Historically, Compass offered a range of subsidised therapies only for people with an MS diagnosis. Now however, they offer services for people who have any neurological diagnosis and will accept referrals from others who have chronic conditions, injuries or other health issues that may benefit from the therapies on offer. This summer I was invited to visit their premises and see what they offer. At the end of this post you can read about other similar projects in other parts of Scotland.
I arrived at the fully accessible entrance in my powerchair, easily finding the reception and a waiting area on the right as I came in the door. The building has a friendly buzz to it with various staff, volunteers and visitors/clients of the service going about their business.
The charity’s main remit is supporting people with neurological conditions so, for example, the physio run exercise class is open only to those with a neurological diagnosis and is tailored to their needs. This class is currently free. All Compass therapies are subsidised and clients living with neurological conditions, including MS, attract a further rate reduction to help lessen any financial barriers.
The pride and joy of the charity is the Hyperbaric Oxygen therapy chamber. It looked to me like something out of Jules Verne’s ‘20,000 Leagues Under the Sea’, like an ancient and charming diving bell, painted with a swirling purple design around the round windows reminiscent of nautical portholes. It says “and…. Breathe” in colourful letters above the door. It has a platform lift which makes the chamber fully wheelchair accessible.
What is hyperbaric oxygen therapy? Essentially, the treatment involves entering the chamber and breathing pure oxygen in a pressurised environment. When you enter the chamber, it takes ten minutes to reach the necessary pressure and the treatment lasts for 50 minutes. Another ten minute period for decompression follows. It has a capacity of up to 8 people.
This is a safe therapy for most people and promotes effective healing in different ways in different parts of the body which sometimes have less efficient oxygen flow due to illness or injury. You can learn more from the Compass Oxygen therapy guide below.
All potential oxygen therapy clients are assessed and a medical history taken to ensure that the treatment is appropriate and safe for each person. Compass Edinburgh sees clients from across the central belt and not just the immediate area. They even have occasional booking from visitors to Scotland who live with chronic conditions.
There is a senior physiotherapist on the staff who told me about some of the specialised equipment they have. This includes the Anti Gravity walker. Clients with limited weightbearing capacity can have a one to one physio session using this machine. It can provide individually tailored physical support to enable the person to walk and strengthen the muscles they have even if they have issues with weightbearing. There are other bits of equipment that can work on pain or optimising function. You can read about the other specialist equipment available for rehab and physiotherapy here:
Rehabilitation | Compass Therapy Centre
In addition to those already covered, there are a range of other therapies that you can book. I met the Myofascial Release Therapy practitioner and had a chance for a chat to find out more about what she does. It’s a gentle therapy which is not like traditional massage. It uses gentle pressure to stetch and release tensions in soft tissue areas, which in turn enables release in nerves and other tissues. She is very experienced and I am definitely hoping I may test her skills at some point.
You can read about all the available therapies here:
Complementary Therapies | Compass Therapy Centre
Other centres with hyperbaric oxygen
- Inverness has a similar centre which offers hyperbaric oxygen therapy and other therapies to those living with long term conditions. They offer physiotherapy and have accessible gym equipment and a range of complementary therapies on offer.
The Oxygen Works | Providing Oxygen Therapy & Support
- Glasgow’s Revive centre is exclusively for people with MS. It also has hyperbaric oxygen therapy and offers other services which you can read about here:
How We Can Help | Revive MS | Scotland
- Tayside MS Therapy centre is, like Glasgow, only for people with MS. You can read about the services they have here: