New TBI Treatment Urged

Week of August 18, 2014

A therapy delivering 100% oxygen in a pressurized chamber is being tested for treating military veterans with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Delegates at the New York State American Legion 96th Convention have unanimously adopted a resolution calling on the New York State Legislature to approve this oxygen therapy for veterans suffering from mTBI or PTSD. A healthy brain uses 100% of the oxygen the body provides it. However, when there is trauma to the brain, it needs extra oxygen to heal. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) provides that extra oxygen. Oklahoma passed a law earlier this year guaranteeing free HBOT for veterans suffering from traumatic brain injury, and several other states are attempting to follow Oklahoma's lead. For more information on this use of HBOT, read the study in theJournal of Neurotrauma.

For more on TBI, visit the Military.com TBI section.

http://www.military.com/veterans-report/new-tbi-treatment-urged?ESRC=vr.nl