A Brief History of HBOT and CHARMS

Thousands of indexed papers have, over the last 80 years, described the benefit of giving more oxygen at greater than atmospheric pressure for a wide variety of clinical conditions - including decompression sickness, gas gangrene, carbon monoxide and dioxide poisoning, chronic osteomylitis, leg ulcers and problem wounds, burns and grafts.

During the 1980's several scientific papers reported beneficial effects from HBO therapy for chronic MS patients and so self-help centres were set up to provide the treatment. The CHARMS charity (registered number 288153) was set up in Chelmsford and opened its centre in November 1984 for the treatment of MS suffers. It was opened by Counsellors Mrs. Con Johnson and Mike Rose, mayors of Chelmsford, thanks to the generosity of local firms and organizations and many individuals who made donations and gave their time and skills.

HBOT is now widely used in Europe, Russia, America and the Far East. Though it is not available on the NHS there are 60 units (therapy centres) in the British Isles. Charms belongs to the Federation of Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centres Ltd (incorporated April 1993). http://www.ms-selfhelp.org/

Increasingly HBOT is also being advocated for ME and CP and there is evidence for improvement in stroke victims as well. Consequently CHARMS now deals with "MS, ME and other associated neurological disorders", covering Essex and the adjacent counties.

(a list of conditions for which HBOT has been successfully advocated is appended)