How does hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy help with stroke recovery?

Traditional stroke rehabilitation options include physical, occupational and speech therapy; but studies have shown that adding hyperbaric oxygen therapy can dramatically improve results even years after the stroke occurred. Strokes can cause significant impairment in language, cognition, and motor skills. According to the Centers for Disease control and Prevention, strokes affect about 795,000 people in the US each year. A study conducted in Tel Aviv showed significantly increased neuronal activity in post-stroke patients after a two-month period of HBOT treatment compared to control periods of non-treatment. The results indicate that hyperbaric oxygen therapy can lead to significant improvement in brain function in post-stroke patients even at chronically late stages, helping neurons strengthen and build new connections in damaged regions. HBOT can drastically improve brain function, reverse paralysis, increase sensation, and renewed use of language. During HBOT treatment, the tenfold increase in oxygen levels supply the energy for rebuilding neuronal connections in damaged regions and stimulate inactive neurons to facilitate healing.