What Is Osteomyelitis?

Osteomyelitis is the inflammation of bone caused by infection, generally in the legs, arm, or spine. Infections can reach bones by traveling through the bloodstream or spreading from nearby tissue. Common symptoms include pain, fever, and chills.

How Does Hyperbaric Oxygen Help With Osteomyelitis?

Hyperbaric oxygen is able to effectively oxidise and remove harmful toxins, heavy metals, bacteria, and viruses, which are all often present with osteomyelitis. The bacteria that are associated with osteomyelitis thrive in low oxygen. But these bacteria are poisoned and killed by high levels of pressurized oxygen.

Hyperbaric oxygen has the ability to massively create stem cells in your body. In fact, studies show that your body produces 800% more stem cells after 40 treatments of hyperbaric oxygen. Your body uses these stem cells as extra resources to heal and recover, since stem cells are able to grow up into any kind of cell the body needs. In the case of osteomyelitis, there can be body tissues which need to be repaired even after toxins and pathogens have been removed from the body. The stem cells produced by hyperbaric oxygen are able to repair this damage.

Hyperbaric oxygen also kickstarts the body’s natural immune system. Hyperbaric oxygen grows brand new white blood cells, modulates immune reactions, and causes new collagen to grow in the gut where 90% of the immune system is located. Better gut function translates to better digestion, absorption of nutrients, and more good probiotic bacteria that keep our immune systems healthy. A healthy immune system is essential for recovery from osteomyelitis.

Osteomyelitis is marked by chronic inflammation and constant oxidative stress. Hyperbaric oxygen dramatically lowers inflammation and decreases oxidative stress as it grows new blood vessels throughout the body, providing a new infrastructure of oxygen-rich blood and nutrients to reach inflamed tissue. Hyperbaric oxygen creates a new and ongoing positive chain of events in the body that helps lead to recovery from osteomyelitis.

Studies show that hyperbaric oxygen can correct or significantly improve osteomyelitis symptoms. And our clinical experience also attests to this fact.

Research

Click on the links below to learn more about the science behind the Oxford Recovery Model

• Evaluation of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in treatment of patients with osteomyelitis of the mandible: In this study, patients whom have relapsed with osteomyelitis were treated with hyperbaric oxygen. Out of the 27 total, 7 were relapse free whom had no previous treatment, 4 were relapse free whom had antimicrobial and surgical treatment, and the treatment favored younger patients in the group whom had only antimicrobial treatment.
• Role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the treatment of bacterial spinal osteomyelitis: in this study, 6 patients underwent hyperbaric oxygen in a 10 year period. After the treatment, 5 out of 6 patients had their infection cured within the follow up period of this study.