What lingering effects can COVID-19 have our bodies after we have recovered?

Many people have been dealing with the effects of having COVID-19 and are not able to fully heal their bodies. COVID-19 is a respiratory disease associated with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2, SARS-CoV-2. The SARS-CoV-2 attacks our respiratory system causing serious damage to the tissues of our bodies, especially the lungs. Damage of this magnitude to the respiratory system can lead to hypoxemia, which is a life threating state of low blood oxygen levels. Hypoxemia can occur when our lungs have a diminished ability to take in and sent oxygen to the rest of our body. Our body depends on a constant supply of blood that is filled with nutrients and oxygen that help heal and nourish our tissues. COVID leaves us with a weakened immune and respiratory system, and it is our job to help give it the push it needs to heal. At NorCal Brain Center we want to offer you the best technology and treatments available to help you with your recovery. Studies being done on Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy show that it can be useful in helping the body and tissues recover from COVID-19.

How can Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy help those with COVID-19 recover?

In the hyperbaric oxygen chamber, the air pressure is increased two to three times higher than normal atmospheric pressure. In these conditions, oxygen can be delivered at a higher rate to the lungs meaning that your lungs are able to gather much more oxygen than they would normally breathing at regular atmospheric pressure.

With your blood carrying more oxygen than usual, the nutrients and molecules in the blood are delivered to the body this help reduce inflammation and help fights off infections.  Our tissues need a constant supply of oxygen to function and when it is injured, the amount of oxygen needed is increased. Doing treatments of hyperbaric oxygen therapy can help those tissues recover and heal at a much faster rate than if they were doing it on their own completely.

With the case of COVID-19 more oxygenated blood circulating through our lungs can help heal the injured tissue. Recovery and the aftereffects of having COVID-19 can be some of the most detrimental and difficult to deal with for patients. If you have any questions or would like to know more about hyperbaric oxygen therapy, please do not hesitate to reach out to us! We are here to answer all your questions and help however we can.