Life’s a headache sometimes, that’s unavoidable. But for the 36 million migraine sufferers in the U.S., it’s a much bigger obstacle. The Migraine Research Foundation says that “Nearly 1 in 4 U.S. households includes someone with migraine” ranking it “in the top 20 of the world’s most disabling medical illnesses.” Migraine sufferers battle through pain, nausea, and sensory sensitivities and “American employers lose more than $13 billion each year as a result of 113 million lost work days due to migraine.”
While migraine causes vary, there is no concrete illness for physicians to conclusively treat. Because of this, sufferers face difficulty in finding relief for their intense, often debilitating, pain. But studies have shown that hyperbaric oxygen therapy, offered locally by Olympia’s H3 Therapy Services, is effective for some patients.
The human brain is only 2.5% of your body’s weight but uses 25% of your total oxygen consumption. When this oxygen supply is reduced, pain ensues in the form of a migraine headache. A recent study showed that with sessions of hyperbaric oxygen therapy “relief of symptoms occurs as quickly as 5 minutes after the migraine.”
Michael Pfeifer, RRT, H3 Therapy’s Clinical Director, says that often sufferers find their headache gone after 10-15 minutes in the chamber. Hyperbaric treatments work by using “filtered pressurized ambient air in order to dissolve oxygen into the body system, flooding tissues and essential organs with oxygen.” This “provides the best environment for the body to handle vital cell processes, therefore improving the capacity for the body to heal itself.”
By designing their clinic to maximize color and music therapy as well as the hyperbaric chambers, Pfeifer’s “goal is a resting state where your body heals best.” The chambers can accommodate 1-2 people—with the dual units intended for family or loved ones—and allow for street clothes and the use of electronic devices, music players, and books to enhance relaxation.
Because migraines are something of a medical conundrum, with no definitive cause or cure, H3 Therapy Services works in tangent with Nearing Total Health in Lacey. There a team of professionals offer naturopathic medicine, yoga, meditation, acupuncture, massage therapy, and an array of complementary treatment options. As Pfeifer says, “hyperbarics enhance massage, acupuncture, chiropractics…when you combine the therapies it works much better.”
Long-term sufferers may find the cost of continued out-patient hyperbaric sessions prohibitive. In these cases, Pfeifer and his team will work to enable rental or purchase of a chamber for extended use. The office facilitates financing and represents all major manufacturers. Says Pfeifer, “it’s much easier to have a chamber at home where everyone can benefit.”
Hyperbaric chambers can benefit many physical issues, from anemia and carbon monoxide poisoning to burns and bone infections. They’re used in the military for high altitude flying and by “cutting edge athletes who know it can give an edge that’s not drug related,” explains Pfeifer. Sessions are approximately an hour long and H3 Therapy Services promises a flexible schedule to accommodate our busy lives.
When faced with a painful medical mystery, it’s good to have a wealth of treatment options at your fingertips. Migraines have multiple causes and just as many solutions. Call Michael Pfeifer, RRT of H3 Therapy Services at 360-515-0681 or drop by their offices at 405-D Black Hills Lane SW, at the junction of Harrison and Yauger, to schedule a visit or ask questions of the knowledgeable staff.
