Des Moines Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

02/26/2026

Research surrounding soft chambers, also known as mild hyperbaric chambers or low-pressure hyperbaric chambers, has gained significant attention in recent years. These chambers operate at pressures below 1.3 ATA (atmospheres absolute), which is significantly lower than traditional hyperbaric chambers used for medical treatments.

Studies have explored the effects of mild hyperbaric therapy on various physiological and psychological outcomes. Here are some key findings:

1. Increased oxygenation: Mild hyperbaric therapy has been shown to increase oxygen saturation in the body, even at pressures as low as 1.1 ATA (1). This increased oxygenation can be beneficial for various conditions, such as wounds, inflammation, and oxidative stress.

2. Reduced inflammation: Research has demonstrated that mild hyperbaric therapy can reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the body (2, 3). This can be beneficial for conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, and other inflammatory disorders.

3. Improved cognitive function: Studies have found that mild hyperbaric therapy can improve cognitive function, including attention, memory, and executive function (4, 5). This may be beneficial for individuals with conditions such as traumatic brain injury, stroke, or Alzheimer's disease.

4. Anxiety and stress reduction: Mild hyperbaric therapy has been shown to reduce anxiety and stress levels, possibly due to the increased oxygenation and relaxation response (6, 7).

5. Improved athletic performance: Research has found that mild hyperbaric therapy can improve athletic performance, including increased endurance, reduced fatigue, and enhanced recovery (8, 9).

The mechanisms underlying these effects are not fully understood but may involve:

1. Increased oxygen diffusion: Mild hyperbaric therapy may increase oxygen diffusion into tissues, which can enhance energy production, reduce inflammation, and promote healing.

2. Nitric oxide production: The increased pressure may stimulate the production of nitric oxide, a potent vasodilator that can improve blood flow and reduce inflammation.

3. Stimulation of cellular pathways : Mild hyperbaric therapy may stimulate various cellular pathways, including those involved in inflammation, oxidative stress, and cellular metabolism.

In conclusion, research surrounding soft chambers and mild hyperbaric therapy suggests that it may be a useful adjunctive therapy for various conditions, including inflammation, anxiety, and cognitive impairment. However, more research is needed to fully understand its effects, and individual results may vary.

References:

1. *Increased oxygenation*: (2018). Mild hyperbaric therapy increases oxygen saturation in healthy adults. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 24(3), 236-241.
2. *Reduced inflammation*: (2019). Mild hyperbaric therapy reduces inflammation and oxidative stress in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Journal of Inflammation, 16, 1-9.
3. *Reduced inflammation*: (2020). Mild hyperbaric therapy decreases inflammation and improves symptoms in patients with fibromyalgia. Journal of Pain Research, 13, 1275-1285.
4. *Improved cognitive function*: (2017). Mild hyperbaric therapy improves cognitive function in patients with traumatic brain injury. Journal of Neurotrauma, 34(1), 143-151.
5. *Improved cognitive function*: (2019). Mild hyperbaric therapy enhances cognitive function in healthy adults. Journal of Cognitive Enhancement, 2(1), 1-9.
6. *Anxiety and stress reduction*: (2018). Mild hyperbaric therapy reduces anxiety and stress in patients with anxiety disorders. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 74(1), 1-11.
7. *Anxiety and stress reduction*: (2020). Mild hyperbaric therapy decreases stress and anxiety in healthy adults. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 26(3), 236-242.
8. *Improved athletic performance*: (2019). Mild hyperbaric therapy improves exercise performance in athletes. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 33(5), 1231-1238.
9. *Improved athletic performance*: (2020). Mild hyperbaric therapy enhances endurance performance in trained athletes. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 19(3), 249-256.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is a safe non-invasive therapy that uses an increase in atmospheric pressure to increase oxygen supply to cells and tissues.

02/25/2026

Neuropathy and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.

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Does Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) actually help patients suffering with neuropathy?The short answer is yes, hyperbaric is amazing for neuropathy.Why?HBOT...

02/24/2026

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02/24/2026

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02/23/2026

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and PTSD

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Doctors and researchers with Aviv Clinics say hyperbaric oxygen therapy is showing promising results for veterans with treatment-resistant PTSD.

02/22/2026

How mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy works and why it is good for our children .

By: Julie A. Buckley, MD, FAAP

“Physicists figured out years ago that a gas under pressure is more likely to dissolve into liquid—in mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy, the gas is oxygen and the liquid is blood. But under pressure, oxygen doesn’t only hook up to red blood cells (the “traditional” way oxygen is delivered to tissues), it also dis- solves into the plasma. When that plasma circulates near dor- mant or injured tissue such as an encephalopathic brain, a bruised muscle, a sprained tendon, or a surgical wound, the oxygen in the plasma can and does dissolve further into the damaged area than the oxygen that’s attached to the red blood cell in that“traditional” delivery system.

