase. These effects make HBOT particularly beneficial for addressing the hypoxic (low oxygen) environments common in inflamed IBD tissues.

 

Learn more:
How to improve blood oxygen levels?

 

The impact of HBOT on Crohn’s Disease

Crohn’s disease, a form of IBD, is characterized by inflammation that can affect any part of the digestive tract, often leading to complications like fistulas and abscesses. HBOT has shown remarkable efficacy in treating these complications.

For example, two studies revealed that up to 78% of patients with severe, treatment-resistant Crohn’s disease had clinical improvements with HBOT, highlighting HBOT’s potential to reduce inflammation, promote tissue healing, and address complications like fistulas. [3]   

Pictured here: Young Crohn’s Disease patient receiving HBOT at The Hyperbaric Healing Treatment Center

 

The Hyperbaric Healing Treatment Center shares the story of a mother whose child successfully used HBOT as part of their Crohn’s disease treatment:

 

“My 10-year-old son was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease. Instead of going the route of Remicade, we had heard positive experiences with HBOT from individuals we personally knew and decided there was no harm in giving this a try, as there isn’t the risk that you have from extreme medication treatments, etc. Especially for a child who was already immune suppressed from a liver transplant and dealing with multiple other medical issues.

Both my son & I were processed for the evaluation, and once our medical records and doctor approval went through, we were good to go. I was just amazed at the above-and-beyond kindness at this location!!

After dive #4 I noticed we BOTH slept better, had more energy, and my muscles were relaxed like a massage. By #15 we had weaned off 2 medications for GI. Cramps were almost gone completely! We are over 2 months post-treatment, and my son is STILL doing exceptionally well and off a 3rd medication (Budesonide) now.”

 

— Jenee’ R., via Google Reviews (edited down version of the full review) 

 

Related resource:
HBOT and Crohn’s disease: How hyperbaric oxygen therapy can help with your treatment and remission

 

HBOT’s role in managing Ulcerative Colitis 

HBOT has demonstrated the ability to accelerate remission and prevent surgery for ulcerative colitis patients. A 2017 multicenter study revealed that 80% of patients treated with HBOT showed clinical improvement, compared to just 25% in the placebo group. No HBOT-treated patients required colectomy, while 38% of the placebo group did. [4] Furthermore, HBOT appears to provide extended periods of remission, giving patients and physicians time to explore additional treatments and avoid invasive procedures.

 

HBOT and IBD’s research and outlook

The future of HBOT in IBD care looks promising, with leading researchers like Dr. Parambir S. Dulai spearheading Phase 3 clinical trials to evaluate its long-term efficacy. [5] Ongoing research aims to determine optimal treatment protocols, expand access to HBOT in rural and underserved areas, and explore its potential as a first-line or adjunctive treatment. This therapy’s ability to address both the root causes and complications of IBD holds immense promise for redefining treatment standards.

Inflammatory bowel disease is a complex and often debilitating condition, but hyperbaric oxygen therapy offers a new frontier in treatment. By targeting inflammation and promoting tissue repair, HBOT provides hope for patients who have exhausted other options. As research continues, this innovative therapy may soon transform the landscape of IBD care, offering improved outcomes and a better quality of life for millions.

 

How we can help

At Hyperbaric Healing Treatment Center, we’ve seen great success in treating both children and adults with a variety of digestive conditions, including Crohn’s disease, Gastritis, Gastroenteritis, Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and IBD.

“I treated a gentleman from The Villages with severe Crohn’s disease that had great results with just 10 treatments,” shares Erika Jordan, founder of Hyperbaric Healing Treatment Center. “He returned two and a half years later for maintenance dives and stated he has not had any problems or need for medication since he dove with us last.”

 

Want to learn more about hyperbaric oxygen therapy for Inflammatory Bowel Disease treatment?

Our trained, caring team of hyperbaric specialists is ready to answer any questions! We welcome you to contact us today.

 

Sources:
1: CDC | IBD Facts and Stats
2: PubMed Central | The role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in inflammatory bowel disease: a narrative review
3: PubMed Central | Hyperbaric oxygen treatment for inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review and analysis
4: Oxford Academic | The Effectiveness and Safety of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Various Phenotypes of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Systematic Review With Meta-analysis
5: Northwestern Medicine | How Does Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Help Treat IBD?