Category: HBOT Blog

April is Stress Awareness Month—a time to look more closely at how stress impacts the body and explore supportive tools for recovery. While stress is a normal part of life, chronic stress can affect everything from sleep and mood to inflammation, energy levels, and overall well-being.

One emerging area of interest is how therapies that support oxygen delivery—like hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT)—may help the body recover more effectively.

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Understanding Stress in the Body

Chronic stress fundamentally alters the immune system, transitioning it from a state of heightened protection during acute stress to a state of chronic suppression and inflammation. While short-term stress can boost immunity, persistent stress leads to elevated cortisol levels, adrenal depletion, reduced white blood cell counts, and increased vulnerability to infections and disease. Constant high cortisol breaks down muscle and reduces bone density by inhibiting bone formation, inhibits neurogenesis, which can lead to neuronal atrophy and is strongly linked to anxiety and depression.

When the body is under prolonged stress, it can remain in a heightened “fight-or-flight” state. Over time, this can contribute to:

• Increased inflammation
• Fatigue and low energy
• Brain fog and difficulty concentrating
• Disrupted sleep

Supporting the body’s ability to return to balance is a key part of long-term healing.

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What Is HBOT?

HBOT is a therapy where individuals breathe enriched oxygen in a pressurized environment. This allows oxygen to dissolve more efficiently into the bloodstream and reach areas of the body that may be under stress or not functioning optimally.

This increased oxygen availability can support:

• Cellular repair and recovery
• Circulation and oxygen delivery
• Brain and nervous system function
• The body’s natural healing process
• Immune function

HBOT and Stress: What the Research Suggests

Recent research points to several ways HBOT may positively influence the body’s response to stress:

1. Reducing Inflammation
Chronic stress is closely tied to inflammation. Research shows HBOT can influence inflammatory pathways and reduce pro-inflammatory markers, supporting a more balanced internal environment. Study 

2. Supporting the Brain and Nervous System
Studies have found that HBOT may promote neuroplasticity and improve function in areas of the brain associated with mood, cognition, and stress regulation. Study 

3. Improving Energy and Recovery
By enhancing oxygen delivery at the cellular level, HBOT has been shown to reduce fatigue and support overall energy production key concerns for individuals experiencing prolonged stress or burnout. Study 

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A Whole-Body Approach to Healing

Stress recovery isn’t about a single solution—it’s about creating the right conditions for the body to heal. HBOT is increasingly being explored as part of a broader approach that may include:

• Rest and sleep support
• Nervous system regulation
• Nutrition and hydration
• Physical rehabilitation

What makes HBOT unique is its ability to work at a cellular level, supporting the systems that help the body adapt and recover.

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A Positive Step Forward

While research is ongoing, growing evidence suggests that therapies focused on oxygen delivery and inflammation reduction may play a meaningful role in supporting recovery from chronic stress.

During Stress Awareness Month, it’s an opportunity to consider not just how stress affects the body—but how we can better support healing, resilience, and long-term well-being. HBOT can help you recover, rebuild, and shine your light.

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Long COVID can leave people struggling with symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, poor sleep, mood changes, and low overall energy — sometimes long after the virus itself is gone. Because long COVID is complicated and varies from person to person, experts are exploring different ways to help. One option that’s gained attention recently is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT).

What Is HBOT?

HBOT is a treatment where you breathe enriched oxygen in a pressurized chamber. The extra pressure helps your body take in more oxygen than normal, which research demonstrates can:

• Support healing and repair
• Reduce inflammation
• Improve circulation
• Spur brain and nervous system recovery

Patients often say it feels like a calm oxygen “boost,” and many clinics use it for wound healing, decompression sickness, and neurological conditions.

