The outbreak of coronavirus has turned into a global pandemic. Not only has it forced people to stay locked up in their homes, but it has put great pressure on the world’s economy. Due to the spread of this disease, the unemployment rates are rapidly increasing as businesses are struggling to stay afloat. Even the countries that were able to control their spread are experiencing a surge in the number of cases. In this situation, medical experts and professionals are aggressively working towards creating a treatment for the disease.
Adding to these efforts is Joseph Dituri, a U.S Navy Veteran, an engineer, and a diving expert from New York. While medical experts are working to create vaccines, Joseph, also widely known as Joe and Dr. Deep Sea, is investigating the use of hyperbaric medicine for the treatment of this disease. He has spent over 28 years in the U.S Navy, during which he acquired Ph.D. in biomedical engineering, with a major in support systems including hyperbaric.
Hyperbaric chambers are used almost extensively to address decompression sickness, which is usually referred to as ‘the bends.’ The condition of the divers and pilots that suffer from these issues is somewhat similar to that of the COVID-19 patients. These hyperbaric chambers make use of high-pressure gasses in a perfectly controlled manner.
Joseph Dituri states, “It operates in very much the same way for COVID-19 patients…; COVID-19 patients cannot get enough oxygen into their lungs and bloodstream to give their cells enough to survive. COVID-19 also decreases red blood cells’ ability to carry oxygen, effectively starving body cells and, consequently, the rest of the body’s cells. Additionally, it helps slow the cytokine storm which enhances healing.”
COVID-19 patients suffer from breathing problems in the normal atmosphere, which contains 21% oxygen, with the hyperbaric chambers, a patient can inhale more oxygen molecules. Moreover, the settings of these chambers can be changed. To support his investigation, he states, “It’s killing me that we’re telling people with this virus to stay home until they’re really sick. If we get them in time, we can help them with hyperbaric. No question. There’s no double-blind, placebo-controlled study completed showing this works, but the physics holds true, and physics always works.”
A Diving Expert Who Might Just Change the Game
Joseph Dituri, born in December of 1967 in Oceanside NY, is popularly known as Dr. Deep Sea. He enlisted in the U.S Navy in 1985. He spent his time in the U.S Navy on several ships and shore stations. During these years, he actively involved in ship repairing and saturation diving. His hard work helped him to acquire a high naval rank as he was commissioned into the Special Operations Officer pipeline. During this time, he completed his bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the University of South Carolina.
In a total service time of 28 years, Joseph has served as a Diving Officer at Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit One and the Operations & Salvage Officer onboard USS Salvor. In addition to this, he served multiple roles at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. The positions that he worked at included Nuclear Project Superintendent, Project Manager, Docking Officer, Diving Officer and Business Operations Officer.
When he was transferred to Naval Post Graduate School, he acquired a master’s degree in Astronautical Engineering. His thesis in the master’s program, which revolved around Orbital Determination, led him to several events where he was invited to speak about space-related topics.
Joseph was assigned as the Officer-in-Charge Deep Submergence Unit (DSU) Diving Systems Detachment (DSD), which led the department to win the white “DS” award for deep submergence excellence. He was also the Program Manager’s Representative for NAVSEA PMS 394, a Submarine Rescue Diving & Recompression System (SRDRS). It led Joseph to earn the DAWIA certification of Level III in Program Management and then became the Executive Officer, where he played a key role in the designing of the transfer under pressure saturation diving template, which was to be used by the Navy Submarine Rescue.
He retired from the U.S Navy in 2013, at the time of which he was serving as the Special Operations Command as the chief engineer of Program Executive Officer Maritime.
His time at the U.S Navy helped him become a diving expert, and this added with his educational background has helped him serve as a prominent investigator in the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). As per his groundbreaking research, “HBOT promotes rapid healing of body tissues in the following ways: Boosts general immunity and reduces pain and swelling due to increased capillary growth and white blood cell activity; Increases production of special STEM cells by about 200% more than normal. These cells circulate in the body, salvaging and restoring damaged cells and tissues; Reduces the diameter of blood vessels due to high concentration of oxygen. This can help slightly increase blood pressure, avoid massive swelling and prevent a fluid leak from the blood into the lungs, Produces new blood vessels in damaged areas due to increased oxygen flow.”
Joseph serves as the training director of the International Association of Nitrox and Technical Drivers, Inc. (IANTD). Moreover, he has also authored numerous books including the book, “Tao of Survival Underwater,” and several articles. He is also the director of the Undersea Oxygen Clinic in Tampa. This man is working actively during this pandemic to help the victims of the disease get back to life. He is pressurizing hospital authorities to direct new COVID-19 cases to hyperbaric chambers for treatment.
Joseph Dituri who received a three Navy Achievement medals, a Joint Service Achievement Medal, an Army Commendation Medal, four Navy Commendation Medals, a Joint Service Commendation Medal and a Joint Meritorious Service Medal, is one of the most prominent entities during the pandemic, as he is actively working to introduce new treatments for COVID-19 patients.