| There are many fascinating HBOT studies coming out of Israel in particular. However, we must be careful how we interpret them. One key feature of all the studies I've seen with significant positive results is that some subgroup with psychiatric co-morbidity improved. In this article they list many as references 16-19. But I will highlight 14. The title alone should make you think something is up "Hadanny, A. et al. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can induce neuroplasticity and significant clinical improvement in patients suffering from fibromyalgia with a history of childhood sexual abuse-randomized controlled trial. Front. Psychol. 9, 2495. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02495 (2018)." [emphasis added by me]. Back to this study, it in particular notes improvement in depression/anxiety/somatization scores, that's the second most significant change, second to pain interference. Depression and anxiety are self explanatory, but somatization is the tendency to experience mental distress as physical symptoms. Pain interference is the degree to-which pain impairs function (working, looking after youself, social interactions etc). It cites prior studies showing benefits to those with chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyaldia and post-traumatic stress disorder. All conditions with significant co-morbid psychiatric conditions. So is HBOT a treatment for depression/anxiety, or is it a treatment for a variety of conditions? Is depression the common mechanism of these conditions? |