Non-specific Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease are difficult chronic inflammatory bowel diseases.

The most common early symptoms are chronic diarrhea, crampy abdominal pain, fever, loss of appetite and weight loss.

Common complications of inflammation include development of an intestinal obstruction, abnormal connecting channels (fistula) and pus filled pockets of infection (abscesses). When the large intestine is affected by Crohn’s disease, rectal bleeding commonly occurs.

Under chronic inflammation there are microcirculation disorders in bowel mucosa which results in hypoxia (lack of oxygen).

For this reason Hyperbaric Oxygen therapy combined with conventional medical management should be used to relieve symptoms.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy limits the amount of inflammation in the bowel, pain is relieved, weight improves and bowel movements return to almost normal. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy should be considered in treatment of Crohn’s disease not responding to conventional treatment.