Some Points you should know before diving in a Mild hyperbaric chamber

1. Don't arrive sick to the appointments

Your treatment might be delayed if you have a cold or other illness such as high blood pressure, fever, frequent loose stools or any flu-like symptoms.  

2. Certain medications should be avoided ahead of time

Oxygen may change the effects of certain medications. While receiving therapy, there are a handful of medications that cannot be taken in combination with this treatment, such as some chemotherapies, a topical ointment used for wounds and a medicine that prevents alcohol intake in patients with a history of alcohol abuse.

Be sure to speak with your physician and health care providers in advance to discuss any drugs you’re taking.

3. Expect to be there for a few hours

Hyperbaric oxygen chamber therapy sessions last a little over two hours and are generally scheduled once a day, five days a week. Your doctor may prescribe 30 or more treatments before the therapy is complete. How many treatments you have is often dependent on how quickly your condition improves.

4. You may feel like you're on an airplane at first

Some people say the start of this therapy feels similar to flying on an airplane. As the pressure builds in the chamber, so does the pressure within your ears, which may leave you with an ear-popping sensation.

5. Some potential side effects to be aware of

Feeling tired after your treatment is normal, and so is pain in your ears or sinuses, or the feeling of fluid buildup in your ears.

If you’re claustrophobic, being confined in the chamber could also make you anxious. Vision changes and finger numbness can occur, but both usually subside during the treatment. With the increased pressure and breathing in of 100% oxygen, you could also feel woozy, or even giddy.

In very rare cases, seizures or a collapsed lung can occur due to the treatment, and it can potentially increase the progression of cataracts.

A collapsed lung would only occur if the patient had emphysema or another lung disease where air could get trapped in small blebs (a blister filled with fluid) and burst with the pressure changes. But this is extremely, extremely rare.

Although rare side effects can occur, please note that a trained and certified health care professional is always present on site during the entirety of your treatment, which is a nationwide rule.