Understanding Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a medical treatment that involves breathing 100% pure oxygen inside a pressurized chamber. The word "hyperbaric" literally means "above normal pressure." During treatment, atmospheric pressure is increased to 2.0–3.0 times the normal sea-level pressure, allowing your lungs to absorb dramatically more oxygen than would be possible under normal conditions.
This oxygen-rich blood then circulates throughout your entire body, reaching damaged tissues, fighting bacteria, and stimulating the release of growth factors and stem cells that promote healing.
How Does HBOT Work?
Under normal conditions, oxygen is transported through the body primarily by red blood cells. However, red blood cells can only carry a limited amount of oxygen, and they cannot always reach areas where blood flow is compromised — such as damaged or infected tissues.
HBOT changes this equation dramatically. By increasing atmospheric pressure, oxygen dissolves directly into the blood plasma, cerebral spinal fluid, and other body fluids at concentrations 10 to 15 times higher than normal. This dissolved oxygen can penetrate areas that red blood cells cannot reach, delivering healing oxygen to tissues starved of this vital element. This process also stimulates angiogenesis — the growth of new blood vessels.
FDA-Approved Conditions
The FDA has approved HBOT for 14 specific medical conditions, including diabetic foot ulcers and non-healing wounds, radiation tissue damage from cancer treatment, carbon monoxide poisoning, decompression sickness, gas gangrene and necrotizing soft tissue infections, chronic refractory osteomyelitis, compromised skin grafts and flaps, crush injuries, acute thermal burns, and air or gas embolism. Visit our full treatments and conditions page to learn more.
Off-Label Applications
Beyond FDA-approved indications, growing clinical evidence supports HBOT for conditions such as traumatic brain injury and concussion recovery, stroke rehabilitation, sports injury recovery, Lyme disease, fibromyalgia, chronic pain syndromes, and age-related cognitive decline. While insurance may not cover off-label uses, many patients find significant benefit. Learn more about HBOT costs and insurance coverage.
What Makes National Hyperbaric Different
At National Hyperbaric, our treatments are supervised by board-certified physicians with specialized training in hyperbaric medicine. Led by Dr. Allan Spiegel, our team has decades of combined experience treating thousands of patients. We use state-of-the-art monoplace chambers and follow evidence-based treatment protocols tailored to each patient's specific condition. Review the clinical research supporting HBOT.
If you are considering HBOT, we encourage you to schedule a free consultation. New to HBOT? Read our guide on what to expect at your first session.