FAQ

What is HBOT?

HBOT is an abbreviation for hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a medical treatment which enhances the body’s natural healing process by delivering oxygen under pressure, increasing the oxygen content in the blood and in the cerebral spinal fluid, flooding the tissues with oxygen.

How does HBOT work?

Hyperoxygenation – By increasing the oxygen dissolved in the plasma (the liquid portion of the blood), the lymphatic fluid, and the cerebrospinal fluid, HBOT increases the oxygen available to damaged tissues, stimulating healing.

Neovascularization – HBOT stimulates blood vessel formation (angiogenesis) and collagen (connective tissue) formation in areas that were previously resistant due to lack of oxygen.

Hyperoxia enhanced antimicrobial activity – HBOT reduces or eliminates the effects of toxic substances, bacteria, viruses, and yeast by increasing the tissue oxygen levels.

Hyperoxia enhanced immune response – HBOT activates the white blood cells to fight infection, promoting resistance to infection, as well as wound healing. HBOT also helps to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress.

What conditions are treated with HBOT?

HBOT is FDA approved to treat air or gas embolism, carbon monoxide & cyanide poisoning, crush injury & acute traumatic ischemia, decompression sickness, delayed radiation injury, diabetic foot ulcers, enhanced healing of problem wounds, exceptional blood loss, gas gangrene, intracranial abcess, necrotizing soft tissue infections, osteomyelitis (refractory), skin grafts and flaps(compromised), and thermal burns.  

Portable hyperbaric chambers are cleared by the FDA to treat acute mountain sickness only.  All other conditions treated by portable hyperbaric chambers are considered off-label uses.  Many of these uses are quite commonplace internationally, in countries such as Russia, China, Japan, Italy, and the U.K. However, because these conditions are considered off-label in the U.S., it means that insurance companies don’t have to reimburse you for the treatment of these conditions with HBOT, saving them billions of dollars.  It also means that Big Pharma’s highly profitable blockbuster drugs will continue to be the first course of treatment for these conditions, despite their exorbitant costs, toxic side effects, and detrimental long term effects on your health.

How does HBOT treat so many different conditions?

HBOT treats the underlying disease process that causes and perpetuates a wide variety of chronic conditions.  HBOT is used therapeutically to treat conditions in which tissues have been damaged by oxygen deprivation.  When the oxygen is restored to these tissues, much of the lost function returns.  HBOT also helps to reduce inflammation and promote wound healing throughout the body and the brain.

Are there many published studies on HBOT?

There are over 30,000 published scientific studies on HBOT.

What is mild HBOT?

Mild HBOT is hyperbaric oxygen therapy at low pressures, typically at 1.3 ATA – 1.5 ATA.  Mild HBOT is available in portable hyperbaric chambers at 1.3 ATA – 1.5 ATA with compressed room air. 

What is hard HBOT?

Hard HBOT is hyperbaric oxygen therapy at higher pressures, typically above 1.5 ATA. Hard HBOT is available in monoplace or multiplace chambers with 100% oxygen.

What is the difference in clinical outcomes between mild HBOT & hard HBOT?

While hard HBOT results in greater oxygen saturation in the tissues, many conditions respond better to mild HBOT.  In all of the clinical trials to date, there has been virtually no difference in clinical outcome between mild HBOT with room air and hard HBOT with 100% oxygen.  Please contact your doctor regarding which type of HBOT is best for you. 

What happens during the treatment?

For many people, a session in a hyperbaric chamber is no different than an airplane flight.  You need to able to clear your ears to be comfortable.  Once you have descended to pressure and your ears adjust, you will feel completely normal in the chamber. 

If you are in a portable chamber with room air, you can bring a portable computer or an ipod into the chamber, along with beverages, blankets, and pillows.  If you are in a large enough chamber, you can sit, stand up, exercise, or sleep.  If you are in a smaller chamber, you can lie down and read, listen to music, or watch videos. 

What is the standard treatment protocol?

Many doctors recommend an initial group of 40 sessions, one or two per day, for 60 to 90 minutes each, 5 to 7 days per week.  After a two to four week break, a second round of 40 sessions is usually recommended. For chronic conditions, people often do hundreds of sessions over a period of years.  Please contact your doctor to discuss the best protocol for your condition.

What is the typical cost of the treatment?

