How hyperbaric oxygen therapy and stem cells can help you heal
Learn how the innovative medical treatments can be combined to aid patients battling a variety of ailments
As the body’s raw materials, stem cells have the potential to help people affected by various diseases like type 1 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and heart disease in many different ways. [1] The healing properties of stem cells have been studied for years and will continue to be as medicine and science advance.
Keep reading to learn how stem cells and hyperbaric oxygen therapy are intertwined in their ability to help people heal in a powerful way.
What are stem cells?
Stem cells are cells in the body that can naturally divide into different types of cells with specific functions like blood cells or brain cells. Stem cells are special because they are the only type of cell in the body that can organically generate new types of cells. [1,2]
Why are stem cells so valuable?
Unlike other cells that have specific roles, the quality of stem cells to have no specific role means they can become nearly any cell that’s needed to help the human body function or heal. [1,3]
The transformative ability of stem cells makes them valuable for researchers seeking answers for how specific diseases and conditions develop by watching stem cells mature in certain parts of the body. [1,3]
How are stem cells utilized to heal people?
One of the most well-known ways stem cells are utilized to heal patients is through stem cell transplants, which are more commonly known as bone marrow transplants. In a bone marrow transplant, stem cells replace cells damaged by chemotherapy or disease and can also help fight certain forms of cancer and blood-related diseases like leukemia, lymphoma, and neuroblastoma. [1,3]
Stem cells can also be used in stem cell therapy (or regenerative medicine) to replace cells affected by diseases or conditions like spinal cord injuries or Alzheimer’s disease with healthy cells to regenerate or repair damaged tissues. [1,3]
There is also ongoing research on the possibilities of stem cells to treat people with diseases that are currently incurable as well as some degenerative diseases like heart failure. [3]
How can hyperbaric oxygen therapy and stem cells work together?
As a noninvasive therapy that exposes the body to an environment of 100% oxygen, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) can be used with stem cells to help you heal in two main ways:
- Boosting your body’s supply of circulating stem cells
- Working in conjunction with stem cell therapy
As such a versatile cell, undergoing HBOT to mobilize your body’s circulating stem cells can be beneficial to people battling many diseases and conditions. One highly-regarded study on the ability of HBOT to mobilize stem cells found that circulating CD34+ cells (cells targeted to salvage and restore damaged structures) increased 800% over a course of 20 hyperbaric treatments at 2.0 ATA. [4] A more recent study on the subject found that stem cell mobilization during HBOT was significantly higher with 2.5 ATA treatments rather than 2.0, even though both were very effective at mobilization. [5]
In addition to naturally boosting the body’s supply of circulating stem cells, HBOT can also be used in conjunction with stem cell therapy to more effectively and efficiently help patients heal. One study on the benefits of combining HBOT with regenerative medicine strategies found that combining stem cell therapy with HBOT has a collaborative effect on wound healing. [6]
Want to learn more about hyperbaric oxygen therapy and stem cells?
Please visit our research library to view studies on the topic under ‘Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Stem Cells.’
How we can help
At Hyperbaric Healing Treatment Center, we’re proud to help patients in their healing journeys at our spa-like medical centers in Orlando and New Smyrna Beach, Florida that are well-equipped with Sechrist monoplace hyperbaric chambers and our highly qualified team.
With entertainment streaming capabilities, our hyperbaric chambers will provide you with a safe, secure, and comfortable healing environment for your hyperbaric treatments.
Ready to experience the healing power of oxygen?
Our team of hyperbaric specialists are ready to answer any questions you may have before your treatments! We welcome you to contact us today.
Sources:
1: Mayo Clinic | Stem cells: What they are and what they do
2: Stanford Medicine Children’s Health | What are stem cells?
3: Medical News Today | What are stem cells, and what do they do?