What Researchers Did
Researchers looked back at data from 33 patients with decompression sickness to see how hyperbaric oxygen therapy affected their balance, using a test called Quantitative Romberg.
What They Found
Patients with decompression sickness who also had vertigo showed significantly worse balance compared to those without vertigo and healthy individuals. However, their balance steadily improved with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. After just three hyperbaric oxygen treatments, the balance of these patients returned to the normal range seen in healthy people.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadian patients experiencing decompression sickness, especially those with vertigo, this study suggests that hyperbaric oxygen therapy can effectively improve their balance. The Quantitative Romberg test could be a useful tool for doctors to objectively measure and track these improvements during treatment. This offers hope for better recovery of mobility and stability.
Canadian Relevance
Decompression sickness is a Health Canada-recognized indication for hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Study Limitations
As a retrospective study, it relies on existing data, which may have limitations in terms of data collection consistency or the ability to control all variables.