41 published studies across 15 conditions. Every study linked to its original source so you can read the evidence yourself.
| Condition | FDA Status | Evidence Level | Studies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wound Care | FDA-Approved | High | 4 |
| TBI & Concussion | Off-Label | Medium | 2 |
| Long COVID | Off-Label | Medium | 3 |
| Stroke Recovery | Off-Label | Medium | 3 |
| Lyme Disease | Off-Label | Emerging | 2 |
| Autism (ASD) | Off-Label (FDA Warning) | Emerging | 3 |
| PTSD | Off-Label | Medium | 3 |
| Sports Recovery | Off-Label | Medium | 3 |
| Radiation Injury | FDA-Approved | High | 3 |
| Anti-Aging & Longevity | Off-Label | Emerging | 2 |
| Decompression Sickness | FDA-Approved | High | 2 |
| Carbon Monoxide Poisoning | FDA-Approved | High | 3 |
| Multiple Sclerosis | Off-Label | Emerging | 2 |
| Fibromyalgia | Off-Label | Emerging | 3 |
| Cerebral Palsy | Off-Label | Emerging | 3 |
Sharma R, Sharma SK, Mudgal SK et al. · Scientific Reports · 2021
Systematic review and meta-analysis · 14 studies, 768 participants
HBOT significantly improved wound healing rates 8+ weeks after last treatment for Wagner grades II-IV and reduced need for minor and major amputations in more severe cases, with no notable adverse effects.
Zhang Z, Zhang W, Xu Y, Liu D · Asian Journal of Surgery · 2021
Systematic review and meta-analysis · 20 RCTs, 1,263 participants
HBOT increased healing rate (RR 1.901, p<0.0001), shortened healing time (MD = -19.36 days, p<0.001), and reduced major amputation incidence (RR 0.518, p<0.01).
Kranke P, Bennett MH, Martyn-St James M et al. · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2015
Cochrane systematic review · 12 trials, 577 participants
HBOT significantly increased ulcer healing at 6 weeks (RR 2.35, p=0.01) in diabetic foot ulcers, but benefit was not sustained at 1-year follow-up.
Oley MH et al. · PMC (peer-reviewed) · 2024
Systematic review and meta-analysis · 7 studies
HBOT significantly improved complete healing rates of DFUs (RR 3.59, p<0.001).
Harch PG · Frontiers in Neurology · 2022
Systematic review with dosage analysis · Multiple studies reviewed
HBOT should be recommended for selected chronic TBI patients with prolonged post-concussion syndrome who have clear evidence of metabolic dysfunction on neuroimaging.
Mozayeni BR, Duncan W, Zant E, Love TL, Beckman RL, Stoller KP · Medical Gas Research · 2019
Multicenter observational study · 71 military participants
Significant improvements in post-concussive symptoms, PTSD, depression, anxiety, and quality of life following HBOT at 1.5 ATA.
Zilberman-Itskovich S, Catalogna M, Sasson E, Hadanny A, Efrati S et al. · Scientific Reports · 2022
Randomized, sham-controlled, double-blind trial · 73 patients
Significant improvements in global cognitive function (d=0.495, p=0.038), attention (d=0.477, p=0.04), and executive function (d=0.463, p=0.05) after 40 daily HBOT sessions.
Hadanny A, Catalogna M, Efrati S et al. · Scientific Reports · 2024
Longitudinal follow-up of RCT · 31 patients
Clinical improvements in quality of life, sleep, psychiatric and pain symptoms persist even 1 year after the last HBOT session.
Multiple authors · Life (MDPI) · 2024
Systematic review · Multiple studies including RCTs and case series
Published studies demonstrate that HBOT provided significant improvement in patients with long COVID across cognitive, psychiatric, fatigue, and pain domains.
Efrati S, Fishlev G, Bechor Y et al. · PLoS ONE · 2013
Randomized, prospective, crossover trial · 74 patients
HBOT led to significant neurological improvements even at chronic late stages (6-36 months post-stroke). 40 HBOT sessions induced neuroplasticity.
