How Does Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Work?
Normally, our atmospheric pressure at sea level, exerts 14.7 pounds per square inch of pressure over a given surface. This is equivalent to one atmosphere absolute (1 ATA). In this atmosphere, we breathe approximately 20% oxygen and 80% nitrogen. During Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), the pressure is increased two or three times more than normal and you breathe 100% oxygen. Most patients are treated at two times the normal atmospheric pressure (2 ATA).
The combination of high concentrations of oxygen (100%) and increased pressure cause large amounts of oxygen to be dissolved in your blood and other tissue fluids. There can be as much as 10 to 15 times the usual amount of oxygen dissolved in your blood, which gets more oxygen to the rest of your body.
Many different problems have been shown to benefit from hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Some of the common problems are:
- Non-healing wounds (especially in diabetics)
- Osteomyelitis (bone infections)
- Radiation soft tissue damage including bladder, head and neck areas
- Traumatic injuries including ischemia
- Crushing injuries
- Acute arterial insufficiency
Click here to read a Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Success Story
All the staff was wonderful. It made our stay extremely pleasant.
- C.M.
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Morton Hospital Pain Management Services
Morton Hospital is proud to partner with Anaesthesia Associates of Massachusetts (AAM) to provide acute and chronic pain management services to the greater Taunton community. LEARN MORE
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The Center for Wound Healing at Morton Hospital
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is a proven medical treatment that enhances the body’s natural healing while strengthening the immune system. Delivered and monitored by trained wound healing center specialists, HBOT is an effective treatment option for many chronic wounds. LEARN MORE
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The Women’s Imaging Center
The Women’s Imaging Center is open six days a week. Mammography appointments are available Monday through Wednesday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. If you have discovered a lump in your breast, you will be seen as quickly as possible. LEARN MORE
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Emergency Services
The Morton Hospital Emergency Department is open around the clock, and is capable of handling serious emergency circumstances. Each year, over 55,000 patients are seen in the Emergency Department, which is staffed by physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses and … LEARN MORE
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