HBOT & Concussion — What the Research Shows · Oceanside, CA
CONCUSSION &
THE BRAIN
CAN RECOVER.
Post-concussion syndrome can linger for months or years — long after the initial injury. Researchers at leading institutions are now investigating whether hyperbaric oxygen therapy can accelerate neurological recovery, reduce brain fog, and restore function that conventional rest-and-wait protocols haven't addressed. This page explores what the science currently shows.
This page is educational and informational. It does not claim that HBOT treats, cures, or prevents concussion or post-concussion syndrome. HBOT is not an FDA-approved treatment for concussion. If you are experiencing symptoms, please speak with a qualified healthcare provider.
What the Research Shows
3x
Faster symptom score improvement vs. sham group in double-blind RCT1
4/4
Cognitive domains improved — processing speed, attention, memory, executive function2
#1
Rated PT Clinic — North County 2025
Understanding Concussion
A CONCUSSION IS A BRAIN INJURY — AND THE BRAIN TAKES TIME TO HEAL.
Concussion — also called mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) — occurs when a blow or jolt to the head disrupts normal brain function. Symptoms include headache, dizziness, brain fog, memory problems, sleep disruption, and sensitivity to light and noise. For most people, symptoms resolve within a few weeks. For many others, they don't.
Post-concussion syndrome (PCS) affects an estimated 10–15% of concussion patients — a condition in which symptoms persist for months or years beyond the initial injury. Among military veterans and contact sport athletes, the rates are significantly higher, and the consequences can be career-ending and life-altering.
Advances in neuroimaging have revealed that persistent post-concussion symptoms often correlate with measurable changes in the brain — including reduced cerebral blood flow, areas of tissue hypoxia, and ongoing neuroinflammation in regions responsible for attention, memory, and emotional regulation. These findings have reshaped how researchers think about what's actually happening in chronic post-concussion patients.
"HBOT can induce neuroplasticity and significantly improve brain function in post-concussion patients — including those with chronic symptoms years after the original injury."
— Boussi-Gross et al., PLOS ONE, 2013 (Tel Aviv University / Sagol Center)
Why "Rest and Wait" Has Limits
THE STANDARD PROTOCOL DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK FOR CHRONIC CASES.
For acute concussion, rest and gradual return to activity remains the standard of care — and for most patients, it's effective. But for those who develop post-concussion syndrome, the conventional approach offers limited options. Physical therapy, vestibular therapy, and cognitive rehabilitation can help manage symptoms, but none directly address the underlying neurological changes driving them.
This gap has driven researchers at institutions like Tel Aviv University, the U.S. military, and major sports medicine centers to investigate interventions that work at the level of brain tissue — specifically, whether increasing oxygen delivery to areas of the brain with impaired blood flow might stimulate the healing process.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy's ability to dissolve oxygen directly into plasma — bypassing hemoglobin and reaching poorly perfused tissue — makes it a biologically plausible candidate for this approach. Researchers are exploring whether HBOT can essentially "wake up" dormant neurons in areas of the brain that are injured but not dead.
Reduced cerebral blood flow — impaired perfusion in key brain regions after injury
Tissue hypoxia — oxygen-deprived brain tissue that may still be recoverable
Neuroinflammation — ongoing immune activation in brain tissue post-injury
Disrupted neural connectivity — altered communication between brain regions
Dormant neurons — injured but potentially salvageable cells that haven't recovered
Understanding Concussion & Brain Fog
YOU WERE TOLD YOU'D BE FINE. BUT YOUR BRAIN DOESN'T FEEL FINE.
Concussions are often dismissed as minor injuries — but for many people, symptoms persist long after the initial impact. Post-concussion syndrome can linger for weeks, months, or even years, affecting every area of life from athletic performance to work and relationships.
The brain requires enormous amounts of oxygen to function and heal. When a concussion disrupts blood flow and neurological function, the brain's recovery can stall. HBOT floods the brain with high-concentration oxygen — which may support the neurological healing process that conventional rest alone can't always complete.
Symptoms We Commonly See
Persistent headaches — pressure, tension, or migraine-like pain that won't resolve
Brain fog — difficulty concentrating, slow thinking, memory gaps
Fatigue — mental and physical exhaustion disproportionate to activity level
Sensitivity to light & sound — overstimulation that makes daily life difficult
Mood changes — irritability, anxiety, or low mood linked to neurological disruption
Sleep disruption — difficulty falling or staying asleep, unrefreshing rest
WANT TO KNOW IF HBOT IS RIGHT FOR YOU?
The Clinical Evidence
WHAT THE STUDIES
HAVE FOUND
HAVE FOUND
Several controlled trials and large retrospective studies have examined HBOT in post-concussion patients — including military veterans, athletes, and civilians with chronic PCS. Here are three of the most cited.
Randomized Controlled Trial · PLOS ONE 2013
ALL 4 COGNITIVE DOMAINS IMPROVED — AND BRAIN CHANGES CONFIRMED ON MRI
A randomized controlled trial published in PLOS ONE (2013) studied 56 patients with mild traumatic brain injury and persistent post-concussion symptoms lasting 1–5 years post-injury. Participants received 40 HBOT sessions at 1.5 ATA. Neuropsychological testing and brain SPECT imaging were performed before and after.