Li X et al. · BMC Neurology · 2024
Systematic review and meta-analysis · 8 RCTs, 493 patients
No statistically significant differences between HBOT and control groups for acute ischaemic stroke. Safety profile was acceptable.
Liang XX, Hao YG, Duan XM, Han XL, Cai XX · PubMed-indexed journal · 2020
Systematic review and meta-analysis · 27 RCTs, 2,250 participants
HBOT group had significantly higher response rate (69.4% vs 51.2%) for post-stroke depression.
Huang CY, Chen YW, Kao TH et al. · Journal of Applied Research · 2014
Retrospective case review / literature review · Limited case series
Case reports suggest clinical improvement in chronic Lyme symptoms with adjunctive HBOT, but no controlled trials have been conducted.
Fife WP, Freeman DM · Texas A&M University publication · 1998
Prospective observational study · 91 patients
84.8% of patients showed significant improvement in symptoms and positive diagnostic changes on SPECT scans while maintaining antibiotic therapy alongside HBOT.
Rossignol DA et al. · BMC Pediatrics · 2009
Multicenter RCT, double-blind · 62 children (ages 2-7)
Children receiving HBOT showed significant improvements vs. sham in overall functioning (p=0.0336), receptive language (p=0.0168), and eye contact (p=0.0322).
Sampanthavivat M, Singkhwa W, Chaiyakul T et al. · PubMed-indexed journal · 2012
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial · Multiple children
HBOT did NOT result in clinically significant improvement, with no differences between HBOT and placebo groups.
Multiple authors · Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry · 2025
Systematic review and meta-analysis · Multiple RCTs pooled
HBOT may improve certain behavioral and cognitive factors but results are inconsistent.
Doenyas-Barak K, Catalogna M, Kutz I, Hadanny A, Efrati S et al. · PLoS ONE · 2022
Prospective RCT · 35 veterans
Significant improvement in CAPS-V scores (F=30.57, p<0.0001, effect size=1.64). Improved brain activity on fMRI.
Doenyas-Barak K, Hadanny A, Efrati S et al. · Journal of Clinical Psychiatry · 2024
Randomized, sham-controlled clinical trial · 63 randomized, 56 completed
HBOT (60 daily sessions, 100% O2, 2 ATA) improved PTSD symptoms and enhanced functional brain connectivity compared to sham.
Multiple authors · Frontiers in Neurology · 2024
Systematic review with dosage analysis · 8 studies
Evidence supports HBOT for PTSD, particularly at 60 sessions at 2.0 ATA. Multiple studies show correlated improvements in both symptoms and neuroimaging biomarkers.
Huang X, Wang J, Zhang L et al. · Frontiers in Physiology · 2021
Systematic review and meta-analysis · 10 studies, 166 participants
HBOT before or after exercise had no significant effect on performance and recovery. HBOT during exercise may improve muscle endurance.
Multiple authors · Frontiers in Physiology · 2024
Double-blind RCT · 20 elite youth football players
Single HBOT session did not significantly enhance recovery after a football match (all p>0.05).
Multiple authors · ScienceDirect (peer-reviewed) · 2025
Systematic review and meta-analysis · 10 articles, 299 subjects
HBOT significantly accelerated recovery from exercise-induced muscle injury based on pooled analysis, but methodological issues limit reliability.
Lin ZC, Bennett MH, Hawkins GC et al. · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2023
Cochrane systematic review · 18 studies, 1,071 participants
Some evidence that HBOT may result in complete resolution or significant improvement of late radiation tissue injury (RR 1.39). HBOT may also reduce wound dehiscence.
Multiple authors · PubMed-indexed journal · 2024
Systematic review · Multiple studies (2004-2022)
HBOT reduced fibrosis, lymphedema, pain, shoulder immobility, and skin problems after 20-60 sessions at 2.4-2.5 ATA.
