But the more exotic forms of oxygen therapy discussed here seek to do far more than simply boost the body's oxygen supply. Only one of them has any proven value. It is also generally accepted as supplementary treatment for burns, gangrene, radiation injuries, chronic bone infections, compromised skin grafts, non-healing wounds, destructive soft tissue infections, exceptional blood loss, and crush injuries. To date, there is no scientific evidence that they work. The most common environment for this treatment is a specially designed, air-tight chamber used for one person only.
Patients are usually awake during the procedure.
In such cases, a mild sedative may be given before treatment. The length and frequency of treatments depend on the patient's illness. For example, the standard recommendation for smoke inhalation is five 90 minute treatments followed by a review by a physician outside the treatment team to determine whether additional sessions are needed. Treatments for soft tissue injuries or tissue damaged by radiation therapy may require 2 hours in the chamber once a day for several weeks. Some chronic conditions may require therapy sessions on a long-term basis.