Oxygen - of all the things we put in our bodies, it is by far the most important. If it weren't for oxygen, we'd cease to exist. It's definitely a good thing, then, that we can find oxygen all around us. Oxygen fuels our cells and gives our bodies the basic building blocks we need to survive. It helps us heal, and when we're stressed, taking a few deep breaths can help us calm down. But did you know the oxygen you're breathing right now is only about 21% pure?
That begs the question: What if we could breathe air that has 100% pure oxygen? As it turns out, Better Life Carolinas provides exactly that with our hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). And while the name sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, the technology and benefits are real.
A wise person once said that oxygen under pressure equates to pure health. In some ways, that explains hyperbaric oxygen therapy in a nutshell. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) or hyperbaric chamber therapy is a revolutionary treatment where a patient relaxes in a comfortable chamber filled with 100% pure oxygen.
HBOT was initially used early in the 1900s and was later used in the U.S. to treat decompression sickness, which affects scuba divers. Today, hyperbaric chamber therapy is used by people from all walks of life, from businesspeople and athletes to blue-collar workers and stay-at-home moms.
During HBOT, the air pressure in the hyperbaric chamber is ramped up two or three times higher than typical air pressure. This increased pressure allows your body and lungs to absorb and gather higher amounts of pure oxygen - much more than you would be able to inhale, even if you were breathing pure oxygen.
If you're looking for an effective, efficient alternative to invasive procedures or heavy pharmaceutical medications, using a hyperbaric chamber in Summerville, SC is worth considering. Over the last few years, HBOT has exploded in popularity. More and more people are choosing to use hyperbaric chambers for certain conditions and ailments because they don't require surgery and have no serious side effects.
During hyperbaric therapy treatment, air pressure in the chamber is ramped up so that it is many times higher than ambient air. This increased pressure compresses the breathable oxygen inside the hyperbaric chamber, which you breathe into your body by way of your lungs and skin. The air is then circulated throughout your body via your own bloodstream.
When this pure oxygen is distributed in your body, it saturates your organs, tissues, blood, and spinal cord fluid. It even settles into areas of your body where circulation may be poor or blocked. Like powerful jumper cables, this potent oxygen jump-starts your body's cellular regeneration processes, significantly decreasing harmful inflammation.
This increase in pure oxygen and decrease in inflammation is used to treat many different types of conditions and illnesses, including:
When it comes to common uses for hyperbaric chambers, treatment for sports-related injuries is near the top of the list. Trusted by athletes of all persuasions across multiple sports, hyperbaric chamber therapy has helped countless men and women recover from common issues like fractures, sprains, and compartment syndrome. In fact, studies show that hyperbaric therapy for athletes may work just as effectively as traditional therapy when used as part of a recovery program to achieve the highest healing potential.
That's because competition, training, and recovery go hand in hand. To help with the rigors of high-level sports, HBOT oxygenates muscles, boosts immune systems, and speeds up recovery time for injuries. HBOT cuts down on recovery time by boosting your body's self-healing processes. That, in turn, promotes cell regeneration, which helps encourage tissues and muscles to mend organically, lessening scarring.
When a person has a stroke, blood flow to their brain is disrupted, most often by a major artery blockage. This causes a lack of blood flow, which manifests very quickly, and results in dead brain tissue or hypoxia. When untreated, the blocked artery causes a litany of damage which usually gets worse over time.
While it's impossible to say how much salvageable tissue is lost in the time after a stroke, hyperbaric chamber therapy may help boost cell reproduction and provide oxygen to tissue that died due to lack of blood flow. The non-functioning cells around the damaged tissue area cause much of a person's post-stroke issues. If HBOT can help bring life back to dead cells, the stroke victim could regain lost functionality.
Over the years, many studies have shown promising results when patients use hyperbaric chambers for stroke recovery. In fact, a study conducted in 2013 by Tel Aviv University's Dr. Shai Efrati showed without a doubt that high oxygen levels can awaken dormant neurons. After a two-month period of HBOT for two hours a day, five times a week, brain imaging showed a significant increase in neuronal activity in patients compared to periods of non-treatment.
