Central sensitization is a condition of the nervous system that is associated with the development and maintenance of chronic pain. A new understanding of the role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in central sensitization may be the key to effectively utilizing the benefits of this therapeutic intervention for pain management.

In this study, an experimental first degree burn injury was induced in 19 healthy male subjects followed by one single hyperbaric oxygen session (2.4 ATA, 100% oxygen, 90 min). The results from the hyperbaric session demonstrated a long lasting reduction in pain. In addition, the application of HBOT also demonstrated a protective effect through preconditioning. These results strongly support the effects on central sensitization through HBOT and may offer greater clinical applications for those suffering from chronic pain syndromes, particularly towards persistence post surgical pain and phantom limb pain, among other areas within clinical pain research. <View study -- Journal of Pain Research 2019>

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Chronic pain is a hot topic in hyperbaric medicine, leading to numerous citations in many prestigious medical journals documenting the benefits of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. This study, not only demonstrates support for this procedure, but also gives us new insights to the mechanisms of action <view study> Read Less

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a condition that is very common amongst the elderly and one that, for many, negatively affects their quality of life by causing a great deal of debility, and causing a dependency on pain medications (NSAIDS). OA is basically a degenerative condition of the joints whereby inflammatory markers seem to be the most important mediators of this cartilage destruction. Keep in mind that cartilage is able to repair itself through the induction of local growth factors, leading to the production of new collagen. This 'regenerative' repair is counteracted by the continual destruction seen with this disorder, leading to a progressive degenerative state. Since HBOT is considered to be a regenerative therapy, it would make sense that HBOT could help with a degenerative condition like OA. HBOT is already being used by OA sufferers for its anti-inflammatory pain-relieving effects, but now this study gives us insights on its potential long term benefits on reducing the net destruction and degeneration observed in OA. Researches were able to show that HBOT can benefit OA by helping with both factors that are involved in this disease. Firstly, HBOT caused a marked reduction of the key inflammatory markers involved this condition; thereby, reducing further degeneration. Secondly, HBOT caused an increase in the number of growth factors involved in the production of new collagen and cartilage formation, thus helping in the repair and regeneration of this tissue. The clinical relevance of this study is enormous, as it may offer OA sufferers the ability to counteract the degradative forces involved in OA, while still offering its pain-relieving benefits <view study> Read Less

Recent research has shown that hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) can help alleviate pain both in acute and chronic cases. Much attention has focused on the anti-inflammatory effects of HBOT and associated reductions in pain. This study, published in the European Journal of Pain in 2014, showed that opioid receptors may also have a big role in the positive effects of HBOT <view study> Read Less

This animal study induced sciatic nerve injury through chronic constriction. They measured inflammatory markers and then followed up with Hyperbaric oxygenation therapy. The results demonstrated an immediate pain relief following the procedure with repetitive applications giving more long-acting relief. These results correlated with the positive changes seen in inflammatory markers and reinforce the use of hyperbaric therapy for pain and inflammation, following nerve injury <view study> Read Less