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Hundreds of Israelis who survived the October 7th Hamas attacks are receiving hyperbaric oxygen to help them cope with the trauma they experienced.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a medical treatment that involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber. It has traditionally been used to remedy conditions such as carbon monoxide poisoning and serious infections like gangrene.

Dr Keren Doenyas-Barak is head of the post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD program at the Sagol Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Research. She told Newsday: 鈥淗yperbaric oxygen therapy can heal various conditions that can be defined as non-healing wounds鈥�We know that even wounds in the brain鈥�that are associated with stroke or traumatic brain injury or long covid can be healed by using hyperbaric oxygen therapy.鈥�

She explained that: 鈥淭he brain activity of patients with PTSD is significantly different than the brain activity of patients without PTSD鈥� and that they use oxygen therapy 鈥渢o activate these brain regions鈥�.

She added the core symptoms of PTSD, namely 鈥渘ightmares and flashbacks and bad memories鈥� are significantly improved: 鈥淲e get for many years great results, even for long-standing PTSD. For example, those veterans of Yom Kippur war (in 1973)鈥�we sometimes get them to have full night sleeps for the first time in 50 years.鈥�

(Picture: Shows a pressurised hyperbaric oxygen chamber used by PTSD patients. Credit: Shamir Medical Centre.)

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