Patients in this study reported better sensation, less paralysis, and more ability to speak.
Hyperbaric chamber therapy has been used for years by skincare clinicians to supplement common procedures. The results are often stunning and have been shown to help patients with the following:
But how does a hyperbaric chamber in Summerville, SC kick-start skin rejuvenation? When oxygen levels in your body drop as you age, your body's healing ability slowly declines, resulting in less tissue function, damaged tissue, cracked skin, slow-healing wounds, and wrinkles.
The pressurized oxygen used in HBOT sessions can reach tissue at the cellular level to improve stem-cell growth, immune system defenses, and circulation while reducing inflammation. This process can have a powerful detoxification effect on your body. When toxins are removed, skin blemishes and discolorations are often removed, too, leaving your skin healthy and rejuvenated.
They say that without pain, there is no gain, and that's typically true with plastic surgery and other cosmetic procedures. However, studies show that HBOT can help alleviate pain and boost recovery after plastic surgeries.
With normal levels of oxygen in the body, plastic surgery healing times can be lengthy and painful. Because hyperbaric chamber treatments expose your body to pure oxygen, recovery time is often reduced, and the healing process is accelerated - by as much as 75% in some instances.
The benefits of hyperbaric chamber therapy, when used for plastic surgery recovery, are numerous and include:
A few plastic surgery procedures that HBOT can help with include facelifts, liposuction, mommy makeovers, breast augmentations, and even rhinoplasties.
It's hard to fathom how much pain and PTSD a person goes through when they suffer from a traumatic brain injury. Serious head injuries don't just affect the recipient of the injury - they impact the patient's family, friends, and co-workers. Being able to treat people with serious concussions, TBIs, and other life-changing conditions like strokes is one of the main reasons we do what we do at Better Life Carolinas.
Mild TBIs usually require emergency care, medication, and extensive rest. But severe brain injuries require comprehensive medical interventions and post-care initiatives like speech therapy and physical therapy. The good news is that using a hyperbaric chamber in Summerville, SC as part of a comprehensive medical strategy may provide natural brain healing in TBI patients.
Hyperbaric chamber treatment's primary use in these cases is to hyper-oxygenate tissues, which helps dissolve oxygen in the plasma. This action triggers several healing processes without overwhelming the patient's antioxidant system. The working mechanism of oxygen under pressure can help improve cerebral blood flow through micro-vessels and target injured areas in order to decrease inflammation.
This promising anti-inflammatory effect is the primary advantage of HBOT for traumatic brain injury patients and clears the way for natural, non-invasive healing.
Hyperbaric chamber therapy has also been documented to help TBI sufferers in many other ways, including:
As it turns out, using a hyperbaric chamber in Summerville, SC may have benefits in the bedroom, too. Studies show that men suffering from ED may now have an additional treatment option to reclaim their sex lives. The International Journal of Impotence Research published a study in 2018 to determine if HBOT was a viable, non-surgical treatment for erectile dysfunction.
The results were very positive and showed that erectile function improved by as much as 88% in patients. Subsequent MRI scans analyzing blood flow of the penis also showed dramatic improvement. The study concluded that, even after years of ED, men could experience benefits from using hyperbaric chambers in lieu of risky surgeries and ineffective ED meds.
The documented improvements were due to more angiogenesis or growth of blood vessels in the penis. When new blood vessels grow in the penis, they can carry more blood to the organ, which helps achieve more frequent, stronger erections.
Though hyperbaric chambers are getting more popular with everyone from athletes to office workers, some folks are still out of the loop. If you're interested in learning more about this exciting, non-invasive, natural treatment, we encourage you to contact Better Life Carolinas today. Until we hear from you, here are answers to some of the most common questions we get regarding hyperbaric chamber therapy.
