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 Charleston, 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 Charleston, 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 Charleston, 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 Charleston, 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 Charleston, 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.
Published: Feb. 14, 2025 at 1:50 AM PST|CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Charleston’s tourist season is officially underway this weekend, marked by the start of the annual Southeastern Wildlife Expedition.A celebration of all things outdoors, the beloved exposition, commonly referred to as SEWE, is a weekend jam-packed with arts, crafts, live entertainment, sports, special events and, of course, wildlife as far as the eye can see.That includes Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. The Florida-based organization is a hospital and sanc...
Published: Feb. 14, 2025 at 1:50 AM PST|
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Charleston’s tourist season is officially underway this weekend, marked by the start of the annual Southeastern Wildlife Expedition.
A celebration of all things outdoors, the beloved exposition, commonly referred to as SEWE, is a weekend jam-packed with arts, crafts, live entertainment, sports, special events and, of course, wildlife as far as the eye can see.
That includes Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. The Florida-based organization is a hospital and sanctuary that rescues and rehabilitates wildlife and educates the community.
“Our goal is to rehabilitate and release wildlife native to the southeast United States,” Busch Wildlife Chief Operating Officer Christen Mason said.
Mason added that they also provide sanctuary to animals that can no longer live in the wild on their own. For example, a red shouldered hawk that appeared on Live 5 News This Morning.
A turtle, owl, alligator and more were at Charleston Place Hotel Friday morning to preview presentations the wildlife sanctuary will host throughout the weekend along with other various wildlife. Shows at the Gilliard will kick off Friday at 11 a.m.
“One of the highlights for me is watching the falcon demonstrations in Marion Square,” Mason said.
Every February, lovers of nature and the great outdoors gather in Charleston to celebrate through a variety of experiences.
Launching in 1983, SEWE has grown from about 100 artists and exhibitors that saw 5,000 visitors to an expo welcoming the likes of 500 artists, exhibitors and wildlife experts and 40,000 attendees each year.
“While we continue to grow, evolve our vision and diversify our show to entertain our loyal attendees, one thing has not changed — we have and always will remain a celebration of wildlife art and the sporting lifestyle,” the SEWE website reads.
In addition to SEWE’s estimated $33 million impact on Charleston’s local economy, the 501(c)(3) supports the spreading of awareness about conservation and environmental protection.
A full list of SEWE’s events, including those that do not require a ticket, can be found here.
Information on how and where to buy tickets is available here. Children age 10 and under get in free with a ticketed adult.
More information on SEWE, its mission and more of what to expect from the expo is available on the SEWE website.
Copyright 2025 WCSC. All rights reserved.
The North Carolina A&T Aggies (5-21, 1-12 CAA) will host the Charleston (SC) Cougars (19-7, 9-4 CAA) after losing six home games in a row. The contest starts at 2:00 PM ET on Saturday, February 15, 2025. Below, we breakdown the Charleston (SC) vs. N.C. A&T odds and lines around this matchup.The Cougars are an 8.5-point favorite against the Aggies when the Cougars and the Aggies meet. The over/under for the game is set at 147.5.Charleston (SC) has a 14-11-0 record against the spread so far this season compared to ...
The North Carolina A&T Aggies (5-21, 1-12 CAA) will host the Charleston (SC) Cougars (19-7, 9-4 CAA) after losing six home games in a row. The contest starts at 2:00 PM ET on Saturday, February 15, 2025. Below, we breakdown the Charleston (SC) vs. N.C. A&T odds and lines around this matchup.
The Cougars are an 8.5-point favorite against the Aggies when the Cougars and the Aggies meet. The over/under for the game is set at 147.5.
Charleston (SC) has a 14-11-0 record against the spread so far this season compared to N.C. A&T, who is 12-13-0 ATS. In terms of going over the point total, games involving the Cougars are 13-12-0 and the Aggies are 14-11-0. The teams combine to score 149.8 points per game, 2.3 more points than this matchup’s total. Charleston (SC) has a 3-7 record against the spread while going 6-4 overall over the past 10 games. N.C. A&T has gone 5-5 against the spread and 1-9 overall in its last 10 games.
As college hoops matchups continue, prepare for the outing with everything you need to know about Saturday’s game.
Check out: USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll
College basketball odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Saturday at 5:15 AM ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub.
Charleston (SC) 79, N.C. A&T 72
Watch college basketball all season long on ESPN+!
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Even if you don’t know Kat Cressida’s face, you probably know her voice. Cressida is one of the most in-demand voice actors around. The highlights include voicing DeeDee, the ever-pesky sister on the Cartoon Network’s "Dexter’s Laboratory," Uta on the F/X spy series "Archer" and various roles on Hulu’s "Solar Opposites."But that’s not all. Her voice is in some of the biggest video games o...
Even if you don’t know Kat Cressida’s face, you probably know her voice. Cressida is one of the most in-demand voice actors around. The highlights include voicing DeeDee, the ever-pesky sister on the Cartoon Network’s "Dexter’s Laboratory," Uta on the F/X spy series "Archer" and various roles on Hulu’s "Solar Opposites."
But that’s not all. Her voice is in some of the biggest video games of all time, including "God of War: Ragnarok," "Wasteland 3" and "Mass Effect: Andromeda." All told, she’s got more than 100 credits as a voiceover actor.
