Benefits of HBOT for Long COVID-19 Recovery

Studies have shown that around 17 million adults in the United States are living with long COVID, a condition that lingers long after the initial infection has cleared. For many of them, the fatigue, shortness of breath, and brain fog leave them unable to work, exercise, or simply not feel like themselves.

If you’re dealing with long-COVID, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) may help by targeting the very biological processes that researchers believe keep Long COVID patients stuck in a loop of unrelenting symptoms. 

Read on to learn what symptoms HBOT can help with, what to expect during treatment, and where to find the best hyperbaric oxygen therapy in Cumming.

How Does Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Work for Long COVID?

Under normal conditions, your blood carries only as much oxygen as your red blood cells can hold. But inside a hyperbaric chamber, the higher atmospheric pressure and oxygen rise, which forces more oxygen directly into your blood plasma. For long COVID, HBOT restores mitochondrial function in both neurons and glial cells, delivers high-concentration oxygen to reverse local hypoxia in injured tissue, reduces the release of inflammatory cytokines, and stimulates new blood vessel growth to address vascular damage caused by COVID-19. HBOT is considered an emerging treatment for long COVID and may not be covered by insurance. 

Three Long COVID Symptoms That Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Can Help

The symptoms of long COVID can be slightly different for everyone. The following symptoms are the most commonly reported symptoms of long COVID that HBOT can help with:

1. Brain Fog 

Brain fog is one of the most frustrating parts of long COVID because it is invisible to everyone except the person living with it. Research finds that mitochondrial dysfunction can explain the wide array of symptoms experienced by long COVID patients, from fatigue and muscle weakness to cognitive disturbances. This happens because when cells cannot produce enough energy, the brain is one of the first organs to show the effects. HBOT targets this problem directly by flooding brain tissue with oxygen. 

2. Shortness of Breath and Lung Recovery

Shortness of breath after a COVID-19 infection is not always about the lungs themselves. Sometimes, the problem exists at the level of blood vessels and oxygen delivery. HBOT can help by fracking oxygen to reach tissue that is starved of oxygen after mild vascular damage from the COVID-19 virus. HBOT also promotes the growth of new small blood vessels in areas where microcirculation has been reduced, which relieves tissue hypoxia and works to restore function in affected organs. This can be especially helpful for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or heart disease.

3. Neuroinflammation

People with long COVID report a wide array of symptoms including brain fog, fatigue, mood changes, and sleep problems, which seem unrelated on the surface. But researchers believe they may all trace back to a single source: ongoing inflammation in the nervous system that the body cannot seem to switch off. Scientists hypothesize that SARS-CoV-2 infection may trigger a redox imbalance and lasting systemic inflammation that contributes directly to the symptoms seen in long COVID, including neuroinflammation and reduced oxygen delivery to the brain. 

By delivering high-concentration oxygen under pressure, HBOT supports the release of inflammatory cytokines, stimulates stem cell activity, promotes mitochondrial biogenesis, and supports the growth of new blood vessels. 

Is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Safe?

The most common question we get asked is, “How safe is hyperbaric oxygen therapy?” The short answer is yes, with some important context: The safest way to get HBOT treatment is to get it from an accredited facility with a flawless safety record and physician oversight. The most commonly reported side effects of HBOT in otherwise healthy individuals are minor ear pressure or temporary changes in vision, similar to what you might feel during a flight. 

Discover the Best Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Cumming for Long COVID Recovery

Long COVID-19 can rob you of your energy, clarity, and ability to live life the way you want. At Hyperbaric Physicians of Georgia, we treat long COVID patients from across Metro Atlanta, North Georgia, and the United States who are ready to stop managing symptoms and start addressing the biology behind them. HBOT for long COVID may not be covered by insurance. 

At our accredited facilities in Marietta, Cumming, and Sandy Springs, you can expect every treatment to be performed under direct physician oversight. So you can rest assured, you’re getting the safest and most effective HBOT treatment in the nation.

Ready to finally be free from the fatigue, brain fog, or shortness of breath of long COVID with a personalized treatment plan from the best hyperbaric oxygen therapy in Cumming?