AWhen your session begins, oxygen will immediately circulate throughout the chamber, and pressure will gradually increase. At this point, most patients start feeling a fullness sensation in their ears, like they're ascending or descending in a plane. This feeling only lasts for 10-15 minutes. An experienced Better Life Carolinas hyperbaric technician will guide you on how to relieve any ear pressure, if necessary. Once the optimal pressure is reached, all you have to do is relax and breathe normally. As the session ends, your hyperbaric technician will gradually lower chamber pressure, which lasts about 10 minutes. During this stage, you may experience a light popping sensation in your ears. Once pressure is back to normal, you can exit the chamber and go about your day.
AIn general, you don't have to worry about serious side effects from HBOT. That's because it's an all-natural treatment - there are no incisions or addictive medications involved. However, some patients experience mild ear drum irritation. During your session, a Better Life Carolinas hyperbaric chamber expert will be by your side to help prevent this from happening.
AWithout a proper evaluation of your unique needs, it's hard to say with certainty. At Better Life Carolinas, we know that every patient is different. As such, every recommended therapy will be different, including the number of hyperbaric therapy sessions you need. Generally speaking, patients usually require 30 to 40 sessions. HBOT has a cumulative effect on your body and, as such, provides the best results with regularly occurring sessions.
AIf you have a form of air-trapping emphysema like COPD or have an untreated pneumothorax, HBOT isn't for you. At Better Life Carolinas, every one of our patients undergoes a full evaluation to ensure that hyperbaric oxygen therapy is safe for you and your body.
If you're looking for a hyperbaric chamber in Summerville, SC look no further than Better Life Carolinas. Whether you're a professional athlete looking to maximize recovery time or need a natural way to look and feel younger, our experts are here to help. Unlike some clinics that rely on major invasive procedures and addictive medications, our team focuses on natural, holistic ways to heal your body. If you're ready to optimize your health and reclaim your youth, contact us today to learn more about HBOT and our other natural therapies.
SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCBD) — Several people across the Lowcountry are reporting a similar experience after paying to have their roofs replaced on their homes, handing over the money, and then hearing nothing back.After a strong storm moved through the area of the summer, homeowners in Summerville were told their roofs were damaged by hail. It came after severe weather moved through Dorchester and Berkeley counties in June, damaging homes, knocking over trees and leaving behind a path of debris.Ellen Davis said the storm cle...
SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCBD) — Several people across the Lowcountry are reporting a similar experience after paying to have their roofs replaced on their homes, handing over the money, and then hearing nothing back.
After a strong storm moved through the area of the summer, homeowners in Summerville were told their roofs were damaged by hail. It came after severe weather moved through Dorchester and Berkeley counties in June, damaging homes, knocking over trees and leaving behind a path of debris.
Ellen Davis said the storm clean-up brought sales representatives from several roofing companies to her door.
“Just wanting to do a free estimate of potential hail damage from the storm,” she explained.
Davis said her roof had other issues and she decided to call the company Orange Elephant Roofing, after seeing her neighbor speaking to them.
“I spoke to the salesman, he came back the very next day and he asked if he could please get on my roof and do a free inspection,” she said. “Since I already had this other damage I finally allowed him onto the roof and that’s when he found the hail damage.”
A claim was filed with her insurance company and at the end of August she gave Orange Elephant Roofing the insurance check which totaled a little more than $20,000.
Davis said the general manager and sales representative came back to get the check. They told her they would begin the work in October. However, in mid-September, Davis said she started to see some red flags.
‘i reached out to my salesperson and he then informed me that he no longer worked for the company,” she recalled. “He also proceeded to send me a text showing me that their HR Department said we would not be making payroll this week.
Davis said the last time she heard from the company was in early November.
“The general manager spoke to me he told me that my roof would be being done on November 1st,” she said. Shortly after that, I did get a text from him ‘didn’t work for the company anymore, so sorry’ — that would probably be the last time.”
As it turns out, Davis wasn’t the only one. She found out that her neighbor, Lachelle Brooks, was dealing with the same problem.
“We turned a check over to them and we have not heard anything since then.”
Brooks said her insurance company agreed to pay for half of the work upfront and the other half once the job was complete. She handed over a check for $6,500, and like Davis, has not heard back.
