My friend started doing hyperbaric chamber therapy after her surgery. She’d lie in this pressurized tube for an hour at a time, breathing pure oxygen, and swore it was speeding her recovery. When I asked her to explain how it worked, she shrugged and said “something about oxygen and healing.”
That vague answer bothered me. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy, or HBOT, is a legitimate medical treatment with specific approved uses. But it’s also showing up at wellness centers and biohacking facilities for purposes that stretch well beyond what the research supports.
If you’re looking for hyperbaric chamber therapy near me, here’s what you should know: what it actually does, which conditions it’s proven to help, where to find it, and how to tell evidence-based treatment from expensive pseudoscience.
What Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Actually Is
In hyperbaric oxygen therapy, you breathe 100% oxygen in a pressurized chamber. Normal air is about 21% oxygen at sea-level pressure. In an HBOT chamber, you’re breathing pure oxygen at 1.5 to 3 times normal atmospheric pressure.
This combination, higher oxygen concentration plus increased pressure, dramatically increases the amount of oxygen dissolved in your blood. Under normal conditions, your red blood cells carry oxygen. In a hyperbaric chamber, oxygen dissolves directly into your plasma, cerebral fluid, and other body fluids, reaching tissues that red blood cells might not easily access.
The extra oxygen can:
- Stimulate new blood vessel growth
- Reduce swelling and inflammation
- Fight certain infections
- Promote wound healing
- Help tissues that are struggling due to compromised blood flow
HBOT has been used medically since the 1960s, originally for treating decompression sickness in divers. Its uses have expanded over decades as research identified other conditions it can help.
FDA-Approved Uses for Hyperbaric Therapy
The FDA has cleared HBOT for 14 specific conditions:
- Decompression sickness (the bends from diving)
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Gas gangrene (certain severe infections)
- Crush injuries and acute traumatic ischemia
- Diabetic foot ulcers that haven’t healed with standard treatment
- Severe anemia when transfusion isn’t possible
- Intracranial abscess (brain infection)
- Necrotizing soft tissue infections (flesh-eating bacteria)
- Chronic refractory osteomyelitis (bone infection)
- Delayed radiation injury (tissue damage from radiation therapy)
- Compromised skin grafts and flaps
- Thermal burns
- Air or gas embolism
- Certain sudden hearing loss cases
For these conditions, HBOT is a medical treatment typically covered by insurance and delivered in hospital-based hyperbaric centers.
Off-Label and Experimental Uses
Beyond FDA-approved conditions, people seek hyperbaric therapy for:
Traumatic brain injury and concussion
Research is ongoing. Some studies show promise for persistent post-concussion symptoms, but evidence isn’t yet conclusive enough for FDA approval.
Stroke recovery
Limited research suggests possible benefits for some stroke patients, but this remains experimental.
Long COVID
Some early studies are investigating HBOT for persistent COVID symptoms. Too early to draw conclusions.
Athletic recovery and performance
Many professional sports teams use hyperbaric chambers. Evidence for benefits in healthy athletes is mixed.
Anti-aging and general wellness
Wellness centers market HBOT for energy, cognitive function, and anti-aging. Evidence for these uses is limited to absent.
Autism
Despite some parent testimonials, controlled studies have not supported HBOT as an effective treatment for autism spectrum disorder.
Cancer
HBOT is sometimes used alongside conventional cancer treatment to help with radiation damage, but it is not a cancer treatment itself.
The gap between FDA-approved uses and what wellness centers promote is significant. Some off-label uses have plausible mechanisms and ongoing research. Others have essentially no evidence.
Where to Find Hyperbaric Therapy
Hospital-based hyperbaric centers
These treat FDA-approved conditions with medical-grade equipment and physician oversight. If you have a serious wound, radiation injury, or other approved condition, this is where you should go. Insurance typically covers treatment here.
Outpatient medical clinics
Some wound care centers and specialty clinics offer HBOT for approved conditions in a less intensive setting than a hospital.
Integrative medicine practices
Doctors practicing integrative or functional medicine may offer HBOT for a broader range of conditions, often off-label.
Wellness centers and spas
These provide what they call “mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy,” typically at lower pressures (1.3-1.5 ATA versus medical 2.0-3.0 ATA) and sometimes with ambient air rather than pure oxygen. These sessions target general wellness rather than specific medical conditions.
Sports performance facilities
Some gyms and athletic training centers offer hyperbaric chambers marketed toward recovery.
Home units
Portable, lower-pressure hyperbaric chambers are available for home use. These are the mildest form, typically 1.3 ATA, and the evidence for their benefits is the weakest.
To find hyperbaric therapy near you:
- Ask your doctor for referral to a hospital-based center (for approved conditions)
- Search “hyperbaric oxygen therapy” plus your city
- Look for wound care centers if you have diabetic ulcers or similar conditions
- Search integrative medicine or functional medicine practices for off-label uses
- Check wellness center listings if seeking mild HBOT
What Hyperbaric Therapy Costs
Costs vary enormously based on setting and purpose:
Hospital-based HBOT (medical conditions)
- $200-500 per session before insurance
- Often covered by insurance for approved conditions
- Typical treatment: 20-40 sessions
Outpatient wound care center
- $150-400 per session
- Often covered by insurance for approved conditions
Integrative medicine clinic
- $150-350 per session
- Insurance coverage unlikely
- Treatment plans vary
Wellness center mild HBOT
- $75-200 per session
- Not covered by insurance
- Often sold as packages (10-20 sessions)
Home units (purchase)
- $5,000-20,000 for mild hyperbaric chambers
- $15,000-100,000+ for higher-pressure medical-grade chambers
For FDA-approved conditions, insurance often covers HBOT. For wellness or off-label uses, expect to pay out of pocket.
