What is hyperbaric oxygen therapy used for?

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) involves breathing 100% oxygen in a pressurized chamber, which dramatically increases oxygen delivery to tissues throughout the body. The FDA has approved HBOT for 14 specific medical conditions, including diabetic foot ulcers and other non-healing wounds, decompression sickness (the bends), carbon monoxide poisoning, radiation tissue injury, severe anemia, thermal burns, crush injuries, gas gangrene, and certain serious infections. For these conditions, HBOT is administered at medical-grade pressures of 2.0 to 3.0 ATA (atmospheres absolute) in hospital-based or accredited wound care facilities. Beyond these approved indications, a growing number of wellness centers offer mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy (mHBOT) at lower pressures of 1.3 to 1.5 ATA for general wellness, post-concussion recovery, anti-aging, and cognitive enhancement. The evidence for these non-FDA-approved uses is more limited and primarily based on small studies and case reports, though active research is ongoing — particularly in traumatic brain injury, stroke recovery, and age-related cognitive decline. It is important to distinguish between medical-grade HBOT and wellness mHBOT, as they deliver significantly different oxygen doses and have different levels of clinical evidence supporting their use.

Reviewed by Chad Waldman, Analytical Chemist · Last updated May 2026

About Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

HBOT delivers 100% oxygen at 1.