Written by Mike Price, OT
HBOT has been used for decades to safely treat a wide range of conditions from decompression sickness to pressure wounds. Professional athletes are increasingly receiving HBOT to hasten recovery from joint pain, torn muscles and tendons, and even concussions.
Home hyperbaric chambers, also known as mild chambers, deliver mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy (mHBOT) and are suitable for clinical settings, wellness centers, and in-home use. You can enjoy the benefits of this therapy on your schedule without leaving the comfort of your own home.
Home hyperbaric chambers, which deliver mHBOT in the 1.3 - 1.5 pressure range, allow for oxygen to dissolve and saturate more readily into the blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and synovial fluid, contributing to cell rejuvenation and tissue healing. These home chambers come in a variety of designs to fit your needs and lifestyle.
Generally, the two basic types of hyperbaric oxygen chambers are hard and soft sided. There are also variations that include vertical and horizontal - which determine how you enter, exit, and are positioned during therapy - and monoplace and multiplace, which determine how many people can take therapy at the same time.
 | Grand Dive Horizontal 40 in. Hyperbaric Chamber by Summit to Sea View Product |
Soft-sided chambers, known as mild HBOT, portable hyperbaric chambers, or inflatable hyperbaric chambers, are portable devices that seal with a zipper. They typically deliver 24 percent oxygen and are commonly found in homes. Overall, these are the most popular types of chambers! They are also popular among gyms, spas, chiropractors, senior living communities, and wellness centers seeking to enhance their facilities. Having a hyperbaric chamber can be a distinct feature that separates your business from your competitors.
mHBOT addresses low oxygen levels, reduced blood flow, and inflammation. During treatment, a user’s lungs gather more oxygen than is possible breathing pure oxygen at the normal air pressure, and the additional oxygen is carried by the blood throughout the body.
 | Hard Shell Hyperbaric Chamber with Removable Stretcher- Revitalair 430F by Biobarica View Product |
Hard hyperbaric chambers deliver the highest pressures for HBOT. Although they can be used at home, the cost can price them out of range for many single users. They are often an attractive investment for hospitals. The dramatic increase in pressure drives the concentrated oxygen molecules in a hyperbaric chamber to rapidly dissolve into the bloodstream.
| Grand Dive Horizontal 40 in. Hyperbaric Chamber by Summit to Sea View Product |
In a horizontal mild hyperbaric chamber, the user lays flat during treatment with an oxygen mask over their nose and mouth. People often report resting, napping, or just enjoying the feeling of relaxing during their treatment sessions.
.jpg&newwidth=365&maxheight=200 "Grand Dive Vertical 54 in. Hyperbaric Chamber by Summit to Sea") | Grand Dive Vertical 54 in. Hyperbaric Chamber by Summit to Sea View Product |
For people who are claustrophobic, who would like to be more active during their treatment, or who are in a wheelchair, a vertical hyperbaric chamber allows the user to take the treatment while seated. Also known as an upright chamber, a vertical chamber allows a user to read or use a small electronic device to pass the time during the treatment session.
 | Newtowne Hyperbarics 27 Inch Home Hyperbaric Chamber | Made in USA View Product |
A monoplace hyperbaric chamber treats one user at a time. Horizontal versions are like tubes where the user lies down for the duration of the treatment, and vertical versions allow for the user to sit upright. Serving just one user at a time, the treatment session in a monoplace hyperbaric oxygen chamber can be customized to an individual’s needs.
 | SOFT Multiplace Grand Dive Pro Hyperbaric Chamber, 46 in. by Summit to Sea View Product |
A multiplace hyperbaric chamber allows for more than one user at a time. This is especially helpful for those who might need assistance or comfort to remain calm during treatment, like children or those with cognitive issues that would make them agitated if they had to sit in an enclosed space alone for two hours.