My friend paid $150 per session at a wellness center, doing three sessions per week for four weeks. Total cost: $1,800. Her surgeon supported the idea but couldn’t say definitively whether it helped versus normal healing.
What a Session Is Like
The chamber
Two main types exist: monoplace chambers (single-person tubes, you lie inside) and multiplace chambers (room-sized, multiple people sit in chairs breathing through masks or hoods).
Hospital-based centers often use monoplace chambers. Wellness centers usually have monoplace or soft-sided chambers.
The experience
A typical session lasts 60-120 minutes. You’ll wear comfortable clothing (nothing with synthetic materials that could create static). You can’t bring electronics, lighters, or certain other items.
As the chamber pressurizes, you’ll feel pressure in your ears similar to flying or driving up a mountain. You’ll need to equalize by yawning, swallowing, or using the Valsalva maneuver.
Once at pressure, you just breathe and relax. Some people read, listen to audiobooks, or nap. The pure oxygen doesn’t feel different from regular air.
Depressurization happens gradually at the end.
After treatment
Most people feel fine immediately after. Some report feeling energized. A few feel fatigued. You can drive yourself home and resume normal activities.
Side effects
- Ear discomfort or pain during pressurization (the most common issue)
- Sinus pressure
- Temporary nearsightedness (usually resolves within weeks after treatment ends)
- Rarely: oxygen toxicity seizures (much more common at very high pressures)
- Very rarely: lung issues in people with certain pre-existing conditions
Who Should Consider Hyperbaric Therapy
Definitely consider if:
- You have an FDA-approved condition, particularly a non-healing diabetic wound, radiation injury, or certain severe infections
- Your doctor has recommended HBOT as part of your treatment plan
- You’ve been diagnosed with decompression sickness or carbon monoxide poisoning
Might consider if:
- You’re dealing with persistent post-concussion symptoms and have exhausted other options (discuss with a doctor specializing in brain injury)
- You’re recovering from surgery or injury and want to explore complementary approaches (understand that evidence is limited)
- You’re a competitive athlete whose team medical staff recommends it for recovery
Be skeptical if:
- A wellness center claims HBOT will cure cancer, autism, or other serious conditions
- The marketing promises dramatic anti-aging or cognitive benefits
- You’re considering it purely for general wellness with no specific condition
- The provider dismisses the distinction between FDA-approved uses and experimental applications
Questions to Ask Before Treatment
If you’re considering hyperbaric therapy:
- What specific condition are you treating? Clear diagnosis matters.
- Is this an FDA-approved use? If yes, insurance may cover it. If not, understand that evidence may be limited.
- What pressure and oxygen concentration will be used? Medical HBOT uses 100% oxygen at 2.0-3.0 ATA. Mild HBOT uses lower pressures and sometimes ambient air.
- How many sessions do you recommend and why? Ask what evidence guides the recommendation.
- What should I expect in terms of results? Realistic expectations based on condition and evidence.
- What’s your training and credentials? For medical HBOT, you want physician oversight and certified hyperbaric technicians.
- What are the risks for my specific situation? Make sure you’re screened for contraindications.
- Will you coordinate with my other doctors? HBOT should integrate with your overall care, not replace it.
The Evidence Reality
I want to be direct about where the evidence stands:
Strong evidence supports HBOT for FDA-approved conditions. For diabetic foot ulcers, decompression sickness, carbon monoxide poisoning, and radiation injury, the research is solid.
Mixed or emerging evidence exists for conditions like traumatic brain injury, post-concussion syndrome, and chronic wounds beyond the specific approved categories.
Weak to absent evidence supports most wellness claims. General anti-aging, cognitive enhancement in healthy people, and most chronic disease applications lack compelling research.
This doesn’t mean HBOT definitely doesn’t help with unapproved uses. It means we don’t have enough quality research to know. When you pursue treatments without strong evidence, you’re taking a chance with your money and possibly your health.
Making the Decision
If you’re considering hyperbaric therapy:
For approved medical conditions: Talk to your doctor, get a referral to a hospital-based center, and check insurance coverage. This is straightforward medical care.
For post-concussion or brain injury: Seek a center with physician oversight who specializes in these conditions. Understand that treatment is off-label and outcomes are variable.
For general wellness: Recognize that you’re paying for something with limited evidence. If you can afford it and have realistic expectations, that’s your choice. But don’t expect miracles or believe dramatic marketing claims.
For any serious medical condition: HBOT should complement, not replace, standard medical care. Be very wary of any provider who suggests otherwise.
My friend who started this whole investigation? She felt the hyperbaric sessions helped her surgical recovery. I can’t tell her she’s wrong, but I also can’t tell her she’s definitely right. That ambiguity is honest, even if it’s unsatisfying.
Related wellness content: cupping therapy guide, peptide therapy explained, ozone therapy overview
Meta Title: Hyperbaric Chamber Therapy Near Me: Costs, Uses & What to Know
Meta Description: What hyperbaric oxygen therapy treats (wound healing, diving injuries, more), costs ($75-500/session), where to find it, and how to tell medical use from wellness marketing.
Primary Keyword: hyperbaric chamber therapy near me
Secondary Keywords: hyperbaric oxygen therapy near me, HBOT therapy cost, hyperbaric chamber cost, hyperbaric therapy benefits