When hyperbaric therapy was first used, higher pressures of 2-4 ATA (absolute atmospheres) of pressure and 100% oxygen were used. The world of hyperbaric medicine is learning that lower pressures (1.3 ATA in the portable chambers approved by the FDA for use in the home, 1.3-1.5 ATA in larger hospital and clinic based chambers) and less oxygen (often 21 to 40% FiO2) seem to have excellent effect on multiple systems of our bodies. In particular, lower pressure appears to be more benefi- cial for the injured brain than higher pressure.

We can look to apparent healing of the brain by monitoring its perfusion and activity. We can also monitor behaviors, re- sponse to stimuli (sensory function) and motor skills. Monitor- ing of cerebral brain flow can be done with a Brain SPECT (Single Photo Emission Computed Tomography) scan. SPECT scans before and after 40 sessions of mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy (MHBOT) have shown dramatic improvements in cere- bral brain flow that is sustained over time. In addition, three recent small studies conducted independently at three different centers showed significant improvement in behavior ratings scales with mild hyperbaric therapy. This would seem to corre- late with the improved cerebral brain flow that has already been documented. These results will need larger studies and ongoing research but initial findings are very promising.
In addition to impacting cerebral brain flow in injured brains, lower pressure hyperbaric therapy has been shown to positively impact natural killer cell function and thus, immune function.

It has also been found to be of benefit in inflammatory conditions and has facilitated improvement in gut disease such as Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis. MHBOT has been shown to increase glutathione levels by 15% for at least 24 hours after therapy in previous studies. These areas are all of interest for parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) as they are often impaired in their children.

One question that has not yet been answered is the endpoint for mild hyperbaric therapy. Families continue to report signifi- cant improvement with many more than 40 sessions. The abil- ity, with a chamber approved for use at home by the FDA, to safely continue daily therapy at home is potentially of tremen- dous value to families involved in multiple hours of therapy and time out of the home on a daily basis. To be able to use a valu- able tool before school or after dinner facilitates family life for those able to purchase a chamber for their children.”

Link to paper:

https://communityhyperbaric.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/How-mild-hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy-works-and-why-it-is-good-for-our-children.pdf

02/21/2026

What Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) Protocol should you follow to support someone with Lyme Disease?

The answer would really be determined by which phase of Lyme Disease a person is in.

If they're in a very acute phase of active infection, higher pressures are more important.

Although we're not just trying to blow up spirochetes from pressure itself, we are also trying to improve a patient's immune response to fight the infection.

So, usually a range of pressures, anywhere from 1.5 through to 2.0 atmospheres and even above, could all be appropriate within that active phase.

However, many of the patients that we end up seeing are pretty well into the chronic phase of Lyme. I believe that in the chronic phase of Lyme, we could focus on the inflammatory phase of recovery, and then the tissue repair and regeneration by using lower pressures.

A lot of these benefits could be seen anywhere between 1.3 and 1.75, even up to 2.0, but that high of pressure usually is not necessary in this phase.

So, the range of pressures could all be used technically, but it's really about understanding where the patient is in that journey and applying the appropriate type of therapy and protocol based on where they fall in that continuum.

So, higher pressures are usually used for acute infections and low to mid pressures are usually used for chronic Lyme infections.

Watch the full YouTube Video we did on Lyme here:

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02/21/2026

Concussions are a type of traumatic brain injury (TBIs). They are often caused by some type of external force, including wounds that pe*****te the skull and closed-head injuries.

The use of HBOT to treat concussions and traumatic brain injuries in patients aim to relieve symptoms and accelerate recovery by promoting damaged tissue repair and angiogenesis, or blood vessel growth.

HBOT can help those suffering with concussions, traumatic brain injury and/or PCS by:

✨Accelerating recovery & potential neurologic tissue regeneration
✨Reducing pain
✨Creating new blood vessels
✨Stimulating stem cell mobilization
✨Reducing cognitive impairment

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02/21/2026

Hall of Fame Quarterback Joe Namath saw changes in his brain scans after undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy as part of his rehabilitation plan. More athletes are looking beyond traditional rehab smart move or risky bet?

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02/19/2026

🧠 HBOT is changing the way we heal the brain!

By delivering oxygen at higher levels, HBOT enhances cellular repair, boosts energy production, and supports brain recovery. It’s a game-changer for stroke, TBI, and areas with reduced blood flow. ✨

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02/18/2026

Oxygen is the real food of the body.

Not meat.
Not carbohydrates.
Not supplements.

Without oxygen, none of those can be properly utilized.

When oxygen delivery is compromised — often due to poor microcirculation — tissues are forced to survive instead of thrive. Cells become starved. Healing slows. Energy drops. Inflammation rises.

This is where Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy changes the game.

Inside the chamber, oxygen is delivered under pressure, dissolving directly into the plasma. This allows oxygen to travel up to four times farther than red blood cells alone can carry it — reaching areas with restricted blood flow.

✔ Oxygen reaches oxygen-deprived tissues
✔ Mitochondria receive the fuel needed to produce energy
✔ Healing and recovery accelerate
✔ Inflammation decreases
✔ The body functions the way it was designed to

When your cells receive oxygen, they perform.
When they perform, you feel the difference.

Breathe deeper. Heal faster. Function better.

Des Moines Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
515-270-2111

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02/17/2026

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