Abstract
Background: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy （HBOT） is a treatment method that delivers pure oxygen in a high-pressure environment to improve hypoxic conditions. However, pressure fluctuations can cause otalgia.
Objective: To investigate the incidence and underlying factors of ear pain during HBOT at our facility.
Methods: A total of 126 patients who underwent HBOT between December 19, 2022, and December 19, 2023 （1,717 treatment sessions）, were analyzed. Patients were categorized by sex, age group, disease type, and whether it was their first or a subsequent treatment. The incidence rate of otalgia and the pressure at which otalgia occurred in each subgroup were examined.
Results: The overall incidence rate of otalgia was 8.4％. Incidence was particularly high in elderly patients aged eighty and above, as well as in those undergoing HBOT for the first time. Otalgia tended to occur more frequently during the initial pressurization phase. These findings suggest that reduced Eustachian tube compliance due to aging and lack of adaptation to pressure changes are contributing factors.
Conclusion: Special attention should be paid to the risk of otalgia in elderly patients, during initial HBOT sessions, and in the early stages of pressurization. Careful monitoring and measures to alleviate otalgia are essential.