Hyperbaric therapy has proven to be a potentially lucrative service line for health and wellness practitioners. This kind of therapy fits in well with spas, therapists who visit patients at home, sports medicine clinics, veteran-centered clinics, and hospitals.
 | Dive Vertical 40 in Hyperbaric Chamber for Sitting Up - by Summit to Sea View Product |
For clients who are interested in looking and feeling their best, mHBOT is an attractive spa service. Charging by the hour, a spa/wellness center can quickly recoup the investment for a hyperbaric chamber. Used for a wide range of clients, it’s advisable to get a hyperbaric chamber that will accommodate the most users. Since there are people who would benefit from mHBOT but feel claustrophobic in small spaces, opting for a roomier vertical design that allows people to sit in a chair during treatment will accommodate the widest range of clients.
 | Summit to Sea Dive 33 in Hyperbaric Chamber View Product |
Athletes who compete at any level are at risk of being injured. For those who play at an elite level, being sidelined by an injury can have an impact on their wealth as well as their health. Injuries can disrupt circulation to an area of the body, and the extra oxygen delivered through hyperbaric oxygen therapy helps injuries get much-needed oxygenated blood flow to aid in healing. This process also promotes the processes needed for heavily used muscles to recover, and it also reduces inflammation. This makes oxygen therapy ideal for portable home or take-along use as well as athletes who visit sports medicine practices for hyperbaric treatment.
Depending on the athlete, a chamber with more than a 1.3 ATA is worth considering to support tissues, tendons, and joints that are chronically stressed from physical activity.
| SOFT Multiplace Grand Dive Pro Hyperbaric Chamber, 46 in. by Summit to Sea View Product |
The Veterans Administration and medical clinics treating veterans have used HBOT as an off-label treatment for traumatic brain injuries, headaches, night terrors, migraines, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Summit to Sea offers a discount to all military, first responders, and police. Please email quotes@rehabmart.com to obtain this discount! Please note that applicable ID verification will be required. Newtowne is another brand that offers military discounts. Newtowne's discounted prices are listed on our website, so you can checkout without any assistance.
Please note that applicable ID verification will be required to receive these discounts.
 | Wheelchair Accessible - Grand Dive Pro Plus Hyperbaric Chamber by Summit to Sea View Product |
A hospital with the ability to offer HBOT can provide state-of-the-art wound care to patients. The best chamber for hospital use is a multiplace model, which allows for efficient treatment of more than one patient at a time. Medicare and insurance will often cover hospital hyperbaric therapy.
| Wheelchair Accessible - Grand Dive Pro Plus Hyperbaric Chamber by Summit to Sea View Product |
Wheelchair-accessible mHBOT chambers are larger than standard models to accommodate a user rolling into position in the chamber, plus room for a caregiver to assist if necessary. People in wheelchairs sometimes have compromised respiration, so the additional oxygen they receive through hyperbaric therapy can help with specific issues like wound healing or inflammation, as well as contribute to overall better physical health. The oxygen transported by blood throughout the body gets carried to limbs that might have compromised circulation from Immobility.
| Hard Shell Hyperbaric Chamber with Removable Stretcher- Revitalair 430F by Biobarica View Product |
Not all users with mobility issues use a wheelchair. Chambers that accommodate roll-in stretchers can help someone with balance or other limitations take part in hyperbaric oxygen therapy. When getting a user in and out of the chamber is easy for caregivers and safe and comfortable for the user, the therapeutic experience is more enjoyable and effective.
| Grand Dive Vertical 54 in. Hyperbaric Chamber by Summit to Sea View Product |
Some physical conditions make it uncomfortable or even impossible for a user to be lying flat during hyperbaric treatment. These can range from being in a cast or sling because of an injury to suffering from respiratory problems that are exacerbated by lying down. A vertical hyperbaric chamber, which allows the user to sit in a chair during treatment, will accommodate patients who must sit upright to be comfortable and safe.
| Newtowne Hyperbarics 27 Inch Home Hyperbaric Chamber | Made in USA View Product |
Restorative sleep promotes cognition and memory and recharges our mental and physical batteries. Overall mental and physical health is improved and stress is reduced when we get quality sleep. When a user sleeps in a hyperbaric chamber, they make good use of their time asleep to send healing and restorative oxygenated blood throughout their system. Chronic conditions, like brain injury, cerebral palsy, autism, chronic fatigue, and stroke have all been treated in hyperbaric chambers. These need to be horizontal models, and some of them have to be pretty big, as professional athletes have been known to purchase mHBOT chambers to take along with them for healing sleep that helps keep them in peak physical condition to compete at the highest levels.