So it should be interesting to see which voice the fans at Charleston’s Captain’s Comics Expo love the most. Cressida will be at the 17th annual edition of the Expo at the Omar Shrine Auditorium in Mount Pleasant on Feb. 22 and Feb. 23 to meet her S.C. fans.
“Hopefully,” Cressida said, "I’ll be bringing a little bit of magic and fun with all the characters I've been honored to voice and all the Funko pops and collectibles that I'm honored to provide for those who are passionate collectors or who love animation."
But it’s not just about meeting and greeting the fans. Proceeds from every convention or expo appearance that Cressida does go to the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation.
“It’s a double win,” Cressida said of events like the Captain’s Comics Expo.
For Cressida, the cause is personal. She was diagnosed with Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans, one of the most notoriously aggressive forms of cancer, in 2012.
“I was diagnosed with what was believed to be a fatal brain sarcoma,” she said, “a very serious deadly form of cancer and it was deemed at first fatal, and that was very obviously terrifying and dark part of the journey. I was very young and at the beginning of my life and just finally getting some amount of success and traction in the dreams that I’d worked hard to pursue.”
Cressida beat the odds and the cancer, but the damage was done. She had to relearn to speak, keenly aware that the entertainment business wasn’t going to wait while she did so.
“When you pause, you don't get a chance to just pick up where you left off,” she said. “It took a long time for me to rebuild momentum, and so there was a long period between 2012 and 2015 or '16 where I really wasn't there.”
Cressida’s career recovered along with her health; not only has she worked on multiple projects since 2016 (including a series regular role in the "Barbie: A Touch of Magic" on Netflix), but she’s added public speaking to her resume, even giving a TED Talk a few years back.
“I wouldn't dare to guess at why the universe throws things at people or not,” she said of her journey, “but it at least felt like I was doing something of value and worth what I fought hard to survive through. And now, being able to raise funds for those who are critically ill and their families is such an honor.”
For more info on Cressida, and the two-day Captain's Comic Expo, visit captainscomicexpo.com
Data SkriveThe North Carolina A&T Aggies (5-21, 1-12 CAA) will host the Charleston (SC) Cougars (19-7, 9-4 CAA) after dropping six straight home games. It starts at 2:00 PM ET on Saturday, February 15, 2025.In its previous game, Charleston (SC) lost to UNC Wilmington 86-66 on the road, with AJ Smith (14 PTS, 50 FG%) and Ante Brzovic (13 PTS, 8 REB, 44.44 FG%) leading the way. N.C. A&T were winners on the road over Elon, 60-59, in its last game. Its top scorers were Jahnathan Lamothe (21 PTS, 5 STL, 43.75 FG%) and Nikola...
Data Skrive
The North Carolina A&T Aggies (5-21, 1-12 CAA) will host the Charleston (SC) Cougars (19-7, 9-4 CAA) after dropping six straight home games. It starts at 2:00 PM ET on Saturday, February 15, 2025.
In its previous game, Charleston (SC) lost to UNC Wilmington 86-66 on the road, with AJ Smith (14 PTS, 50 FG%) and Ante Brzovic (13 PTS, 8 REB, 44.44 FG%) leading the way. N.C. A&T were winners on the road over Elon, 60-59, in its last game. Its top scorers were Jahnathan Lamothe (21 PTS, 5 STL, 43.75 FG%) and Nikolaos Chitikoudis (19 PTS, 9 REB, 60 FG%).
Prepare for this matchup with everything you need to know about Saturday's college basketball action.
Check out: USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll
Watch college basketball on Fubo!
College basketball odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Saturday at 3:35 PM ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub.
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A new bar is opening on Charleston's Upper King Street this spring.King Street Hideout, "the city’s newest garden bar and club," is taking over the 630 King St. space at the corner of Line and King streets. The owners hope to debut the new establishment in the next month.The address was previously home to ...
A new bar is opening on Charleston's Upper King Street this spring.
King Street Hideout, "the city’s newest garden bar and club," is taking over the 630 King St. space at the corner of Line and King streets. The owners hope to debut the new establishment in the next month.
The address was previously home to Barsa, a popular Spanish tapas bar owned by Drazen Romic. It closed after 14 years in December due to Romic's retirement.
King Street Hideout, a partnership between Nick Held and Zach Dennis, will bring a much different vibe to this rapidly developing part of Upper King Street, where the 12-acre Courier Square project is starting to take shape.
The new bar will have a lively beach theme with a seafoam green color scheme, plants and decorative palm trees, Dennis said. The interior will feature a pool table, projector screens and DJ booth, while the outdoor garden patio will have white cabanas and low lounge seating.
"We really want to be that approachable, fun place to go," Dennis said.
Dennis, owner of The Peacock on East Bay Street, previously worked for Hall Management Group and ran his own restaurant and bar consulting firm. He helped open multiple establishments for Republic Hospitality — as seen on "Southern Charm" — before striking out on his own. Held was previously a partner at Ink Charleston, a King Street club and rooftop lounge that's been closed since the fall.
The pair wants King Street Hideout to be a hangout for those living in the thousands of apartment units set to go online within a block of the bar in the next few years. It will offer cocktails, frozen drinks and pub fare like smash-burgers and nachos. During the week (Monday through Thursday), the food program will rely on local pop-ups and food trucks, Dennis said.
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