You can make more oxygen dissolve in your blood by going into a pressurized chamber and breathing 100 percent oxygen. This is called hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The pressure in a hyperbaric chamber is the same as if you went scuba diving 45 feet under water. When you breath 100 percent oxygen while you're at that pressure, your blood has about 20 times the amount of oxygen dissolved in it as it does normally. Today, HBO is also used to treat carbon monoxide poisoning, serious burns, diabetic foot ulcers and radiation damage - all conditions in which not enough oxygen is getting to the tissues.
Patients sit or recline in an air pressurized chamber along with several other patients.
A specially trained observer is also in the chamber while the patient inhales oxygen through a mask or a clear plastic hood. They can listen to music, read, play cards, or just sit and relax. Check with your doctor to see if you can benefit from this type of treatment.