Hyperbaric oxygen ameliorates worsening signs and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder

Abstract

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy at 2.4 atmospheric pressure absolutes for 90 minutes per day ameliorated the signs and symptoms of agitation, confusion, and emotional distress in a 27-year-old male seven days following a traumatic accident. Hyperbaric oxygen was used to treat the patient’s crush injury and underlying nondisplaced pelvic fractures which were sustained in a bicycle versus automobile traffic accident. Its effect on the patient’s neuropsychiatric symptoms was surprising and obvious immediately following the initial hyperbaric oxygen treatment. Complete cognitive and psychiatric recovery was achieved by the seventh and final hyperbaric oxygen treatment. We propose that hyperbaric oxygen was effective in improving the patient’s neuropsychiatric symptoms by reducing cerebral oxidative stress, inflammation, vasogenic edema, and hippocampal neuronal apoptosis. Further investigation into the use of hyperbaric oxygen as a novel therapy for the secondary prevention of post-traumatic stress disorder that often accompanies post-concussive syndrome may be warranted. We acknowledge that hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been shown to have a strong placebo effect on neurologic and psychiatric diseases.

The use of hyperbaric oxygen for veterans with PTSD: basic physiology and current available clinical data

“…Early clinical evidence for the potential use of HBOT in humans with PTSD came from case reports. These described significant improvements in PCS and PTSD symptoms following HBOT (Harch et al, 2009;Eovaldi and Zanetti, 2010). A number of pilot studies involving military personnel with prolonged PCS or TBI were conducted after the publication of these case reports, and demonstrated significant improvements in PTSD symptoms after HBOT sessions (Neubauer and James, 1998;Rockswold et al, 2007).…”

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy as a potential treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder associated with traumatic brain injury

“… 34 In a case study involving a 27-year-old male who suffered a traumatic car/bicycle accident and was experiencing signs of emotional distress that could develop into PTSD, 7 treatments of HBOT (2.4 ATA for 90 min) commencing 7 days after injury seemed to resolve his emotional distress, suggesting that HBOT may be able to alleviate the development of PTSD. 39 However, this is in only one patient, and the placebo effect cannot be discounted, but combined with the other studies; it is an encouraging evidence for a potential benefit. The ability of HBOT to modify acute injury and reduce mortality is therefore worth exploring further in well-designed studies, ideally in a randomized controlled trial that is currently lacking.…”