Hyperbaric oxygen chambers delivering mHBOT therapy cost much less than those that deliver HBOT therapy. With price tags ranging from $5,000 to $20,000, mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy is appropriate for home use or for professional use in spas and gyms where clients book multiple regular sessions. HBOT therapy is only allowed in professional settings like hospitals, doctor’s offices, chiropractors, and senior living communities. HBOT chambers deliver medical-grade flammable oxygen at higher levels of pressure and cost between $50,000 and $100,000.
Everyone in the family can benefit from oxygen therapy. Having a chamber that can provide treatment to anyone makes it more cost-effective. If children are going to be using a bariatric chamber, you should choose one that can accommodate an adult with them (monoplace) during treatment to ensure they are calm and relaxed and that the oxygen is being delivered correctly.
There are several sizes to choose from when choosing which hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber is best for you. Whether a user has greater body mass, there is medical equipment to accommodate, or more than one person at a time could be in the chamber, measuring the circumference, diameter, and length of the chamber will ensure you have enough room for comfortable and safe treatment. For home use, there is also the consideration of if and where it will fit in your house, so measure the proposed space as well as the chamber to ensure a good fit.
People with mobility issues benefit from hyperbaric oxygen therapy chambers that are large enough for a wheelchair or that have roll-in stretchers. For people who can’t easily get themselves up and down from the resting platform and are at risk of falling, or who rely on a wheelchair to get around, handicap accessibility ensures hyperbaric treatment is safely available for everyone, even if they can’t walk into a chamber and properly position themselves for treatment.
Since the ATA pressure measurement determines the level of oxygen introduced to the blood, the ATA level is an important factor in choosing the best hyperbaric chamber for your needs.
Portability is important for people like athletes who travel with their hyperbaric chambers, for traveling doctors and other practitioners who take the chambers to users’ homes, and to anyone who wants to be able to change where therapy is delivered. Any time a hyperbaric chamber is going to remain in one place, a stationary model is suitable.
An oxygen concentrator is a machine that pulls in the air around you and filters out the nitrogen. What you breathe in through the oxygen mask is purified oxygen pulled from room air.
If you are going to have more than one user, a multiplace chamber should be considered.
Multiplace chambers provide enough room for a caregiver, a parent, or a co-user to comfortably fit in the chamber, along with any necessary medical equipment.
Because investing in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber is a large expense, you don’t want to have to worry about something going wrong and rendering it useless it. Check out the warranty options to ensure your chamber is covered by a robust warranty and can be kept in good working order to serve you for years to come.
A: Read How Do You Prepare for Hyperbaric Therapy? for a comprehensive guide! Here is the most important information you need to know:
FOOD AND DRINK - Stay hydrated, and avoid alcohol and carbonated drinks. If you’re diabetic, check your blood sugar before the treatment, and have glucose replacement close by if you need it during the treatment.
MEDICATIONS - Some chemotherapies, a topical ointment used for wounds, and medicine that prevents alcohol intake in patients with a history of alcohol abuse should not be taken. It’s imperative you speak to your health care providers in advance.
SMOKING - Use of any tobacco products and smoking should be avoided during the treatment period, as they interfere with the body's ability to transport oxygen and can counter the benefits of hyperbaric therapy.
SICK - Even a slight cold can impact your ability to clear your ears, and hyperbaric treatment could lead to an inner ear injury.
