Curious about what hyperbaric oxygen therapy can do for you? You’ve come to the right place. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a medical treatment that supports the body’s natural healing by delivering 100% pure oxygen inside a specialized pressurized chamber. This is very different from breathing ordinary air, which contains only about 21% oxygen. Inside an HBOT chamber, the air pressure is raised to two or three times normal levels, allowing your blood plasma to carry far more oxygen than is possible under regular atmospheric pressure.
Oxygen is essential for every cell in your body to function, repair itself, and fight infection. When tissue is damaged—due to poor blood circulation, surgery, infection, or chronic wounds—it often doesn’t receive enough oxygen. Without sufficient oxygen, healing slows down or may even stop entirely. HBOT delivers high concentrations of oxygen directly into your bloodstream and tissues, giving your body’s natural healing processes a powerful boost.
Discover the Benefits of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
1. Stimulates Wound Healing
HBOT greatly increases the amount of oxygen reaching tissues that are damaged or have poor blood supply. This encourages the formation of new blood vessels (a process known as angiogenesis), supports tissue repair, and boosts the activity of fibroblasts and collagen—both critical for wound care and healing.
Research published in the National Library of Medicine (NLM) shows that HBOT improves outcomes for chronic, non-healing wounds, including diabetic foot ulcers, and also helps relieve symptoms in tissue damaged by radiation therapy (NIH/NLM, PMID: 30020609).
2. Reduces Inflammation and Swelling
The pressurized oxygen environment has natural anti-inflammatory effects. HBOT helps decrease swelling around injured tissues, which improves blood flow and relieves pressure on nearby structures. This is especially beneficial for conditions such as crush injuries and compartment syndrome.
3. Fights Infection
Oxygen enhances the ability of white blood cells to destroy bacteria and ward off infection. It also has direct antibacterial effects against certain dangerous microbes, including those that cause gas gangrene and osteomyelitis (bone infection).
The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) recognizes HBOT as an approved treatment for necrotizing soft tissue infections—aggressive, life-threatening infections that spread rapidly.
4. Helps Save Limbs and Prevent Amputation
For patients with diabetic foot ulcers, HBOT can help avoid amputation by improving oxygen delivery to tissues that are otherwise at risk of dying. It can be especially valuable when other treatments have failed. It is important to address any infection and restore adequate blood flow to maximize the benefits of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. If blood flow cannot be restored, HBOT may still be attempted in an effort to save the limb.
Multiple NIH-supported studies have shown that HBOT significantly increases the likelihood of wound closure and limb salvage in patients with diabetic foot ulcers (PMID: 16820266).
5. Revives Tissues Damaged by Radiation
Radiation therapy, often used to treat cancer, can harm healthy tissues over time. This can lead to problems such as radiation cystitis (bladder inflammation) or osteoradionecrosis (bone death). HBOT restores oxygen to these oxygen-starved tissues and promotes the growth of new blood vessels, helping damaged areas recover.
UHMS-approved indications include late effects of radiation injury, with strong evidence showing that HBOT reduces pain and restores function.
6. Enhances Recovery After Surgery and Skin Grafts
For patients experiencing flap or graft failure—especially when blood supply is limited—HBOT improves oxygen delivery and can help save compromised tissues. It is also used to support healing after cosmetic surgery, reconstructive procedures, or limb reattachment.
7. Supports Brain and Nerve Healing
Although still under investigation, growing evidence suggests that HBOT may benefit people with certain neurological conditions, such as traumatic brain injury, stroke, or sudden hearing loss. The therapy may reduce inflammation and promote cellular repair in oxygen-deprived areas of the brain.