Hard HBOT in a hyperbaric clinic typically costs $250 per session, or $10,000 for 40 sessions.  Thus, the standard HBOT protocol costs $20,000 for 80 sessions.  Since many people go on to do hundreds ofsessions over a period of years, the costs can be very high.  

Soft HBOT in a portable chamber typically costs $75 – $100 per session with room air, and $150 per session with an oxygen concentrator.  Thus, the standard HBOT protocol costs $6,000 – $12,000 for 80 sessions.   

Portable chambers can be rented for $1,500 – $3,000 per month, and you can do unlimited sessions in one month’s time.  However, since it takes several months to complete the standard protocol, and many people do hundreds of sessions over a period of years, renting a chamber is impractical in the long run.  However, renting a chamber enables you to familiarize yourself with mild HBOT before committing to buy a chamber.

Our portable chambers range in price from $5,495 to $16,995, and they have excellent resale value. For most conditions, portable hyperbaric chambers are your best investment.

What is a SPECT scan?

A SPECT scan shows brain function by mapping blood flow in the brain (cerebral perfusion). The scans show areas of hypoperfusion, where brain activity is too low, and hyperperfusion, where brain activity is too high.  Before and after SPECT scans show the changes in brain activity resulting from HBOT.  The cost of a SPECT scan is approximately $3,000.  Please contact your doctor to see if before and after SPECT scans are advisable. 

How safe is HBOT?

HBOT is incredibly safe. The most common problem experienced by people undergoing HBOT is problems equalizing the pressure in their ears.

How safe are hyperbaric chambers?

The greatest risks come from 100% oxygen under pressure, which is extremely flammable.  Monoplace hard chambers use 100% oxygen under pressure, so safety precautions must be taken when using these chambers.  Portable chambers with room air are incredibly safe, as room air under pressure is not flammable.

Why do so few doctors know about HBOT?

Few medical schools offer classes or training in hyperbaric medicine.  Big Pharma is primarily responsible for the medical education of doctors, starting when they are medical students and continuing throughout their careers.  The majority of clinicians are on Big Pharma’s payroll. Approximately 80% of continuing medical education courses are sponsoredby Big Pharma.  Approximately 90% of advertising in medical journals is for prescription drugs. Big Pharma has turned doctors into highly paid pill pushers who are often oblivious to the dangerous side effects of many of the drugs that they prescribe.  It’s no wonder that most doctors know little about the health benefits of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. 

How can I learn more about HBOT?

The most comprehensive book about HBOT is “The Oxygen Revolution: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: The Groundbreaking New Treatment for Stroke, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Arthritis, Autism, Learning Disabilities and More” by Paul Harch, M.D.  This book is geared toward individuals who would like to learn more about how HBOT works and what conditions it treats.  The book explores the science behind HBOT, as well as the case histories of patients who have benefited from HBOT.

How do your portable hyperbaric chambers compare with other portable hyperbaric chambers on the market?

Our chambers are larger and significantly less expensive than comparable portable hyperbaric chambers. The 40″ and 46″ chambers are large enough for two adults to sit up inside of them, and an adult can sleep or exercise inside these chambers. An adult can walk into the 46″ and 60″ vertical chambers. We are the only company that offers vertical and fully wheelchair accessible chambers.

The interior of our chambers is incredibly bright compared to comparable chambers.  You enter our chambers from the side, which is easier than the top entry of comparable chambers.  Our oil-less compressors are quieter and more energy efficient than comparable compressors.  Our chambers pressurize and depressurize with the touch of a button, which is easier than the manual controls on comparable chambers. You can pause the compression and decompression if you need more time to clear your ears.  

If you purchase an overpriced chamber, it can lose as much as 50% of its value within months of ownership. Because our chambers are so reasonably priced, they have excellent resale value.

What is included with your chambers?

Each chamber comes with 1-2 top windows, 2 inflation valves, 1-2 auxiliary valves, an airtight two-way zipper, 1-2 pressure gauges, medical grade hoses, a mattress, two compressors, bolsters, a travel bag, a carbon filter, a cleaning cloth, and a PVC frame. Vertical chambers come with a carpet and a wood floor in lieu of a mattress.

Can I use your chambers by myself?

Our chambers are incredibly easy to use for self-treatments.  All of the exterior controls are duplicated in the interior of the chamber, and the zipper is double sided.

