Joe Namath believes hyperbaric treatments cure brain damage
By Jesse Reed
New York Jets legend Joe Namath is convinced he’s found the cure for concussion-related brain damage.
The Hall of Fame quarterback took his fair share of crushing blows to the head during his playing days. He was completely knocked out at least five times in his career “with no treatment except smelling salts,” per ESPN’s Peter Keating. As a result, Namath began experiencing some cognitive challenges and sought to find help.
Namath discovered Jupiter Medical Center in 2012 and began a treatment plan with the facility that centered around spending time in a hyperbaric chamber. Over the course of time—120 trips later—he experienced a dramatic turnaround, prompting him to dive headlong into promoting the treatment as a viable option to concussion-related brain damage.
Per Keating:
Namath is convinced this is the way out for others like him who have experienced varying levels of brain damage caused by concussions.
It’s important to note that the two doctors who treated Namath are not neurological experts. It’s also important to note that other doctors who are neurological experts are skeptical of the validity of such a treatment.
Keating writes:
After decades of hard living, which included powerful painkillers to help cope with the abuse suffered on the field and a fierce bout of alcohol addiction, Namath kicked his addictions in 2004. From that time forward, he realized just how much his football playing days were adversely affecting his day-to-day functionality, and he also realized he wasn’t alone.
Junior Seau’s tragic exit from the world triggered the warning bells for the legendary quarterback, who says, “It behooved me to find out what’s going on with my brain.”
When faced with these results, Namath knew something was wrong.
After 40 treatments in the hyperbaric chamber—one hour a day, five days a week—Namath’s scans came back “bright and symmetrical,” showing dramatic improvement. Not surprisingly, the former quarterback continued with the treatment and has experienced a complete turnaround as a result.
It’s no wonder he’s championing this method as a true cure.
It remains to be seen if others will jump on board this train, but hyperbaric chambers have long been used by professional athletes for various reasons. Many players have seen quicker recoveries from other types of injuries by utilizing them.
As with many other non-traditional methods of healing, most experts in the field of brain trauma have yet to view this as a viable solution. But that could soon change if others receive the same kind of help that turned Namath’s life around.
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