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Recent Research — What the Studies Show

Here are some recent studies that give insight into how HBOT helps people with long COVID:

2025 Prospective Registry Study

A large observational study followed over 230 long COVID patients treated with HBOT. It concluded that the majority of patients who opted for HBOT reported a significant and clinically relevant increase in quality of life 3 months after treatment, especially in cognitive symptoms like memory and thinking clarity. The largest increase in scores were energy/fatigue, social functioning, emotional well-being and physical functioning

Read the study here: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for long COVID: a prospective registryhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40759992/

 2024 Long-Term Follow-Up Study

Researchers followed up with patients a year after receiving 40 daily HBOT sessions. The significant improvements achieved in quality of life, sleep, mood, and pain were still present one year later — suggesting benefits can last long after hyperbaric treatment ends.

See the long-term follow-up here: Long term outcomes of HBOT in post-COVID condition https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38360929/

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 What This Means for People with Long COVID

Good news:

• Many people report clearer thinking, better energy, less pain and improved daily functioning after HBOT.
• Research shows benefits lasting months after therapy ends.

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A Quick Takeaway

Recent studies from 2024–2025 show that HBOT may help many people with long COVID, especially for brain fog, quality of life, and overall well-being. If you’re thinking about HBOT, talk with a qualified healthcare provider to see whether it’s right for your situation. Check out our website for more information on Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment and local providers. Affiliated providers in Brattleboro, Montpelier, Hardwick, East Burke and S. Burlington offer safe, affordable treatment and some financial support is available for those with financial need.

The post Can Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Help with Long COVID? first appeared on Hyperbaric Vermont.

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You’ve probably heard mitochondria called the “powerhouses” of the cell. In simple terms, they’re the parts of our cells that turn oxygen into energy. That energy fuels everything we do—from thinking clearly and moving comfortably to healing after injury.

When mitochondria aren’t working well, our bodies feel it. Low energy, slow recovery, brain fog, and lingering inflammation can all be signs that our cells aren’t producing energy as efficiently as they could.

That’s where Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) comes in.

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How HBOT Supports Your Body’s Energy System

HBOT increases the amount of oxygen your blood carries. Under gentle pressure, oxygen dissolves more deeply into tissues—including areas that may be inflamed or have impaired blood flow.

Since mitochondria rely on oxygen to make energy, giving the body more access to oxygen can help them do their job better. When oxygen levels are low, cells struggle to repair and regenerate. When oxygen is restored, healing processes can begin to function more efficiently.

In simple terms: more available oxygen can mean better cellular energy.

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Helping Cells Work Smarter, Not Harder

Research suggests that repeated HBOT sessions may help cells:

• Build and maintain healthy mitochondria
• Improve how efficiently they produce energy
• Support the body’s natural antioxidant defenses
• Enhance recovery after physical or neurological stress

In studies involving active adults, consistent HBOT sessions were linked to improved energy use during exercise and better overall performance—both signs that cells were functioning more efficiently.

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Why Cellular Energy Matters

Oxygen is the fuel that we use to:

• Heal damaged tissue
• Reduce inflammation
• Support brain function
• Maintain metabolic balance
• Recover from stress, illness, or injury

Energy at the cellular level affects how we feel day to day. It’s foundational.

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The Big Picture

Mitochondria sit at the center of oxygen and energy production in the body. By increasing oxygen availability, HBOT may help “recharge” the systems that keep us moving, thinking, and healing.

While research continues to explore all the ways HBOT influences cellular health, what we see in practice is encouraging: when the body gets the oxygen it needs, it can respond in powerful ways.

Healing starts small—sometimes at the cellular level.

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References & Further Reading
• HBOT stimulates mitochondrial biogenesis and improves mitochondrial function in cardiomyocytes. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40402925/
• HBOT increases mitochondrial respiration and mitochondrial mass in athletes. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35133516/
• HBOT may help reduce mitochondrial stress biomarkers in humans. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33120884/
• HBOT generates hyperoxia that affects mitochondria and related cellular pathways. https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/25/2/777?

The post Powering Your Body: How HBOT Supports Energy at the Cellular Level first appeared on Hyperbaric Vermont.

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The post 2025 Impact Report first appeared on Hyperbaric Vermont.

The post 2025 Impact Report appeared first on Hyperbaric Vermont.

