Tag Archives: medical condition

Step In The Chamber: The Benefits and Risks of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Oxygen is crucial to aerobic respiration, a process in the human body that turns sugars and fats into energy. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is a medical treatment that provides patients with pure oxygen, rather than the 21% oxygen in the air. Canada currently follows the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, which identified HBOT as an effective treatment for 14 select medical conditions in 2011. These include conditions such as carbon monoxide poisoning and anemia. 

During the operation, patients enter a chamber that delivers oxygen at a raised atmospheric pressure. The chamber increases the oxygen concentration in the blood, as well as decreases any air bubbles that are present. HBOT follows the basis that a greater oxygen supply to the bloodstream and tissues will promote an accelerated recovery. 

A Patient Undergoing Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy          Source: Travis AFB

There are some risks associated with HBOT that patients should be aware of. Excess oxygen levels are toxic to humans, creating reactive species that can hurt the body. Additionally, the pressurized chamber can trigger claustrophobia, the fear of confined spaces, in certain patients. The chamber can also lead to cases of barotrauma, where the pressure inside damages a patient’s ears and sinuses.

However, several factors can reduce the risks that accompany HBOT treatment. Health Canada has to evaluate the safety and efficacy of all medical chambers, issuing licenses to the ones qualified for use. Installation of these devices must then follow strict safety protocols. In regards to the patients, it’s important they verify their medical history to ensure they don’t aggravate conditions sensitive to HBOT. They also need to be attentive to instructions, occasionally taking breaks from the continuous oxygen supply.

While HBOT appears to be an effective form of treatment, Health Canada limits its range of use to a few medical conditions. Monitoring whether its benefits outweigh the drawback will determine if the methodology continues moving forward.

Laugh Your Way to Death…

You must have heard the saying that “laughter is the best medicine,” but did you know that in rare cases, it may cause your death? Prolonged and intense laughter has been documented by researchers from University of Birmingham and Oxford to cause various medical conditions and, in some instances, death. 

Throughout history, since ancient Greece, people have died because of intense and prolonged laughter. While today some scientists claim that the cause of death was inaccurately reported due to the limited medical knowledge.  Laughter cannot directly cause someone’s death except suffocation triggered by laughing while eating.

Laughter is often recommended for promoting overall well-being and reducing stress. However, a recent study by researchers from the University of Birmingham and Oxford highlights the potential adverse effects of excessive laughter, particularly in individuals with pre-existing medical conditions.

Light laughter has been shown to benefit the cardiovascular system. However, excessive laughter can raise blood pressure and put strain on the heart. This can be particularly dangerous for those with heart problems such as coronary artery disease or congestive heart failure (CHF) -occurs when the heart muscle doesn’t pump blood as well as it should-. Simply put, a diseased heart may not be able to tolerate the increased heart rate and pressure caused by intense laughter.

Picture 3: Heart

In addition, excessive laughter can put pressure on the chest muscles. Therefore, it can be dangerous for those with respiratory complications such as collapsed lungs-the overlap of lung tissues-. Laughing too hard for extended periods of time can also lead to hyperventilation, causing shortness of breath and, in rare cases, temporary loss of consciousness.

Experts think that having a pre-existing illness was likely a significant contributor to death caused by laughing. Additionally, while it is not lethal, laughing excessively for an extended period can lead to difficulty breathing or even death.

Keep in mind that continuous loud laughter can be dangerous, but that doesn’t mean you should stop laughing altogether. A good hearty laughs every day is indeed the elixir of life, but make sure the laugh-out-loud moments don’t take your breath away. 🙂