Many physicians promote hyperbaric oxygen therapy as a worthwhile tool for holding back symptoms of multiple sclerosis. But some prominent researchers and organizations disagree.
Identification
Hyperbaric oxygen treatment for MS involves entering a sealed chamber and breathing 100 percent pure oxygen at a pressurized rate far greater than normal.
Benefits
Many physicians and organizations believe HBOT provides some MS relief. "HBO(t) is not a cure for MS--but it seems to offer effective help with such critical symptoms as fatigue, poor balance and mobility, sensory perception difficulties, incontinence and, in some cases, speech problems," according to The Multiple Sclerosis Resource Center in the United Kingdom.
Time Frame
Individuals recently diagnosed with MS may be in the best position to realize results. "Patients with multiple sclerosis respond well with an initial series of 20 sessions," said Dr. Harold J. Grams of the Advanced Chiropractic Center in Maine. Treatment is typically then scaled back to one to two times per month.
Warning
Many physicians and researchers doubt the efficacy of HBOT for MS. In 2009, the Complementary and Alternative Medicine program at the Rocky Mountain Multiple Sclerosis Center in Colorado wrote, "Practices that should be avoided because they are ineffective or unsafe include hyperbaric oxygen."
Considerations
MS is not one of the 13 conditions approved for HBOT treatment by The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, the governing body of hyperbaric medicine.
Tags: , multiple sclerosis, Multiple Sclerosis