What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a prospective study to evaluate how hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) affected symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in 87 U.S. veterans.
What They Found
Fifty-seven percent of the veterans completed the study, showing a significant decrease in average PTSD symptom scores from 51.00 to 20.62, moving from diagnostic to subthreshold levels. These improvements lasted for up to six months, and HBOT was also linked to better mood, sleep, and resilience. The therapy was associated with reductions in depression, anxiety, somatization, sleep disturbance, impulsivity, and stress, alongside increases in resilience and positive ideation.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
This study's main limitation is its single-arm design, meaning it did not compare HBOT to a placebo or another treatment, making it difficult to definitively attribute improvements solely to the therapy.