Normally we have a lot of oxygen in our blood, carried to the tissues on the red pigment hemoglobin in the red blood cells. We can load literally pounds of oxygen into the tissues with HBOT, supercharging the body. The hyperbaric chamber can be pressurized with air, and once at the desired pressure, oxygen is breathed in through a special hood or mask over the face. Some chambers are entirely filled and pressurized with oxygen and so no mask is needed. Usually the treatment will last one to one and a half hours at the treatment pressure, plus time to compress and decompress the chamber.
Some patients rest, others use music or videos provided to pass the time.
The most common use is to heal chronic wounds, such as diabetic ulcers of the foot or leg. Oxygen drives connective tissue repair, helps immune cells cleanse and sterilize the wound, and drives new blood vessels into the tissue, permanently restoring circulation. Dozens of treatment may be necessary to create healing conditions. Oxygen also neutralizes bacterial toxins as in gangrene, and the toxin of brown recluse spider bites. It is used to heal severe infections such as flesh-eating disease and severe bone infections.