Most people booking a first hyperbaric session have seen a photo of a chamber and not much else. Here is the whole process, start to finish, including the parts that are less photogenic.
Before your first session you are screened for health history and contraindications. This is not a formality, and any provider who skips it should give you pause.
Hyperbaric therapy has real contraindications. Certain lung conditions — particularly untreated pneumothorax — are a genuine safety issue under pressure. Recent ear or sinus surgery, an active upper respiratory infection, some medications, and certain cardiac conditions all need to be discussed first. A congested nose on the day of a session is a practical problem too, because you will not equalize well.
If something in your history means this is not a good idea, we would rather find that out at a desk than at pressure.
Ours is a hard-shell OxyHelp system running at a true 2.0 ATA — twice sea-level pressure. It is a private two-person suite with a TV, not a tube you get zipped into and left in. You sit upright. You can see out. You can bring someone with you.
That matters more than it sounds like it should. The most common reason people stop a first session early is not a medical problem — it is feeling enclosed. A seated suite with a screen and a person you know is a different experience from a zip-up bag.
This is the part worth preparing for. As pressure increases, you will feel it in your ears, exactly like the descent on a flight. You equalize the same way — swallowing, yawning, or a gentle Valsalva.
Pressurization is gradual and you tell us how you are doing. If your ears are not clearing, we slow down or pause. Nobody is pushing you through discomfort on a schedule. Ear pressure is the most common side effect of hyperbaric therapy, and it is almost entirely manageable by going at the right pace.
If you have a cold or congestion on the day, reschedule. That is the single best thing you can do for a comfortable session.
Once at pressure, there is nothing to do. Sessions run 60 to 90 minutes. Most people watch something, read, or sleep. You will hear the system running; it is not silent.
Coming back down is the reverse of going up, and usually easier on the ears than the descent was.
Most people walk out and go about their day. Some describe feeling relaxed, some describe feeling alert. Occasionally people feel a little tired afterward, particularly after a first session. There is no recovery period and nothing you need to arrange around it.
We will not tell you what it is going to do for you, because that depends heavily on why you are in there, and because the honest state of the evidence varies enormously by indication.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has a specific list of FDA-cleared and UHMS-approved indications — conditions like decompression sickness, carbon monoxide poisoning, certain problem wounds, and radiation injury. Recovery, athletic performance, and general wellness are not on that list, and the FDA has said publicly that HBOT has not been proven effective for a number of conditions it is widely marketed for.
People do use it outside those indications. If that is you, you should go in knowing that is what you are doing, rather than being told a story about it. We would rather have that conversation honestly at the front end.
Wear comfortable clothing. Skip anything flammable on your skin or in your hair — this is standard practice in any pressurized oxygen environment and it is not optional. Leave vapes, lighters, and battery-powered devices outside the chamber; we will tell you exactly what can come in.
Pricing is published: $200 for a single session, $570 for a 3-pack, $900 for a 5-pack, $1,700 for a 10-pack.
If you want to talk through whether it makes sense for your situation, read more about hyperbaric oxygen therapy in Santa Monica or contact our team. We are on Santa Monica Blvd in West LA.
This article is general information, not medical advice, and is not a claim that hyperbaric oxygen therapy treats any condition outside its cleared indications. Talk to a qualified clinician about your specific situation.