“August is when I should be ready to hear from everyone about the new roof, I contacted someone late August and they were like ‘Oh no, we have you on the schedule for February 2025,” Brooks explained. “I was like ‘I wouldn’t have went with you guys — can I get my money back?’ And he goes ‘I understand your frustration but we are gonna try to work it out so you can get everything done in September.’ But didn’t hear anything after that.”
Davis and Brooks said their insurance companies are not getting involved, and they have not been able to contact Orange Elephant Roofing as several employees have left the company.
News 2 tried calling two numbers listed for Orange Elephant and neither call went through. We are told no one is available at their King Street location either.
However, Orange Elephant is currently being sued over debts they owe. On October 31, Gulfeagle Supply, a roofing and building product distributor, filed a lawsuit for breach of contract accusing Orange Elephant of failing to pay for materials totaling nearly $18,000.
As for Brooks and Davis, they are frustrated and hope they can get their money back. Davis said the situation will also change the way she does business moving forward.
“Probably let my guard down by letting someone come to my front door and I probably should’ve reached out to a roofing company myself and maybe looked around more around my neighbors and asking them who they used,” Davis said. “I really want my money back and I want to get somebody else to do my roof.”
Another roofing company is now stepping up to help those who are in similar situations with Orange Elephant Roofing. Patriot Roofing said they will do the work at cost for anyone who can provide proper documentation.
Updated: Nov. 11, 2024 at 4:59 PM PSTSUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - The 12th annual Summerville Italian Feast raised a record number of funds this year that all go directly back into the classrooms of Dorchester School District Two.The event and executive director for the Summerville Italian Feast, Jay Lombardo, said that the goal has always been to try and increase how much they are able to provide each year to support the school district.“Our first year we had approximately seven vendors and maybe one thousand people...
Updated: Nov. 11, 2024 at 4:59 PM PST
SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - The 12th annual Summerville Italian Feast raised a record number of funds this year that all go directly back into the classrooms of Dorchester School District Two.
The event and executive director for the Summerville Italian Feast, Jay Lombardo, said that the goal has always been to try and increase how much they are able to provide each year to support the school district.
“Our first year we had approximately seven vendors and maybe one thousand people showed up. This year we had 108 vendors and we estimated a crowd of somewhere between 15,000 and 17,000 people in a one-day period,” Lombardo said.
Lombardo said this year they were able to give back $40,000 to the Dorchester Two Educational Foundation, a non-profit whose mission is to support the students and teachers in Dorchester School District Two.
He said that the total includes proceeds from the Italian Feast portion of the event as well as their Second Annual Meatball Run.
“We had hoped to always increase year after year. My goal, it would’ve been nice to give them a fairly good size check. We’re not going to be able to give them a good size check, we’re going to give them a phenomenal check. We’re going to give them a check for $40,000 this year,” Lombardo said.
Lombardo said that is more than double what they were able to raise last year which was $15,500.
The Meatball Run is something that was added last year. Lombardo said last year they had about 220 runners participate and this year they doubled that number to 440.
The executive director for the Dorchester Two Educational Foundation, Ralph Hayes, said that events like this one are crucial for the school district for the success of their teachers and students because of the lack of funding.
He said that they take the money raised from the event and use it towards classroom teacher projects.
“The teachers will reach out and say this is something I want whether it’s a STEM kit, or a reading initiative, or an art set, and these are things that are not covered by traditional funding,” Hayes said. “Dorchester Two is the fifth lowest funded school district of over eighty school districts in South Carolina and that makes partners like the Summerville Italian Feast, who are investing in our kids, absolutely vital.”
Hayes will be awarding Lombardo and his team with a trophy at the school board meeting on Monday for their hard work and contributing more than $100,000 to District Two over the last decade.
Hayes said that they had people come from all across the state to participate in the event. He highlighted that the growth wouldn’t be possible without the help from their students providing entertainment as well as volunteering.