Dejonckheere CS et al. · CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians · 2026
Clinically focused review · 9 studies, 1,308 patients
Reductions in fibrosis, lymphedema, pain, shoulder immobility, and skin problems after 20-60 HBOT sessions.
Hachmo Y, Hadanny A, Efrati S et al. · Aging · 2020
Prospective trial · 35 healthy adults aged 64+
After 60 daily HBOT sessions, telomere length increased by over 20%. B cell telomeres increased by 37.63% (p=0.007). Senescent cell populations decreased significantly.
Hadanny A, Efrati S et al. · Aging · 2020
Randomized controlled trial · 63 healthy adults (>64 years)
Significant improvement in global cognitive function (p=0.0017), with most striking gains in attention (effect size=0.745) and information processing speed (effect size=0.788).
Moon RE · Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine · 2014
Authoritative review · Comprehensive review
Treatment using US Navy Treatment Table 6 is the standard of care. 90% of cases had complete resolution after first recompression treatment.
US Navy · NAVSEA · 1965
Military protocol based on extensive human testing · Thousands of cases over decades
US Navy Treatment Table 6 produces 90% complete resolution after first recompression. Gold standard of care.
Weaver LK, Hopkins RO, Chan KJ et al. · New England Journal of Medicine · 2002
Double-blind RCT · 152 patients
Cognitive sequelae at 6 weeks were less frequent in HBOT group (25.0%) vs. normobaric oxygen group (46.1%), p=0.007. Trial stopped early due to clear benefit.
Multiple authors · Scientific Reports · 2021
Real-world cohort study · Large patient cohort
HBOT reduced the incidence of delayed neuropsychiatric sequelae in a real-world clinical setting.
Buckley NA et al. · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2011
Cochrane systematic review · 6 RCTs
Pooled meta-analysis did NOT suggest significant benefit (OR 0.78, CI 0.54-1.12). Concluded "insufficient evidence" due to heterogeneity across studies.
Bennett M, Heard R · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2004
Cochrane systematic review · 9 trials, 504 participants
No consistent evidence of benefit. Seven of nine trials showed no treatment effect.
Fischer BH, Marks M, Reich T · New England Journal of Medicine · 1983
Randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind · 40 patients
Improvement in 12/17 HBOT patients vs. 1/20 placebo, but improvement was transient. Subsequent larger trials failed to replicate.
Efrati S, Golan H, Bechor Y et al. · PLoS ONE · 2015
Prospective, active-control, crossover trial · 60 women
70% of participants showed significant changes in brain activity and symptoms after 40 HBOT sessions. Many patients drastically reduced or eliminated pain medication use.
Hadanny A, Efrati S et al. · Frontiers in Psychology · 2018
Randomized controlled trial · FM patients with CSA history
HBOT induced neuroplasticity and significant clinical improvement, with brain SPECT imaging confirming objective changes.
Cao C et al. · Clinical Practice · 2023
Meta-analysis of RCTs · 4 RCTs, 163 participants
HBOT significantly improved FIQ scores (SMD=-1.57) and Tender Points Count (SMD=-2.50). However, pain scores did not improve.
Collet JP et al. · The Lancet · 2001
Randomized, multicentre trial · 111 children (ages 3-12)
Both HBOT and slightly pressurized air groups improved equally (GMFM 2.9% vs 3.0%). HBOT did NOT improve condition compared to sham.
Zhang YQ et al. · Complementary Medicine Research · 2021
Systematic review and meta-analysis · 25 studies, 2,146 participants
HBOT improved gross motor functions, developmental level, and language. But GRADE quality rated evidence as very low.
Multiple authors · PLoS ONE · 2022
Systematic review · 5 RCTs
When sham-controlled, HBOT and sham produced similar improvements, suggesting benefits may come from pressurization itself rather than oxygen.