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Anaemia
What is Anaemia?
Anaemia is a condition where a person does not have enough haemoglobin to carry and supply oxygen to the muscles, tissues and other parts of the body. Anaemia may be a temporary condition in some and chronic in others. Treatment for anaemia depends on the type of anaemia a person is suffering from. Sometimes blood transfusion may be an option but in some, that may not be an option due to incompatibility or other medical conditions. Anaemia may be due to heavy periods in women, internal bleeding due to injury or trauma, red blood cells getting destroyed due to other medical conditions or bone marrow may not be capable of producing new red blood cells. In some types of anaemia, family medical conditions also play a role. The different types of anaemia include, aplastic anaemia, iron deficiency anaemia, sickle cell anaemia, thalassemia and vitamin deficiency anaemia. Symptoms of anaemia may include fatigue, pale skin, shortness of breath, dizziness, headaches and cold hands or feet.
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How does HBOT help treat Anemia?
In a hyperbaric chamber, 100% pure oxygen is filled at a pressure of 2.0 to 2.4 times the normal atmospheric pressure. Hyperbaric can treat those who suffer from anaemia as it dissolves the oxygen in the plasma which allows the oxygen to travel around the body and supply the tissues with more oxygen at a faster pace. This speeds up the repair of damaged tissues and muscles in the body. This removes the necessity to have substantial amounts of red blood cells in the blood.
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For those who suffer from sickle cell anaemia the shape of red blood cells is in the shape of sickle or crescent moon instead of disc shaped. This shape restricts the free flow of cells in the blood as they tend to stick together instead of moving through the body. As a result, the amount of oxygen that reaches the muscles and tissues is reduced and they start seeing the symptoms of anaemia such as fatigue, dizziness etc. People with sickle cell anaemia also report intense pain along with regular symptoms. Treating such patients with HBOT (Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy) has proven to supply more blood to all required parts of the body and also the patients reported a reduction in pain after the therapy. HBOT is a 100% safe procedure. No other medication will be given to the person before or after the therapy. In many people, the results can be felt immediately. Undergoing HBOT for a series of sessions can improve not only the targeted medical condition but there are several other benefits that it can provide.