Salvador Mendes de Almeida has been a frequent visitor to Hospital da Luz in Lisbon in recent days—with a very specific purpose. “ I’ve already completed 10 sessions and have started a new series of 10. Every day, one hour and 40 minutes. But it’s worth it. I feel much better. After many months, I’m finally seeing results. ” The founder of Associação Salvador—an organization that promotes the inclusion of people with motor disabilities, enhances their talents, and raises awareness for equal opportunities—is undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy at the new chamber of Hospital da Luz in Lisbon. “And it’s resolving the problems I had,” he assures. A “minor wound that was very difficult to heal” was the clinical reason that led Salvador, who has been tetraplegic for 27 years, to Hospital da Luz. He went through the entire process: an evaluation consultation to determine his eligibility for the treatment, preliminary exams to ensure his health conditions were adequate, and now ongoing monitoring to assess whether further treatment is needed. “The hyperbaric chamber places us in conditions like those of deep-sea diving. For someone who used to dive, it’s a familiar feeling...” he recalls, adding, “What’s more, in the Hospital da Luz chamber, we can either sit in a super-comfortable chair or lie down on a stretcher. It’s excellent for people like me.” He concludes: “It’s going well. I feel much better. I even sleep better! Despite some fatigue, it’s a good, healthy kind of tiredness because I feel like my immune system is being revitalized. I’ve also noticed a significant reduction in muscle spasticity, which is so common in people with injuries like mine.” Salvador Mendes de Almeida wanted to share his experience with hyperbaric treatments for a reason: to raise awareness among others in similar clinical conditions about the benefits of this type of therapy, which has been available at Hospital da Luz Lisbon since last year. “This is useful for people like me. For those with wound issues, this solution is excellent,” he emphasizes. Dr. Cláudia Febra, the physician responsible for the Hyperbaric Medicine unit at Hospital da Luz Lisbon, explains why. “The hyperbaric chamber allows Salvador to breathe 100% oxygen at a pressure of 2.5 atmospheres. Under these conditions, the solubility coefficient of oxygen in tissues increases 5 to 10 times, making this gas available to suffering cells that are working hard to heal,” she explains. “During the treatment—and for several hours afterward—the inflamed skin cells around Salvador’s wound have access to about 5 to 10 times more oxygen, enabling them to function at a much higher metabolic rate than under normal atmospheric conditions. Clinically, this results in faster and more effective healing,” concludes Dr. Cláudia Febra. Associação Salvador has established a partnership with Hospital da Luz to provide special access conditions to Hyperbaric Medicine for people with motor disabilities. This ensures that “everyone can benefit from these treatments,” says Salvador Mendes de Almeida. Under this agreement, the hyperbaric chamber sessions at Hospital da Luz will be offered at reduced rates for people referred by Associação Salvador. Those interested should contact the association's services beforehand.
