HBOT Conversations

HBOT News podcast host, Edward di Girolamo, talks with guest, Robert Beckman, founder of Treatnow.org, who was instrumental in the compilation and release of The National Brain Injury Rescue and Rehabilitation Study – a multicenter observational study of hyperbaric oxygen for mild traumatic brain injury with post-concussive symptoms.

It took over a decade for that study to be completed and published. Once it was, it not only opened a door for veterans and others who were looking for a way to heal from head trauma, the NBIRR study ignited other studies to start, focusing solely on the safety & efficacy of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for brain injuries.

Beckman discusses some of the challenges he has witnessed over the years, including the Army declaring that HBOT does not work. After combing through the data, Beckman states that their analysis is rooted in a “lie” about the sham they used in their study; everyone got better. This starts an in-depth conversation between di Girolamo and Beckman about the frustration of the government so easily dismissing HBOT, inflammation linked to PTSD, the stigma of PTSD being a personal and not a physical problem, the disappointment that most veterans don’t even know HBOT exists, and why more is not being done to heal our veterans from these invisible injuries of war.

Beckman proudly states that what started as nine clinics to treat veterans under the NBIRR study, has grown to about 135 clinics across the country that specialize in treating veterans with HBOT for free or reduced rates. Additionally, there are now a combined 12,500-plus success stories from these 135 clinics of individuals with TBI, PTSD, and mTBI who have completed 40 treatments/dives.

Beckman gives surgical statistics relating to HBOT and explains that by pre-oxygenating and post-oxygenating via hyperbaric chambers, patients can benefit from a 30-40% faster healing rate. He points out that countless professional athletes are now using hyperbaric oxygen therapy for faster recuperation to treat pain, injuries, and inflammation; and hyperbarics is being used all over the world right now for successfully treating COVID long-haulers. He states that COVID long-haulers are hypoxic suffering patients, and data exists that military personnel who have experienced the blow of an IUD are suffering in much of the same manner – it’s that lack of oxygen to the brain and all parts of the suffering body that HBOT helps.

di Girolamo asks the question so many of us are curious about, “If HBOT obviously works, why isn’t the military admitting to this? Why aren’t we using it more?” Beckman suggests we read this particular blog on his website that sheds much light on the subject, The Obvious Question: If HBOT works, why aren’t we using it?

Beckman reminds di Girolamo – and all of us – that this is a marathon. Yes, they’ve made great strides over the past two decades in education and research for hyperbaric oxygen therapy, but they still have a way to go. He continues to be optimistic that one day we’ll all witness our shared goal of eliminating the suicide epidemic by utilizing HBOT to thoroughly heal brain injuries.

HBOT News podcast host, Edward di Girolamo, talks with guest, Elena Schertz, NP of Extivita-RTP, about how her clinic is actively healing the injured and sick with hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), including veterans, sports athletes and COVID long-haulers. She explains the proven benefits of HBOT – what it is, who are candidates for the therapy, and how each session saturates a patient’s blood plasma with oxygen for ultimate healing powers.

Elena reveals their successes treating TBI and PTSD, and why the therapies at Extivita are even leading to the patient’s elimination of suicidal thoughts. Since veterans are at high risk of suicide due to the grave nature of combat, priority is being taken to treat these American heroes with HBOT at low or no cost. North Carolina’s veteran funding is discussed, while Elena expresses her hope that the state will eventually expand funding to include other beneficial therapies.

The topic of treating COVID long-haulers arise, and Elena makes a claim with absolute certainty that 99% of the COVID long-haulers who come through their doors are significantly better after going through HBOT sessions and nutritional IV regiments, with 95% of them eventually returning to their baseline.

Elena ends the podcast interview raving about her experienced clinical staff, explaining how they celebrate every milestone with their patients relishing in the rewards of making a difference and saving lives. They offer a positive environment for healing, and she encourages anyone seeking a better quality of life to come experience Extivita-RTP and the wonder of hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

In episode 2 of 9, host Edward di Girolamo speaks with world renowned HBOT expert, Dr. Paul G. Harch on thermal burns, FDA approvals, the misguidance of physicians towards HBOT and insurance coverage. di Girolamo immediately stresses that he wants to better understand what the roadblock is, why are more burn victims not using Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy? Dr. Harch explains that it’s simple, they don’t know about it.

di Girolamo tells a story about his journey to educate a doctor in Galvenston, TX who oversees a handful of hospitals known to treat youth burn victims. He spent time chatting with the doctor via phone, and educating the physician that the FDA has now cleared hyperbaric oxygen as a treatment for thermal burns. During the conversation, di Girolamo outlined the benefits of HBOT as a better and more painless treatment option for these children. The doctor stated that he was excited and interested; and welcomed di Girolamo to send him a copy of UHMS’s referenced research on thermal burns that ultimately led to the FDA clearance. The research by Dr. Cianci, “Adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the treatment of thermal burns” was overnighted and received/signed for. After that, the Galveston, TX doctor refused to take di Girolamo’s calls. di Girolamo later discovered that this particular doctor was also the head of the plastic surgery unit. He believes that the doctor’s hesitation to embrace Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, a potentially safer and painless recovery method for youth burn victims, had everything to do with the reduction of plastic surgeries the hospital would have seen.

Dr. Harch stresses that the timing of this conversation about thermal burns is impeccable; it was only a few months ago that he had given a lecture on this. He reviewed all of the literature on hyperbaric oxygen in burns and part of the problem was the randomized trials. Every doctor in medicine wants randomized trials. There’s some real positive information that exists and there’s neutral information – it’s mixed. But, yet there are many articles out there that support it, and the animal literature is overwhelming for burns. Harch explains that one of the key things to using HBOT to treat thermal burns is that the therapy is most effective when it’s done almost immediately to treat the inflammatory part of the burn injury; the reperfusion injury. If you get to it early enough, HBOT can deliver a dramatic improvement. However, even if it’s delayed hyperbaric oxygen therapy still has many positive qualities of healing, because it reduces swelling in every traumatic and injurious condition. There is literature and science to support this in just about every organ system where it’s been applied.

Harch continues to educate on using HBOT for thermal burns and stresses that if used immediately after an acute burn, it can reduce swelling. This reduction in swelling will prevent the progression from second degree, deep second degree, to third degree. It’s when it gets to third degree that burn patients have to cut off the skin and are in need of a skin graft, which is very painful plastic surgery process with horrendous scarring. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has the evidence to support this, and the ability to reduce the swelling and prevent that deep second to third degree conversion. Harch tells us that if a burn patient can do that, then the number of debridements, surgeries, and skin graftings is reduced.

But, then the question remains….. who is going to pay for the Hyperbaric