Hyperbaric medicine, also known as hyperbaric oxygen therapy or HBOT, is a means to increase oxygen to higher levels than the normal atmospheric pressure. The different types and sizes of chambers, diseases being treated and the number of treatments in the chamber, all play a part in influencing the hyperbaric oxygen therapy cost. Additionally, just the same as other medical treatments, the facility and the location of the facility also play a part in determining the hyperbaric oxygen therapy cost.
Hyperbaric medicine is used for the treatment of several diseases, including carbon monoxide poisoning, gas and air embolism, burns, decompression sickness, crush injuries, autism, infections, cerebral palsy and many other diseases. The pure oxygen is delivered to tissues that are diseased or damaged to help facilitate faster healing and recovery. The recovery time varies depending on the severity and type of disease or damage, which affects the total hyperbaric oxygen therapy cost. Since each condition is different, the hyperbaric oxygen therapy treatments run in series of sessions. Some treatments consist of one or two treatments a day and can continue for 40 or more sessions. After the first round of sessions, assessment is made to determine if further treatments are necessary, which increases the hyperbaric oxygen therapy cost.
The hyperbaric oxygen therapy cost can range from $100 to $250 for a fifty to sixty minute treatment at private clinics. Some hospitals charge over $1,000 for a HBOT session. Normally, the treatments are held in outpatient clinics. Originally, the oxygen therapy units were made of a hard-shelled pressure chamber. However, newer models are made of soft material and are portable. The hard and soft-shelled chambers offer different features for several uses and safety. Depending on the size, the chambers can accommodate one to several patients and health care personnel at a time.
Some chambers use compressed air, which is cheaper than the hyperbaric oxygen therapy cost for pure oxygen. HBOT involves some risks, and it is not suited for patients with upper respiratory tract infections, emphysema, and other conditions, including those on chemotherapeutic drugs. It is always best to get advice from your medical doctor before proceeding with hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
