Does Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) Help Treat Long COVID?
Does Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) Help Treat Long COVID?
While most people infected with the new coronavirus (COVID-19) can recover within a few weeks, an increasing number of recovered individuals are still facing a new problem: long-term COVID (Long COVID). The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that approximately 10-20% of patients experience symptoms that last for months, including fatigue, brain fog, shortness of breath, chest tightness, anxiety, and insomnia, which can severely impact quality of life and ability to work.
Considering the lack of effective treatments for these sequelae in conventional medical protocols, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is gradually becoming a new direction that has attracted much attention. So, can HBOT help these long-term COVID-19 patients regain their well-being?
What is Long-term COVID
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the need to support the large number of patients who have long-term COVID after recovering from acute infection. Long-term COVID is “used to describe the presence of a wide range of symptoms even weeks or months after infection with SARS-CoV-2, regardless of viral status.” Long-term COVID is a common illness, and it is estimated that 10% to 20% of people initially diagnosed with acute COVID-19 will continue to experience symptoms of long-term COVID.
What is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)?
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is a medical technique in which patients inhale pure oxygen (100% O2) in a closed chamber at higher than atmospheric pressure (usually 1.5-3 ATA). This process significantly increases the level of dissolved oxygen in the blood, thereby:
l Improving systemic tissue oxygenation
l Promoting cellular repair and regeneration
l Anti-inflammatory and antibacterial
l Stimulating neoangiogenesis
l Improving neurological function
For a long time, the HBOT has been widely used in the treatment of carbon monoxide poisoning, diabetic foot ulcers, gas embolism, and radiation injury. In recent years, scientists have begun to explore the potential of its application in neurological diseases and sequelae of viral infections.
What are the typical symptoms of long-term COVID?
The manifestations of long COVID vary from person to person. Common symptoms include:
| Symptom | Description |
| Brain fog | Decline in memory, difficulty concentrating, and slowed reactions |
| Chronic fatigue | Physical or mental exhaustion that sleep does not relieve |
Shortness of breath and chest tightness | Difficulty breathing or a feeling of pressure in the chest after activity |
Headaches and joint pain | Recurrent headaches and body aches even outside of active infection periods |
| Anxiety and depression | Emotionally instability, prone to irritability or depression |
Studies suggest these symptoms may be related to microcirculatory dysfunction, brain inflammation, abnormal oxygen metabolism, and mitochondrial damage.
How Does Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) Work for Long COVID-19?
Improves Tissue Hypoxia
Patients with long COVID-19 often experience chronic low oxygen levels due to impaired lung function or microvascular inflammation. HBOT increases oxygen concentration several-fold, allowing more oxygen molecules to dissolve directly into the plasma. This enhances oxygen delivery to tissues throughout the body, accelerates tissue repair, and improves metabolic function.
Restores Nervous System Function
Many individuals with long COVID-19 report symptoms similar to mild brain injury, such as brain fog, forgetfulness, and slowed speech. HBOT has been shown to promote neuronal repair, activate dormant brain cells, increase cerebral blood flow and oxygenation, and improve brain functional connectivity.
Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Modulation
HBOT can regulate cytokine networks, reduce pro-inflammatory markers (such as IL-6 and TNF-α), and suppress chronic inflammatory responses. This contributes to alleviating systemic discomfort, joint pain, and fatigue associated with long COVID.
Enhances Microcirculation and Angiogenesis
COVID-19 may damage endothelial cells lining blood vessels. HBOT stimulates angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels) and improves blood rheology, thereby enhancing the performance of the microcirculatory system and supporting the body’s natural healing processes.
Clinical Research Support
The study titled “Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for the treatment of long COVID: early evaluation of a highly promising intervention” was the first to report an evaluation of HBOT in treating long COVID. In this study, 10 consecutive patients received a total of 10 sessions of hyperbaric oxygen therapy over 12 days, with each session conducted at 2.4 ATA (atmospheres absolute).
Each treatment lasted 105 minutes and consisted of three 30-minute exposures to 100% oxygen, interspersed with 5-minute air breaks. Validated assessments for fatigue and cognitive function were performed on Day 1 and Day 10.
Results showed significant improvements in multiple areas:
Chalder Fatigue Scale: p = 0.0059; effect size d = 1.75 (very large)
Overall Cognitive Function: p = 0.0137; d = -1.07 (large)
Executive Function: p = 0.0039; d = -1.06 (large)
Attention: p = 0.0020; d = -1.2 (very large)
Information Processing: p = 0.0059; d = -1.25 (very large)
Language Function: p = 0.0098; d = -0.92 (large)
These findings suggest that HBOT may significantly reduce fatigue and improve cognitive performance in individuals suffering from long COVID.
Who Is Suitable for Trying Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) for Long COVID?
Suitable Candidate | Not Recommended For |
Individuals with persistent symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, and shortness of breath | Those with emphysema or pneumothorax |
| Those who have not responded to conventional rehabilitation methods | Patients with unresolved middle ear conditions (e.g., perforated eardrum) |
People without contraindications such as high blood pressure or epilepsy | Pregnant women and young children should use it with caution |
HBOT should only be administered in professional medical facilities under the supervision and assessment of qualified healthcare providers.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Chambers to Treat Long-term COVID: Key Points for Selection
If you are considering introducing hyperbaric oxygen chambers for hospitals, rehabilitation centers, or health management centers, please focus on the following points:
Oxygen Chambers Types
It is recommended to choose the hard chamber multifunctional oxygen chambers, which have more precise control of the air pressure, and are suitable for the medical-grade HBOT.
Certificates & Qualifications
It must comply with the medical device certificates, such as CE, ISO, FDA, etc., to ensure the safety and reliability.
Cabin Comfort
For the consideration of long-term COVID patients, the oxygen cabin should have good visibility, an air conditioning system, and er-friendly seats. The manufacturer’s after-sales service
Choose a manufacturer that can provide installation guidance, technical training, remote troubleshooting, and her services, such as the Oxyair brand, which provides one-stop customization and global technical support.
Conclusion: Is HBOT a hope for long-term COVID?
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is not a panacea for everything, but in the case of many long-term COVID patients who have repeatedly sought medical treatment without success, HBOT provides a scientific, safe, and progressive new path to recovery. A growing body of clinical data supports its positive effects on nerve repair, anti-fatigue, and brain fog relief.
If you or your organization is looking for innovative interventions for long-term COVID, hyperbaric chambers deserve to be seriously incorporated into the rehabilitation system. As a global hyperbaric chamber solutions provider, Oxyair is working to promote the adoption and popularization of this therapy in the international healthcare and wellness industry.
