Quick Reference
Glossary of Hyperbaric Terms
Key terminology used throughout this resource and in hyperbaric medicine literature.
ATA (Atmospheres Absolute)
Unit of pressure used in HBOT. 1 ATA = sea-level pressure. Most treatments use 1.5–3.0 ATA.
Angiogenesis
The formation of new blood vessels. HBOT stimulates angiogenesis in oxygen-starved tissues, aiding wound healing.
Barotrauma
Tissue injury caused by pressure changes, most commonly affecting the ears or sinuses during chamber pressurization.
Boyle's Law
The volume of a gas is inversely proportional to pressure. Foundation of decompression sickness treatment with HBOT.
CSA Z275.1
The Canadian Standards Association standard governing hyperbaric facility design, installation, operation, and safety.
Decompression Sickness (DCS)
"The bends" — caused by dissolved gases forming bubbles during rapid pressure reduction. HBOT is the primary treatment.
ECHM
European Committee for Hyperbaric Medicine. Issues consensus treatment recommendations based on periodic evidence reviews.
Hyperoxygenation
The state of elevated tissue oxygen levels achieved during HBOT. At 2.4 ATA, blood plasma carries up to 10x normal dissolved oxygen.
HBOT
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy — breathing 100% oxygen in a pressurized chamber to increase tissue oxygen levels far beyond normal.
Henry's Law
The amount of gas dissolved in a liquid is proportional to pressure. Explains why HBOT increases blood and tissue oxygen levels.
Hyperbaric Chamber
A sealed, pressurized vessel used to deliver HBOT. May be monoplace (single patient) or multiplace (multiple patients).
Monoplace Chamber
A single-person hyperbaric chamber pressurized with 100% oxygen. The most common type in Canadian clinical settings.
Multiplace Chamber
A walk-in chamber that treats multiple patients simultaneously, pressurized with air while patients breathe oxygen via masks or hoods.
Neuroplasticity
The brain's ability to form new neural connections. HBOT research suggests enhanced neuroplasticity in brain injury and stroke recovery.
Osteoradionecrosis
Death of bone tissue following radiation therapy. One of the strongest evidence-based indications for HBOT treatment.
Oxygen Toxicity
A rare side effect where prolonged high-pressure oxygen causes central nervous system or pulmonary symptoms. Managed by treatment protocols.
RCT (Randomized Controlled Trial)
The gold standard of clinical research. Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups to measure true effect.
Senescent Cells
Aged cells that stop dividing but resist death, contributing to aging and disease. HBOT research shows potential to clear these cells.
Systematic Review
A comprehensive analysis of all available research on a specific question. Considered the highest level of evidence in medicine.
Telomeres
Protective caps on chromosome ends that shorten with age. An Israeli RCT demonstrated HBOT can lengthen telomeres in aging adults.
UHMS
Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society — the primary international scientific and professional society for hyperbaric medicine, maintaining clinical evidence reviews and practice guidelines.