The HOW Foundation of South Florida is working in collaboration with the International Hyperbaric Medical Foundation (IHMF) and the Red Cross to help our nation’s soldiers. We believe that the administration of hyperbaric oxygen therapy to individuals with TBI, PCS, and PTSD can ameliorate the devastating symptoms that characterize these afflictions.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) promotes healing by using pure oxygen as a therapeutic drug, and introducing it in a pressurized environment, which increases the body’s concentration of oxygen. This mechanism allows the brain and body a better way of utilizing its natural ability to repair itself by reintroducing blood flow into areas where oxygen levels have been previously damaged, compromised, or rendered inactive.
The National Brain Injury Rescue and Rehabilitation (NBIRR-01) is an observational study, investigating the potential therapeutic effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) on traumatic brain injury (TBI), post-concussion syndrome (PCS), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The NBIRR-01 is a national study, which is overseen by the International Hyperbaric Medical Foundation (IHMF). The study has an estimated completion date of April 2018, with a primary completion date of May 2016. Once data has been collected for 1,000 participants, the study will officially close.
Pending admittance to the study, participants will be administered HBOT at 1.5+ atmospheres absolute (ATA) for 40+ treatment sessions. If patients continue to show improvement from hyperbaric oxygen therapy, additional treatment sessions may be added to a treatment protocol (at the attending physician’s discretion). We recommend all participants complete neuropsychological evaluations, a single-photo emission computed tomography scan (SPECT scan), and adhere to recommended nutritional supplements. For additional information on SPECT scans and their uses, please click here. http://www.mindspect.com