“We’re excited to see that we are a staple of the local community, but we’re also providing a resource that is having people come in to see all of the wonderful things that Dorchester County has to offer. From the food, from the artists to our wonderful students, and also to the amazing volunteers like Jay and the Italian Feast team who help put on this event,” Hayes said.
Lombardo said that next year’s Meatball Run is going to be on Oct. 11 and the Italian Feast will be on Oct. 12.
Hayes said that the Dorchester Two Educational Foundation has a free moonlit movie night event coming up on Dec. 14 at McKissick Stadium featuring crafts, games and a holiday movie. You can find more information on their Facebook page.
Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.
Editor's note: In collaboration with the Summerville Journal Scene, the Greater Summerville/Dorchester County Chamber of Commerce hosted a candidate forum to provide a platform for candidates in races impacting Dorchester County to share their positions on key local issues. The event occurred Tuesday, Oct. 22, at Faith Sellers Senior Center in Summerville. The following information was compiled from that event.Tom Fernandez (R)Limited Government: Advocated for minimal governmen...
Editor's note: In collaboration with the Summerville Journal Scene, the Greater Summerville/Dorchester County Chamber of Commerce hosted a candidate forum to provide a platform for candidates in races impacting Dorchester County to share their positions on key local issues. The event occurred Tuesday, Oct. 22, at Faith Sellers Senior Center in Summerville. The following information was compiled from that event.
Tom Fernandez (R)
Limited Government: Advocated for minimal government intervention, stressing that the government should avoid economic matters.
Workforce Development: Argued that building the workforce is not the government's responsibility. Businesses thrive by lowering taxes and removing regulations.
Affordable Childcare: Opposed subsidizing affordable childcare, instead calling for the removal of red tape to allow businesses to succeed.
Permitting: Called to eliminate unnecessary permitting processes, suggesting a one-by-one approach to eliminate them.
Improving Schools: Supported school choice, advocating for parents to have the freedom to choose how to educate their children.
Closing Remark: Emphasized that the country, state, and county are in trouble and called for senators with the courage to say "no" to wrongdoers. Fernandez positioned himself as a servant to the people, ready to stand up for what's right.
Summary: Fernandez stressed the need for minimal government intervention. He stated that the government should not be involved in workforce development and the best way to support businesses is to lower taxes and eliminate regulations. Fernandez opposed subsidizing affordable childcare, believing removing red tape would allow businesses to flourish. As for permitting, he called for the removal of unnecessary processes to streamline business operations. He also advocated for school choice, urging that parents should have the freedom to decide how to educate their children. In his closing remarks, Fernandez highlighted the challenges facing the country, state and county, calling for strong senators who can stand up to wrongdoing and offering himself as a servant to the people with the courage to do just that.
For more information, visit tomfernandezforsenate.com.
Vernon Stephens (D) (incumbent)
Continuity in Senate: Emphasized the importance of staying in the Senate to complete the initiatives he has already started.
Workforce Development: Leveraged his background working with schools and industries to implement training programs to improve the workforce and enhance the educational system.
Childcare: Stressed the importance of ensuring daycare facilities meet standards and supported individuals wanting to establish daycare centers.
State Permitting: Highlighted the dismantling of DHEC as a step toward expediting the permitting process.
Education: Advocated for retaining quality teachers and engaging parents in the education system to improve education in South Carolina.
Closing Remark: Urged voters to reelect him, promising to stand for their rights, listen to their voices, vote accordingly, and work across party lines.
Summary: While running for re-election in District 39, Vernon Stephens emphasized the importance of continuity in the senate to finish the work he had begun. With a background in education and industry, he discussed his efforts to implement training programs to improve the workforce and address educational needs. Stephens also highlighted the necessity of maintaining daycare facilities' standards while supporting those wanting to establish new childcare centers. He pointed to the dismantling of DHEC to expedite the state permitting process. He stressed the need for retaining quality teachers and increasing parent engagement in education. In closing, Stephens pledged to stand for people's rights, listen to their concerns and work across the aisle to make meaningful progress.
For more information, visit www.stephensforsc.com/.
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