People with brain injuries, cerebral palsy and stroke survivors are just a few of the patients who can be helped by hyperbaric oxygen therapy, a relatively little-used treatment.

The Rocky Mountain Hyperbaric Institute in Boulder offers three chambers in which patients breathe in 100 percent oxygen under a prescribed amount of pressure.

The treatment delivers up to 15 times more oxygen to the tissues in the body than by standard breathing at normal atmospheric pressure and is approved by the Federal Drug Administration.

Ryan Fullmer, certified hyperbaric technologist and executive director of the institute, said this treatment has no side effects or risk to the patient. Fullmer knows the results of the therapy first hand as a stroke survivor who has been using the treatment for many years.

"I could hardly walk, and now I ski and climb fourteeners," he said. "This treatment was the only thing that worked, and I tried all types of Western medicine."

After brain cells die or become dormant from lack of oxygen, which can be caused by an accident, the brain loses abilities controlled by the affected area. This can cause loss of speech, movement and memory.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy delivers oxygen enriched blood to areas of the brain affected by the injury. These blood cells activate idling neurons, which can complete the functions of the dead brain cells. In many cases, patients regain functions to parts of the body which were previously paralyzed.

"The chamber is compressed to the depth prescribed by a doctor," Fullmer said. "The patient puts on something that looks like a space helmet and breathes oxygen for a certain amount of time, then the chamber is decompressed."

One of Fullmer's criticisms of traditional medicine is the lack of knowledge and availability of hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

"Our pharmaceutical companies have no interest in patenting oxygen because it would be bad for business," he said. "They would rather have patients take pills, not oxygen. Few doctors are aware of this treatment."

Julie Stapleton, medical director for the institute, said hyperbaric oxygen therapy is under recognized and underutilized for treating many conditions.

"The patients have a time and financial obligation for treatments," she said. "There is not a lot of research that proves this treatment is effective, but we are seeing anecdotal data that supports these diagnoses. Mainstream treatment and medicine for neurotrauma has not worked. HBOT should be readily accepted and available amongst the medical field and seen as medical option for conditions it's not currently recognized for."

She said oxygen therapy is rapidly gaining interest in treating various recognized disabilities or disorders.

Stapleton provides the institute with medical supervision and screens the patient to be considered good candidates for treatment.

"It is very exciting to be involved with a treatment that is up and coming," she said. "Interest seems to be growing at a steady rate, but getting the word out is difficult."

While receiving treatment patients can watch movies, listen to music, read or sleep. Sessions last an hour to 90 minutes depending on the injury.

Since opening in 2007, the institute has worked with 50 patients. In the beginning of 2009 Fuller and Eddie Gomez, assistant to the executive director, opened the Rocky Mountain Hyperbaric Association, a nonprofit organization to help people receive treatment. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is available in Boulder County only at the institute in Boulder. The treatment is not covered by insurance and costs $125 to $165 depending on the prescription.

Proponents of the therapy said it can be an effective treatment for anti-aging.

Fuller and his partner own the clinic, which started after one of Fuller's private patients permitted the use of his $75,000 chamber to be used by other patients. The institute purchased two additional chambers for $50,000 and $30,000. The company has four employees to run the business and take care of patients.

David Gibbs, the clinics first patient, has been with the clinic for two years after a car accident. He said the chamber is like a miniature submarine with a bed that slides in and out. His prescription is a pressure of 10-feet below sea level. At this pressure Gibbs experiences a popping of his ears during treatment. He likened it to diving into water. Gibbs has had 147 treatments.

"I have seen a difference since I started the treatment," Gibbs said. " It helps with mental and physical stamina, and I can do more without getting tired. Riding a bike used to be a problem because I would be moving my head around and get dizzy. I would get home and recline in a chair until my headache went away. I still have other problems, but it is nice to have a treatment that is working well."

The treatment has allowed Gibbs to eliminate his intake of medication by two-thirds.

"I tried everything out there for brain injury treatments from acupuncture to chiropractic and medications and HBOT has helped me the most."

Gomez, also a patient, said hyperbaric oxygen therapy heals the brain and body.

"As a patient I have experienced amazing results and am a believer in the treatment," he said. "It is very relaxing to watch a movie or put on a CD for an hour or two of personal time."