Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) & Autoimmune Conditions

Monday 30th Jun 2025

Can Oxygen Help Calm Autoimmune Diseases? A Simple Guide to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)

If you’re living with an autoimmune disease like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, or multiple sclerosis, you know how unpredictable and exhausting it can be. There’s inflammation, fatigue, pain, and often a long list of medications. But what if something as natural as oxygen could help your body heal?

It might sound surprising, but Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is showing potential in calming the immune system and reducing inflammation—two of the main problems in autoimmune diseases.

Because oxygen helps your body:

Reduce swelling
Fight infection
Heal damaged tissues
Balance the immune system

What Are Autoimmune Diseases?

Your immune system is supposed to protect you from viruses, bacteria, and other harmful things. But in autoimmune diseases, the immune system gets confused and starts attacking the body’s own cells—causing pain, swelling, and damage.

Common autoimmune diseases include:

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) – affects nerves
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) – affects joints
Lupus (SLE) – can affect the skin, joints, and organs
Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis – affect the gut

These conditions are long-term (chronic), and while medications can help, many people still experience flares and side effects.

How HBOT Might Help Autoimmune Conditions

Here’s how HBOT could make a difference:

1. Reduces Inflammation

Inflammation is at the root of all autoimmune diseases. HBOT increases oxygen in the blood, which helps calm inflammation. Studies have shown that it can lower the levels of inflammatory chemicals in the body.

2. Improves Blood Flow and Tissue Repair

When tissues are inflamed or damaged, they don’t get enough oxygen. HBOT brings extra oxygen to those areas, which can help heal tissues faster and reduce pain.

3. Supports the Immune System (Without Suppressing It)

Most autoimmune drugs work by shutting down parts of your immune system, which can make you more prone to infections. HBOT seems to help regulate the immune system—not shut it off. It encourages balance instead of overreaction.

4. Boosts Energy

Many people with autoimmune diseases struggle with fatigue. Extra oxygen helps the body make more energy at the cellular level, which could help improve energy and reduce brain fog.

What the Research Says

HBOT is already approved for conditions like diabetic wounds, carbon monoxide poisoning, and radiation damage. But researchers are now studying how it could help in autoimmune diseases too.

Here’s what early studies and cases show:

✅ Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Some patients report better movement, less fatigue, and improved quality of life after a series of HBOT sessions.

✅ Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

Animal studies suggest that HBOT reduces joint swelling and pain by calming the immune system. More human studies are needed.

✅ Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis

HBOT has been used to treat severe flare-ups, especially when other treatments didn’t work. It may help heal the gut lining and reduce symptoms.

✅ Lupus (SLE)

In small studies and case reports, lupus patients who tried HBOT saw improvements in pain, brain fog, and fatigue. More research is underway.

What Happens During an HBOT Session?

A typical HBOT session goes like this:

You sit or lie down in a special chamber.
The chamber is pressurized with pure oxygen.
You relax and breathe normally for about 60 minutes
You may feel pressure in your ears (like when flying in a plane), but it’s usually mild.

Most people do a series of sessions (called "dives"), often 5–40 treatments depending on the condition.

Are There Any Risks?

HBOT is generally safe when done under medical supervision. Side effects are usually mild and temporary, such as: