Pincourt Hyperbaric Clinic Treating “hopeless” Cases

People from all parts of North America are coming to a little clinic in Pincourt for a treatment that is not recognized as valid by mainstream medicine. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which involves the safe delivery of high doses of oxygen under pressure, is used to treat a wide range of conditions such as strokes, postoperative wound healing, burn care, diabetic wounds, cerebral palsy, autism and traumatic brain injuries. Many patients at the clinic are premature babies who experienced a lack of oxygen at birth.

The theory is that oxygen under pressure, when inhaled, floods every part of the body with oxygen through the circulatory system, wakes up dormant or dead cells and creates new blood vessels.

“In spite of positive research results, the government doesn’t recognize hyperbarics as a medical treatment in terms of neurological injury,” says Claudine Lanoix, who owns and operates the Centre Hyperbare de l’Île.

That means Medicare and insurance companies will not pay for it. And the costs are high.

Ten years ago, unable to find treatment here, Lanoix flew to the UK with her twin sons, born prematurely and who have cerebral palsy. After undergoing hyperbaric treatments, Michel and Mathieu, 15, are miles ahead of the doctors’ original prognosis, both cognitively and physically.

“If we can get premature babies into a chamber quickly enough, their quality of life can be so much better,” she said.

Allene Creacy, president of the Association of Hyperbaric Awareness, said that the benefits of hyperbaric treatments should be self-evident.

“What is the first thing that they administer to you if you’re in a wreck or you have a heart attack? It’s oxygen,” she said.

“It will not hurt you. It will either help you or not.” The Association, which has leading medical experts on its board of directors, is currently making the rounds of high-level government in Washington, DC to raise awareness of the benefits of hyperbarics and how it can treat soldiers with brain injuries. Centre Hyperbare de l’Île/Island Hyperbaric Center www.centrehyperbare.com Toll Free: 866 677-7978; 514 453-7978 Fax: 514 453-4184