Are your chambers approved by the FDA?

Our chambers are Class II Medical Devices that are cleared by the FDA for the treatment of acute mountain sickness.  The chambers are cleared for home and office use.

Why are your chambers so much less expensive than comparable portable hyperbaric chambers?

Buying a portable hyperbaric chamber from a well known company is like buying a brand name brand prescription drug.  You are overpaying because of the excessive marketing and advertising costs.  Buying a portable chamber from Healing Dives is like buying a generic drug.  You are getting a great deal because our advertising and marketing costs are minimal, since everything is done on the Internet.  The cost to manufacture a portable hyperbaric chamber is the same, no matter who makes it, but we operate on lower profit margins, and we pass the savings on to our customers.

Why is my doctor encouraging me to purchase an expensive chamber from him, rather than a reasonably priced chamber from Healing Dives?

Never underestimate the power of medical marketing.  Doctors often prescribe new, brand name prescription drugs when generic drugs are just as effective, but are a fraction of the cost, due to the massive marketing efforts of the pharmaceutical industry.  The medical equipment industry is no different.  Some portable hyperbaric chamber manufacturers target their marketing efforts at doctors, who are highly compensated for each chamber sale.  These doctors will lose thousands of dollars in profits if you purchase your chamber from another source.  As a result, they will do all they can to discourage you from buying a chamber from anyone but them.

Is it easy to assemble your chambers?

Our chambers are incredibly easy to assemble.  Even if you are not mechanically inclined, you can assemble your chamber in approximately 15 minutes.  The chamber comes with detailed set-up and training instructions on a flash drive, and we provide unlimited tech support by phone and email during the set-up process and throughout your ownership of the chamber.  If you prefer, you can hire our technician to fly to your home or clinic anywhere in the world and set up your chamber, as well as instruct you in its operation.  However, people rarely require this level of service.

Where are your chambers manufactured?

Our chambers consist of an inflatable bag, compressors, hoses, gauges, valves, a mattress or wood floor, a PVC frame, a travel bag, and set-up and training instructions on a flash drive.  The inflatable bag is manufactured in the US or France, depending on the model.  All of the other components are manufactured and assembled in the US.

How long have you been manufacturing portable hyperbaric chambers?

Our team of experts have been manufacturing portable hyperbaric chambers since 1982.

What kind of testing is done on your chambers

The chambers are tested at a maximum pressure of 1.5 times the operating pressure.  They are burst tested at 1500 millibars.

Is financing available?

Our chambers can be financed or leased for both business and personal use with no money down.  Consumer financing is available with 0% interest for up to 21 months.  Commercial leasing is available with a $1 buyback at the end of the lease term.  We also offer fully amortized consumer and commercial loans.  Monthly payments start at $131.  Please contact us for information on these financing options.

Can I rent a chamber?

We offer monthly rentals on all of our chambers. A monthly rental will introduce you to hyperbaric oxygen therapy without the financial commitment of purchasing a chamber.  Monthly rentals start at $795.

Do I need a prescription?

In the U.S., the chambers must be sold to or on or the order of a state licensed practitioner.  If your doctor is not familiar with hyperbaric oxygen therapy, we can put you in touch with physicians with expertise in HBOT who offer phone consultations.

How long is your warranty?

The chambers come with a two year warranty for materials and workmanship, with an optional extended warranty of up to 5 years. 

Do you offer a money back guarantee?

We’re so sure that you will like the chambers that we offer a 15-day money back guarantee.  If you don’t like your chamber for any reason, you can return your chamber for a full refund less shipping costs, so long it is in its original condition.  We don’t charge restocking fees. 

Do you ship your chambers internationally?

We ship our chambers via FedEx and UPS International, as well as via freight forwarding companies.  Please contact us for a custom shipping quote.

How do I reserve a chamber?

We accept cash, personal and business checks, wire/ACH transfers, and PayPal, as well as all major credit and debit cards, including MasterCard, Visa, American Express, and Discover. 

How long will it take for my chamber to arrive?

The demand for our chambers is so great that you must pre-order your chamber.  Your chamber will be shipped as soon as it has cleared final production and inspection.  Please allow 1-2 weeks from the time you place your order for your chamber to ship.  Rush orders are also available – contact us for details.

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