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January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, a meaningful time to raise awareness not only about cancer prevention and treatment, but also about long-term recovery. Many cancer survivors continue to face lingering side effects after radiation therapy—sometimes months or years later. One of the most challenging of these is late radiation tissue injury (LRTI), which can significantly impact quality of life.

For many survivors, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) offers a clinically supported option to promote healing in tissues affected by radiation damage.

What Is Late Radiation Tissue Injury?

Radiation therapy targets cancer cells but can also damage healthy blood vessels and tissues in the surrounding area. Over time, impaired blood flow and chronic oxygen deprivation can lead to fibrosis, non-healing wounds, pain, or dysfunction in irradiated tissue.

This is especially common after radiation to the head and neck, pelvic area, breast or lower abdomen—regions frequently treated for cervical, colorectal, breast or prostate cancers.

How HBOT May Help

HBOT involves breathing enriched oxygen in a pressurized chamber. This increases the amount of oxygen dissolved in the bloodstream and delivered to damaged tissues, stimulating healing processes such as:

• Formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis)
• Reduced chronic inflammation
• Enhanced wound repair and tissue regeneration

For survivors dealing with radiation injury, these effects can support recovery and improved function over time.

What the Research Says

Here are a few recent scientific studies and reviews that explore the effectiveness of HBOT for radiation-related tissue injury:

• Cochrane Systematic Review (2023), which evaluated multiple randomized controlled trials and found evidence that HBOT can improve outcomes in certain types of late radiation tissue injury affecting the head, neck, bladder, and rectum. This review also examined wound healing and pain outcomes. Read more here: PubMed
  
• A case series study of breast cancer survivors treated with HBOT showed significant improvement in pain, fibrosis, swelling, and shoulder mobility up to one year after treatment. Read more here: PubMed
  
• A systematic literature review focusing on head and neck cancer patients suggests HBOT is a safe and beneficial option for radiation-induced tissue toxicity in most studied cases. Read more here: PubMed
  

A Path Forward for Survivors

Late radiation effects aren’t always discussed in the mainstream conversation about cancer survivorship—but they can significantly impact daily life. HBOT is part of a growing body of supportive care options that clinicians and survivors are exploring to address chronic tissue damage and improve overall well-being.

If you or someone you care about is navigating post-radiation symptoms, we encourage you to talk with a qualified hyperbaric medicine specialist or your oncology care team to explore whether HBOT might be appropriate.

The post Supporting Survivors of Radiation Injury with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy first appeared on Hyperbaric Vermont.

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Sepsis is one of the world’s leading causes of death. It happens when the body’s immune system overreacts to an infection, causing widespread inflammation and damage to organs. Standard treatments—like antibiotics, IV fluids, and medications to support blood pressure—are lifesaving, but researchers are finding that Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) may be a powerful tool to add to the fight.

Here’s how HBOT can help patients with sepsis, and why the research is encouraging:

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1. Boosts Survival in Animal Studies

In a controlled study with mice who developed severe sepsis, just one HBOT session (oxygen at higher-than-normal pressure) increased survival from 13% to 52%. The therapy worked by calming dangerous levels of inflammation in the body’s tissues (PubMed, PMC).

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2. Improves Blood Flow & Oxygen Delivery in Patients

A clinical study in patients with septic shock found that HBOT improved circulation, increased heart function, and lowered lactate levels in the blood. High lactate is a warning sign of poor oxygen delivery, so this improvement suggests HBOT helps the body’s tissues get the oxygen they desperately need (BioMed Central).

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3. Reduces Harmful Inflammation

Sepsis is dangerous because the body’s immune response goes into overdrive. HBOT has been shown to calm inflammation by lowering harmful immune signals and boosting protective ones like IL-10. This helps the body fight infection without causing as much damage to its own organs (MDPI, PMC, Wiley).

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4. Makes Antibiotics Work Better

Infections can create low-oxygen environments that make antibiotics less effective. HBOT increases oxygen levels in these tissues, which helps antibiotics do their job and boosts the body’s own immune defenses against bacteria (MDPI, Wiley, PMC).

