Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is the use of prescribed high pressure oxygen to treat a variety of health conditions and diseases. Breathing pure oxygen under pressures greater than sea level increases the amount of oxygen carried by the blood, enabling the oxygen to be dissolved into the hard-to-reach areas, lymph, and cerebrospinal fluids surrounding the brain and spinal cord. These fluids more easily carry the increased oxygen to affected and damaged areas at up to 1,200% the normal concentration, thus providing a greater opportunity for healing.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is an effective treatment for a variety of medical conditions either as a primary or adjunctive treatment. It is non-invasive with very few (and rare) potential side effects and has very few contraindications. The medical staff at HMS evaluates each patient to determine whether Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is appropriate. If the medical staff determines that Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is appropriate, they will customize a patient’s individual treatment protocol.

At the start of the treatment session, oxygen immediately begins to circulate and the pressure gradually increase. The patient will generally start to feel a fullness sensation in the ears, similar to ascending or descending in an airplane. This fullness should only last about 10-15 minutes and an experienced HMS hyperbaric technician will guide the patient to relieve any ear pressure. Once treatment pressure is reached, patients relax and just breathe normally. Near the end of the treatment session, the hyperbaric technician will gradually decrease the pressure in the chamber, a process that lasts about 10 minutes. During this decompression stage, it is common for patients to experience a slight popping sensation in the ears as a result of the change in pressure.

HBOT is an all natural therapy with generally no, or temporary, side effects. However, mild irritation to the ear drum may occur in about 10% of patients. The technicians at HMS will be with you every step of the way to prevent this from occurring. Other side effects may include temporary vision changes, dizziness or lightheadedness. In very rare instances, oxygen toxicity may occur, however, risk of this is mitigated by our HBOT protocols and comprehensive patient screening process.

Many patients sleep, watch TV, or a movie. For your enjoyment, each hyperbaric chamber at HMS is paired with its own TV and DVD player. Patients are welcomed to watch their favorite TV programs, select a DVD to watch from our library, or bring DVDs of their own to watch.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is generally covered by insurance for the 14 FDA approved medical conditions. Insurance generally does not cover Non-Covered conditions, such as post-COVID recovery.

In either case, insurance will most likely cover the consultation visit, regardless of condition. Please note that at HMS we offer payment plans and financial assistance programs where treatment of a condition is not covered by insurance.
Our policy is to do our best to accommodate all candidates for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.

Each of our facilities uses state-of-the-art monoplace hyperbaric chambers. These chambers are made of metal and acrylic which differ from the soft or mild variety in that they deliver 100% oxygen vs. room air (which is only about 20% oxygen), and are able to reach greater atmospheric pressure levels. This allows for the treatment of a wider variety of health conditions more efficiently and effectively.