WHAT TO WEAR - Comfortable loose clothing is best, as you’ll be in your home oxygen chamber for up to two hours.
PREPARE YOUR EARS - Prepare your ears before treatment, making sure they are clear of excessive wax. Also, don’t have hyperbaric treatment if you’ve recently had ear surgery, an ear infection, jaw surgery, water in your ear, a sinus infection, allergies, or a recent cold. Practice clearing your ears before treatment by intentionally yawning, taking sips of water, swallowing, or pinching your nose and gently blowing.
PREVENT ANXIETY AND PARANOIA - With a home unit, you can take your time getting used to the chamber before treatment. If you tend to feel claustrophobic, you can sit in the chamber with the door open to get used to it.
PLAN THE DAY ACCORDINGLY
Plan for your treatment to take up to two hours and plan for mild fatigue immediately following treatment. This could be accompanied by some lightheadedness.
HAVE A FRIEND CLOSE BY - For home hyperbaric oxygen chambers that require you to have assistance, you will need someone to help you get in and out of the chamber.
WHAT CAN YOU BRING INTO A HYPERBARIC CHAMBER?
You can’t take electronic devices with you when you are receiving HBOT at a medical office, but you can use your phone or tablet in your chamber at home.
A: Mild Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (mHBOT) is the medical use of oxygen in a pressurized environment at a level higher than 1 atmosphere absolute (ATA). Increased pressure allows for oxygen to dissolve and saturate more readily into our blood plasma, cerebrospinal fluid, synovial fluid and all liquids within our body (Henry's Law of Gases).
A: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy involves breathing pure oxygen in an environment pressurized two to three times higher than normal. This allows the lungs to gather much more oxygen than would be possible breathing pure oxygen at normal air pressure.
A: ATA measures pressure. One atmosphere absolute, or 1 ATA, is the average atmospheric pressure at sea level. Two ATA is twice the atmospheric pressure at sea level. Mild Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy chambers can be pressurized between 1.3 - 1.7 ATA, while hospital-grade multi-place chambers go as high as 6.0 ATA.
A: Medicare Part B covers the total cost of doctor-prescribed hyperbaric therapy. Under Original Medicare, patients pay 20 percent of the Medicare-approved amount. According to Medicare.gov, any of these listed conditions are eligible for total coverage for hyperbaric therapy.
A: For celebrities whose livelihood often relies on good looks and keeping up with chaotic schedules, the anti-aging and energizing properties of hyperbaric oxygen therapy are a tool to help them keep up with lifestyle and career demands.
A: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is used for decompression sickness, serious infections, bubbles of air in the blood vessels, and wounds that are slow to heal.
A: Home hyperbaric oxygen chambers can range in price from $5,000 to $20,000.
A: Rehabmart offers quality hyperbaric oxygen chambers. For more information about our quality suppliers and FDA-clearance, check out our Hyperbaric Chamber Brand List.
The infusion of oxygen into the bloodstream through hyperbaric oxygen therapy helps fight infection, stimulates cell rejuvenation, and promotes healing in the body. This treatment is accepted for a wide range of conditions, and its documented use in successfully treating off-label uses makes it a popular tool for the treatment of acute and chronic conditions as well as maintaining general overall health and wellbeing.
Research continues on the impact of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for inflammatory and systemic maladies, COVID-19, and cancer.
The kind of chamber that will work best for you depends on whether you’ll be using it for commercial or personal use, how portable it needs to be, and who the users are. The answers to these questions will help you find the perfect hyperbaric chamber.
Thank you for reading this article on choosing the best hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber. You can find more information in The Ultimate Guide to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), and you can visit Caregiver University for even more useful articles.
Co-Founder of Rehabmart and an Occupational Therapist since 1993. Mike has spent his professional career working in multiple areas of Occupational Therapy, including pediatrics, geriatrics, hand therapy, ergonomics and inpatient / outpatient rehabilitation. Mike enjoys writing articles that help people solve complex therapeutic problems and make better product choices.
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