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5. Proven Benefits in Severe Infections

Large studies involving more than 48,000 patients with life-threatening soft-tissue infections (often linked to sepsis) showed that HBOT was associated with much lower death rates and fewer major amputations. These results highlight HBOT’s potential value in the sickest patients (PubMed, BioMed Central, PMC).

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Final Thoughts

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy isn’t just “oxygen under pressure.” It’s a treatment that can:
– Improve survival in severe infections
– Deliver oxygen to struggling organs
– Calm dangerous inflammation
– Help antibiotics work more effectively

The post Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Sepsis: A Promising Ally in Saving Lives first appeared on Hyperbaric Vermont.

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Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is a powerful and well-established medical treatment that supports healing, reduces inflammation, promotes tissue repair, and fights infection by delivering high levels of oxygen under pressure. HBOT is used to treat a wide range of conditions—from wellness care and athletic performance to traumatic brain injuries and non-healing wounds—with very few adverse effects.

As HBOT grows in popularity, so does the availability of mild or soft-chamber systems, often found in clinics, wellness spas and private homes. Higher pressure monoplace and multiplace chambers found in hospitals typically employ 100% oxygen and require medical supervision to monitor for oxygen toxicity related to the use of higher pressure and potential combustion issues, which relate to the use of 100% oxygen. 

Mild hyperbaric chambers, on the other hand, are pressurized with room air, preventing the accumulation of dangerous levels of oxygen and maintaining oxygen levels in the chamber below the threshold for spontaneous combustion. Pairing the chamber with  an oxygen concentrator, which provides 90-95% oxygen through a mask, allows one to maximize dosage and safety for the patient.

The Bigger Picture:

HBOT is not inherently dangerous—in fact, it is one of the safest therapies available when properly utilized. Millions of sessions are conducted each year with minimal complications, most of which are mild and temporary (like ear pressure discomfort). In many cases, timely HBOT can prevent amputation, accelerate neurological recovery, speed tissue healing and save lives.

The post Safety First: What You Should Know About Mild HBOT first appeared on Hyperbaric Vermont.

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Sarcoma patients undergoing treatment often face a difficult aftermath: surgeries and radiation are lifesaving, but can also cause chronic wounds, painful fibrosis, and lingering tissue damage. Enter Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)—a supportive treatment that’s gaining attention for its role in restoring healing and function.

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What HBOT Does

HBOT involves breathing enriched oxygen in a pressurized chamber. This elevates tissue oxygen levels, encouraging:

• Angiogenesis – new blood vessel growth
• Reduced inflammation
• Stem cell activation
• Improved collagen and tissue regeneration
  

All of these are especially vital after radiation and surgery, which often leave tissues poorly vascularized and hypoxic.

A 2020 retrospective study from the Netherlands examined 30 sarcoma patients who underwent HBOT after radiation therapy 

• Chronic wound healing improved in 68.8% of cases.
• Pain from late radiation tissue injury decreased in 75% of those treated.
• Fibrosis reduction was reported by 62.5% of patients.

Though further prospective trials are needed, these compelling results suggest HBOT is not only safe, but a practical tool in restoring well-being after aggressive sarcoma treatment.

Read the full study here: 

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How This Helps Sarcoma Survivors

For many survivors, the journey doesn’t end with remission—it continues through months or years of healing compounded tissues. HBOT offers:

• Faster wound closure
• Reduced pain and stiffness
• Restored tissue function and mobility
• A renewed sense of comfort and confidence
  

While sarcoma treatments save lives, they can leave patients with new challenges. HBOT is proving to be a powerful ally in the healing process—reawakening oxygen-starved tissues and unlocking the body’s natural recovery pathways. As research continues to evolve, HBOT is paving the way for brighter, healthier futures for sarcoma survivors.

The post  Healing Sarcoma: HBOT’s Role in Radiation Recovery first appeared on Hyperbaric Vermont.

The post  Healing Sarcoma: HBOT’s Role in Radiation Recovery appeared first on Hyperbaric Vermont.

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