What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis. It is a chronic autoimmune condition that primarily affects the joints but may also cause extra-articular manifestations involving the heart, lungs, blood vessels and nerves.
The autoimmune process targets the synovial membrane, causing persistent inflammation that gradually damages the articular cartilage and subchondral bone.
It typically presents with pronounced morning stiffness, symmetrical involvement of both small and large joints, swelling, warmth, redness and pain that may severely restrict mobility and daily function.
Without effective treatment, rheumatoid arthritis may lead to joint deformity and permanent disability. It most commonly affects women between the ages of 40 and 60, although it may develop at any age.
Characteristics of Rheumatoid Arthritis
A central feature of the pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis is the vascular microenvironment within the inflamed joint. Synovial hyperplasia creates metabolically demanding tissue that is supported by an inadequate blood supply.
The resulting local hypoxia activates mechanisms that intensify rather than suppress inflammation, including hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α), which stimulates the production of inflammatory cytokines and promotes pathological neovascularisation.
Oxidative stress within the inflamed joint is also particularly high. Synovial cells produce large quantities of reactive oxygen species, which damage cartilage, weaken the surrounding tissues and amplify the inflammatory response.
Antioxidant protection therefore represents an important therapeutic objective.
Scientific Studies and Clinical Reports
Studies in animal models of rheumatoid arthritis and clinical reports have documented anti-inflammatory effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy within the joints. These include reductions in inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6, inhibition of NF-κB, a central regulator of the inflammatory response, and improved immune balance through increased regulatory T-cell activity.
Clinical data from patients with rheumatoid arthritis who received hyperbaric oxygen therapy alongside biologic treatment have reported improvements in disease activity scores, including DAS28, reductions in pain and enhanced functional capacity. These findings suggest that hyperbaric oxygen therapy may support the effectiveness of primary antirheumatic treatment.
The Role of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
In rheumatoid arthritis, hyperbaric oxygen therapy may be used as an adjunctive option. Its purpose is to strengthen the body’s biological anti-inflammatory response and address the local hypoxia that sustains inflammation within the joint.
Increased oxygenation may help interrupt the cycle of hypoxia and inflammation within the joint, activate antioxidant enzymes that protect cartilage from oxidative injury and suppress inflammatory pathways that may not be controlled fully by primary pharmacological treatment.
Over the longer term, improved immune regulation through enhanced regulatory T-cell activity may contribute to longer periods of remission.
A typical treatment course consists of 20 to 30 sessions, planned in collaboration with the rheumatologist.