Rituals of Healing

What do percussion, Napoleon's personal physician, and the stethoscope have in common? Each is a link in Abraham Verghese's eloquent argument for the importance of the physical examination. His TED talk, A Doctor's Touch, reminds us why the role of the physician in the administration of medical treatment should not be shortchanged, no matter how routine or repetitive the process.

Those interested in treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome will want to pay particular attention at the 11-minute mark: Verghese describes a drug-free way of helping patients who suffer from this problematic condition.



[Video: TED, approximately 18 minutes.]

On the Retraction Watch

Readers interested in the reliability of scientific papers, and the reliability of news reports based on them, will appreciate a couple segments from New York Public Radio’s weekly program, On the Media. Scientific Retractions on the Rise and Retraction Watch both look at what happens when scientific papers go bad, typically a slow motion process that always begins with doubt and sometimes ends with the dismantling of cherished theories.

Regular readers of O2.0 will know we caution against relying on a single clinical study and advocate checking sources. These stories illuminate some of the reasons why.

Both segments aired September 2 and are available for download or listening online at the On the Media website, about two-thirds of the way down the page.

If you haven't heard of it before, On the Media is a weekly radio program in which journalists and their guests examine the business of news, entertainment, and advertising. The results are engaging, informative, and sometimes surprising. We hear the show makes great listening during a hyperbaric dive, and it's available as a podcast from your favorite purveyor.

Tiger Woods: New (Unpaid) HBOT Spokesman

In his pre-Masters press conference the golf great, by way of denying any illegal use of performance-enhancing drugs, says hyperbaric oxygen "helps you heal faster." Okay. Apparently it helped Tiger rehab from knee surgery and an achilles tear in 2008-2009. And he's certainly not alone. We've been following a long line of top athletes, from Australian cricketers to Superbowl stars to mixed martial artists, who swear by HBOT for speedier recovery. More soon.

But we're of a mind that HBOT is also a performance-enhancing therapy, akin to blood doping and this plasma-spinning thing Tiger's into. Even horse racing officials ban animals from competition for days or weeks following hyperbaric treatments. (Read our horse stories HERE.) We're especially fascinated by the rise of portable/personal hyperbarics for rehabilitation, performance, superhealth, fitness, anti-aging, wellness, and a host of other lifestyle applications.

Look for related blogposts and conditions pages as we dig and collect new HyperbaricLinks on this subject.

Hyperbaric Chamber Stars In Latest Episode Of TV's 24

HBOT couldn't cure what ailed a bomb-vested terrorist in Monday night's installment of 24 on Fox, but the chamber provided the (ahem) high-pressure setting for his dramatic standoff and saved agent Jack Bauer's fictional life. A few geeky observations:

1. Brainstorm on walls with a noxious felt-tip marker only in a well-ventilated area.
2. Use of cell phones, not to mention radio detonator buttons, strictly prohibited.
3. Drilling into a pressurized chamber, even with a low-speed bit, not a good idea.

SPOILER ALERT: The shocking conclusion of the standoff redecorates the room in colors some viewers may find objectionable.