Lyme disease

Justin Bieber explains his use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy or HBOT to treat his anxiety and Lyme disease. Bieber uses HBOT and IV infusions to regenerate his body after years of drug abuse saying, “I’ve abused my body in the past and now I’m just in the recovery process trying to make sure I’m taking care of my body”. Bieber has two oxygen chambers, one at home and one in his music studio. He believes the process helps with his anxiety by steadily providing more oxygen to the brain. Could Justin Bieber be pioneering a new frontier in medicine? Let’s take a look at the science behind hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

What is Lyme？

Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and rarely, Borrelia mayonii. It is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans. If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system. Lyme disease is diagnosed based on symptoms, physical findings (e.g., rash), and the possibility of exposure to infected ticks.  Laboratory testing is helpful if used correctly and performed with validated methods. Most cases of Lyme disease can be treated successfully with a few weeks of antibiotics. Steps to prevent Lyme disease include using insect repellent, removing ticks promptly, applying pesticides, and reducing tick habitat. The ticks that transmit Lyme disease can occasionally transmit other tickborne diseases as well.

How Can HBOT Help Treat Lyme Disease?

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, or HBOT, offers a unique treatment to Lyme disease that traditional therapies do not offer. As with most bacteria, the ones that cause Lyme disease are anaerobic. This means they are unable to survive in oxygen-rich environments. So, while the bacteria may develop resistance to traditional antibiotics, they cannot thrive in high levels of oxygen. Therefore, it only makes sense that HBOT and oxygen help.

HBOT treatments deliver high concentrations of oxygen under pressurized environments. The oxygen enters the body and effectively kills the disease-causing bacteria. While traditional therapy begins with antibiotics, many physicians are adding HBOT treatments at the same time, allowing the two treatments to work together to effectively cure the patient.

But hyperbaric oxygen doesn’t just kill off the bacteria associated with Lyme disease. The high concentrations of oxygen help to treat symptoms and conditions that, for many, remain constant after test results show no more infection. In cases of PTLDS, HBOT often provides relief when nothing else does. Conditions such as joint and muscle pain, chronic inflammation, cognitive complications, and nerve damage often return to normal during the treatment.

As the information and studies show, hyperbaric oxygen and HBOT provide an effective alternative or adjunctive therapy for your Lyme disease.