Inflammation Modulation — Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)

Overview

Inflammation is part of healing — but when it drags on, it causes pain and slows repair. HBOT delivers concentrated oxygen that helps your body settle inflammation naturally. It reduces the chemicals that drive swelling while improving blood flow and tissue repair.

How this might help

More oxygen allows your body to clear waste and calm irritation faster. HBOT has been shown to lower inflammation markers and promote faster recovery from surgery, injury, and strenuous training. It’s a simple way to support comfort and recovery without relying on medication.

Selected research studies

For clinicians and advanced readers.

1. Meng XE, Zhang Y, Li N, et al. Hyperbaric oxygen alleviates secondary brain injury after trauma through inhibition of TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. Med Sci Monit. 2016;22:284–288. doi:10.12659/msm.894148
2. Dulai PS, Gleeson MW, Taylor D, et al. Systematic review: the safety and efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for inflammatory bowel disease. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2014;39:1266–1275. doi:10.1111/apt.12753
3. Hui J, Zhang ZJ, Zhang X, et al. Repetitive hyperbaric oxygen treatment attenuates complete Freund’s adjuvant-induced pain and reduces glia-mediated neuroinflammation in the spinal cord. J Pain. 2013;14(7):747–758.
4. Li F, Fang L, Huang S, et al. Hyperbaric oxygenation therapy alleviates chronic constrictive injury-induced neuropathic pain and reduces tumor necrosis factor-alpha production. Anesth Analg. 2011;113(3):626–633.
5. Choudhury R. Hypoxia and hyperbaric oxygen therapy: a review. Int J Gen Med. 2018;11:431–442. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S172460
6. He H, Li X, He Y. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy attenuates neuronal apoptosis induced by traumatic brain injury via Akt/GSK3β/β-catenin pathway. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2019;15:369–374. doi:10.2147/NDT.S183632
7. Wu HH, Huang CC, Chang CP, et al. Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) reduces hepatic inflammatory and oxidative damage in a rat model of liver ischemia/reperfusion injury with hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning. Med Sci Monit. 2018;24:8096–8104. doi:10.12659/MSM.911641
8. Thompson CD, Uhelski ML, Wilson JR, et al. Hyperbaric oxygen treatment decreases pain in two nerve injury models. Neurosci Res. 2010;66(3):279–283.
9. Oyaizu T, Enomoto M, Yamamoto N, et al. Hyperbaric oxygen reduces inflammation, oxygenates injured muscle, and regenerates skeletal muscle via macrophage and satellite cell activation. Sci Rep. 2018;8(1):1288. doi:10.1038/s41598-018-19670-x
10. Zhao BS, Meng LX, Ding YY, et al. Hyperbaric oxygen treatment produces an antinociceptive response phase and inhibits astrocyte activation and inflammatory response in a rat model of neuropathic pain. J Mol Neurosci. 2014;53(2):251–261.
11. Novak S, Drenjancevic I, Vukovic R, et al. Anti-inflammatory effects of hyperbaric oxygenation during DSS-induced colitis in BALB/c mice include changes in gene expression of HIF-1α, proinflammatory cytokines, and antioxidative enzymes. Mediators Inflamm. 2016;2016:7141430. doi:10.1155/2016/7141430
12. Hou S, Wu G, Liang J, et al. Hyperbaric oxygen on rehabilitation of brain tumors after surgery and effects on TNF-α and IL-6 levels. Oncol Lett. 2019;17(3):3277–3282. doi:10.3892/ol.2019.10000
13. Di Sabato F, Rocco M, Martelletti P, et al. Hyperbaric oxygen in chronic cluster headaches: influence on serotonergic pathways. Undersea Hyperb Med. 1997;24(2):117–122.
14. Bennett MH, French C, Schnabel A, et al. Normobaric and hyperbaric oxygen therapy for migraine and cluster headache. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008;(3).
15. Fosen KM, Thom SR. Hyperbaric oxygen, vasculogenic stem cells, and wound healing. Antioxid Redox Signal. 2014;21(11):1634–1647. doi:10.1089/ars.2014.5940

This article is general information, not medical advice, and individual results vary. Always follow professional and manufacturer guidance.