Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy & Stiff Person Syndrome

Nov 9, 2011 | By Graham Rix

Based in the United Kingdom, Graham Rix has been writing on the arts, antiquing and other enthusiasms since 1987. He has been published in “The Observer” and “Cosmopolitan.” Rix holds a Master of Arts degree in English from Magdalen College, Oxford.

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Stiff-person or stiff-man syndrome is a rare neurological disorder that causes rigidity, primarily in the back and legs. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy may be of benefit in some cases in tackling the causes of the syndrome, but the symptoms need to be treated with various medications.

Stiff-person Syndrome

A rare disorder which is thought to affect as few as one in 1 million people, the exact causes of stiff-person syndrome are not known, but they are associated with malfunctions in the body's autoimmune system. Sufferers experience intervals of rigidity in their torso and extremities. Stressful situations and sudden noises such as car horns can trigger painful muscle spasms. The disorder puts sufferers at risk from further injury from falls and accidents.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

In hyperbaric oxygen therapy, a patient breathes pure oxygen inside a chamber where the air pressure is compressed to about 2.5 times normal atmospheric pressure. The increased pressure drives oxygen into the patient's tissues, increasing blood flow and triggering healing. HBOT is widely used in the treatment of ulcers, wounds and skin grafts.

HBOT and SPS

Some evidence suggests that HBOT can be beneficial in treating stroke, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and disorders such as SPS. The delivery of pure oxygen under increased atmospheric pressure is thought to have a rebalancing effect on the brain, startling it into running more smoothly. If you suffer from SPS, you might want to discuss HBOT with your health-care provider as a complement to standard drug therapy.

Drug Therapy

Although there is currently no cure for SPS, its symptoms generally respond well to drug therapy. These can include anti-anxiety medications, muscle relaxants, anti-convulsants and intravenous immunoglobulin treatment to lower sensitivity to negative stimuli. But note, once started upon a course of drugs, you shouldn't break off suddenly because doing so can result in severe spasms.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/551012-hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy-stiff-person-syndrome/#ixzz1dc3Shwnq