A curated, plain-language overview of published hyperbaric oxygen therapy research, organised by indication and graded by evidence strength. It is background reading only, not medical advice or a treatment recommendation.
HBOT improved the chance of diabetic foot ulcer healing in the short term and may reduce major amputations, but the review judged the trials to be small and at risk of bias, so the long-term benefit remains uncertain.
There is evidence that HBOT improves outcomes in radiation injury of the head and neck (including osteoradionecrosis) and of the lower bowel, but little or no evidence of benefit for radiation injury at other sites.
This double-blind trial found HBOT reduced cognitive sequelae at 6 weeks after acute CO poisoning, though other randomised trials and later systematic reviews reached conflicting conclusions.
Recompression with hyperbaric oxygen is the universally accepted standard treatment, but the review found only two small randomised trials, so the practice rests largely on physiology and long observational experience rather than trial evidence.
In this trial of 36 patients, adjunctive HBOT increased complete wound healing compared with sham, but the single-centre sample was too small for the result to be considered definitive.
UHMS recommends HBOT as an adjunct to surgery and antibiotics for clostridial myonecrosis, a recommendation based on animal studies and retrospective case series rather than randomised trials.
The 2019 AAO-HNS guideline lists HBOT combined with steroids as an 'option' within 2 weeks of onset (or as salvage within 1 month), a designation that reflects low-quality evidence and modest, inconsistent benefit.
HBOT is a UHMS-recognised emergency indication for central retinal artery occlusion when started early, but the supporting evidence comes from retrospective series and case reports rather than randomised controlled trials.
Pooled observational data suggested successful outcomes in roughly three-quarters of patients treated with adjunctive HBOT, but the review found no randomised controlled trials and substantial variability between studies.
HBOT is UHMS-recognised for compromised (hypoxic or irradiated) grafts and flaps, but it is supported mainly by lower-level clinical studies and animal data, and is not indicated for uncomplicated grafts.
This single-centre trial reported improved neurological function and brain SPECT activity months to years after stroke, but it used a crossover waiting-list control rather than a sham chamber, so the findings are hypothesis-generating.
Israeli crossover trials reported cognitive gains in persistent post-concussion syndrome, but well-designed US military sham-controlled trials found similar improvement in HBOT and sham groups, leaving benefit over placebo unproven.
A small randomised trial in treatment-resistant veterans reported reduced PTSD symptoms and brain-imaging changes after HBOT, but the study was single-centre and needs independent, larger replication.
This 60-patient crossover trial reported reduced symptoms and altered brain activity after HBOT, but it lacked a sham-chamber control and has not been confirmed in larger blinded trials.
Earlier small trials suggested benefit, but this rigorous placebo-controlled trial found 10 HBOT sessions were no better than sham for physical functioning at 13 weeks - so the overall evidence is conflicting.
In 35 older adults, HBOT was associated with longer immune-cell telomeres and fewer senescent cells, but the study had no control group and measured laboratory markers rather than any clinical health outcome.
A small sham-controlled pilot suggested HBOT helped hospitalised patients with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis flares, but it was stopped early for slow recruitment and remains preliminary.
The review found weak evidence that HBOT may relieve acute migraine, but no evidence that it prevents attacks, and the included trials were small and at risk of bias.
Pooled trial data showed no benefit of HBOT for delayed-onset muscle soreness or closed soft-tissue injury, and some trials reported greater pain in the HBOT group.
In this multicentre trial of 111 children, HBOT was no better than slightly pressurised air, with both groups improving similarly - indicating no specific oxygen effect.
This trial found that preventive HBOT before dental surgery in irradiated patients did not significantly reduce osteoradionecrosis compared with standard care, and the authors concluded routine preventive HBOT is not warranted.
Across nine randomised trials the review found no consistent evidence of benefit for multiple sclerosis and concluded that routine use of HBOT is not justified.
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This page summarises published research for general background only - it is not medical advice, and any decision about hyperbaric oxygen therapy should be made together with a qualified physician.