Hyperbaric oxygen therapy

Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a type of supplemental oxygen that is delivered under a pressure greater than 1 atm (101.325 kPa). This therapy results in delivery of much needed oxygen to hypoxic tissue. The hyperoxic state can also help the body to kill certain types of bacteria. HBOT also promotes neovascularization (growth of new blood vessels).

Costs and availability

• In the UK a notable MS charity offers HBOT to ME/CFS, Fibro, and Long Covid sufferers, and chargers around £10 a session to cover running costs.
• Private clinics cost anything from around $50-500 per session.

Notable studies

• 2013, The efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the management of chronic fatigue syndrome - (Abstract)

The Fukuda criteria was used for CFS patients in this study.

• 2003, Hyperbaric Therapy in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - (Abstract)

Abstract: The aim of this study was to determine if hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) could be used as adjunctive therapy and if HBOT could increase the quality of life in such a way that the functional status would improve in patients with an infection. A randomized, controlled trial was conducted on 15 Mycoplasma sp. infected CFS (CDC 1994) patients and 14 CFS (CDC 1994) patients with no evidence of a Mycoplasma infection were enrolled in a convenience randomization sample from our referral clinic. No statistical differences were found by use of univariate repeated measures although Bodily Pain as measured by the SF-36 seems to decrease after hyperbaric therapy (Greenhouse-Geisser: p = .010). Trends were found using paired t-testing for Mycoplasma infected CFS patients. The general perceived fatigue seemed to decrease after hyperbaric therapy (General Fatigue: p = .06). Directly after one week of hyperbaric therapy general fatigue improved (p = .03) but there was a reduction of activity (reduced activity: p = .05) and general perceived health (general health: p = .04). One month later the physical role increased (Role-Physical: p = .07). Although more data is required to make firm conclusions, trends were found. Reduced fatigue, increased levels of activity and an improved reaction time improved significantly their quality of life and therefore, enhanced also their functional status and thus could be used as an adjunctive therapy.

Used the Fukuda criteria

• 2018, Prospective Biomarkers from Plasma Metabolomics of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Implicate Redox Imbalance in Disease Symptomatology - (Full text)

Abstract: Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) is a disease of enigmatic origin with no established cure. Its constellation of symptoms has silently ruined the lives of millions of people around the world. A plethora of hypotheses have been vainly investigated over the past few decades, so that the biological basis of this debilitating condition remains a mystery. In this study, we investigate whether there is a disturbance in homeostasis of metabolic networks in the plasma of a female 32-patient cohort compared to 19 healthy female controls. Extensive analysis of the 832-metabolite dataset generated by Metabolon^®, covering eight biological classes, generated important insight into metabolic disruptions that occur in ME/CFS. We report on 14 metabolites with differences in abundance, allowing us to develop a theory of broad redox imbalance in ME/CFS patients, which is consistent with findings of prior work in the ME/CFS field. Moreover, exploration of enrichment analysis using www.MetaboAnalyst.ca provides information concerning similarities between metabolite disruptions in ME/CFS and those that occur in other diseases, while its biomarker analysis unit yielded prospective plasma biomarkers for ME/CFS. This work contributes key elements to the development of ME/CFS diagnostics, a crucial step required for discovering a therapy for any disease of unknown origin.

Medical Journals

Women in Fibromyalgia hyperbaric oxygen therapy study had concussions. "Patients who had fibromyalgia in addition to their post-concussion symptoms had complete resolution of the symptoms,... " Due to this statement it is the opinion of some that this is in reality a study on concussions and not Fibromyalgia.

Media Coverage

Fibromyalgia Treatment with Hyperbaric Chamber Shows Promise EmpowHER - Michelle Blacsberg, RN - "Use of HBOT to treat those with fibromyalgia is not new. A 2004 study showed it did have success in a small study but they felt that HBOT was helpful to fibromyalgia patients due to increased oxygenated blood flow to tissues."

Learn more

• 2016, Parliamentary Questions | hyperbaric oxygen chambers for people with fibromyalgia