Results: significant improvements across all four cognitive domains — processing speed, attention, memory, and executive function. Brain imaging confirmed increased perfusion in areas that had shown reduced blood flow before treatment. The authors concluded that HBOT could induce neuroplasticity and meaningfully improve cognitive function in chronic post-concussion patients.
Source: Boussi-Gross et al., PLOS ONE, 2013. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0079995
Double-Blind RCT · Scientific Reports 2025
HBOT GROUP IMPROVED SYMPTOM SCORES AT 3X THE RATE OF THE SHAM GROUP
A double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled trial published in Scientific Reports (2025) enrolled patients with persistent post-concussion symptoms. Participants were randomly assigned to real HBOT or a sham protocol — and neither participants nor evaluators knew which group they were in, controlling for placebo effects.
The HBOT group showed symptom score improvements at three times the rate of the sham group across the primary and secondary endpoints. Quality of life, sleep, headache frequency, and cognitive performance all showed greater improvement in the treatment arm. The double-blind design strengthens confidence that the results reflect a true treatment effect.
Source: Hadanny et al., Scientific Reports, 2025. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-87854-x
Retrospective Analysis · Sagol Center
86% OF CHRONIC TBI PATIENTS ACHIEVED CLINICALLY SIGNIFICANT COGNITIVE IMPROVEMENT
A large retrospective analysis of patients treated at the Sagol Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Research in Tel Aviv examined outcomes across a broad cohort of patients with chronic traumatic brain injury — including many with post-concussion syndrome who had not responded to conventional care.
86% of patients achieved clinically significant cognitive improvement following their HBOT protocol, as measured by standardized neuropsychological testing. The analysis also documented improvements in anxiety, depression, and quality of life scores — findings consistent with the neurological, not just symptomatic, effects of treatment observed in controlled trial data.
Source: Hadanny et al., Sagol Center retrospective cohort analysis. Tel Aviv University.
The Broader Research Context
The concussion and TBI space has some of the strongest HBOT clinical evidence of any condition being studied. The Sagol Center at Tel Aviv University has treated thousands of patients and published extensively on neurological outcomes. In the U.S., the Department of Defense and VA have funded multiple HBOT trials for military TBI — with mixed but increasingly positive results as protocols become more refined. The field is moving quickly, and several larger trials are currently underway.
Oceanside and North County San Diego are home to one of the largest active-duty and veteran populations in the country — and concussion and TBI are among the most prevalent injuries in that community. At Land and Sea PT, we offer HBOT as a wellness service and are glad to have a detailed conversation about what the research shows. We are not a neurological clinic and do not diagnose or treat concussion — but we take the science seriously and present it here without oversimplification.
Explore HBOT at Land and Sea PT
OTHER CONDITIONS
PEOPLE ARE EXPLORING WITH HBOT
PEOPLE ARE EXPLORING WITH HBOT
HBOT is being studied across a wide range of conditions. Explore what the research shows for other areas at Land and Sea PT in Oceanside.
🔥 Inflammation & Recovery
🫚
Long COVID
Fatigue, brain fog, breathlessness
🛡
Autoimmune
Immune dysregulation, inflammation
🔋
Chronic Fatigue
Low energy, brain fog, exhaustion
🔥
Chronic Inflammation
Systemic inflammatory response
⚡
Chronic Pain
Persistent pain, neuropathy, fibromyalgia
🌡
Fibromyalgia
Widespread pain, fatigue, sensitivity
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Lyme Disease
Chronic symptoms, fatigue, joint pain
🩹
Tissue Recovery
Wound healing, diabetic tissue health
🧬
Neuropathy
Nerve pain, tingling, numbness
🏥
Post-Surgical Recovery
Healing, swelling, tissue repair
🧠 Brain & Nervous System
💥
Concussion
Post-concussion symptoms, brain fog
Current Page
🎖
PTSD & Anxiety
Trauma, stress, nervous system dysregulation
🧠
Traumatic Brain Injury
TBI, neurological recovery
❤
Stroke Recovery
Neurological rehabilitation, function
😴
Sleep Disorders
Insomnia, sleep disruption, fatigue
Getting Started
WHAT TO EXPECT
01
Free Consultation
We review your concussion history, current symptoms, and recovery timeline. We'll determine whether HBOT is the right fit and answer every question.
02
Safety Screening
A thorough medical screening ensures HBOT is safe and appropriate for your specific situation. Your full health history is reviewed before your first session.
03
Custom Protocol
We build a personalized plan around your symptoms and recovery goals — including session frequency, chamber pressure, and duration tailored specifically to you.
04
Track Progress
We monitor your response and adjust your protocol as you improve. Many patients begin noticing improvements in clarity, energy, and headache frequency within their first several sessions.
Ready to Learn More?
LET'S HAVE A
CONVERSATION.
CONVERSATION.
If you or someone you know is dealing with persistent post-concussion symptoms, we're here to talk through what HBOT is, how the research applies, and whether it might be worth exploring as part of your recovery plan.
This page is educational only. HBOT is not an approved treatment for concussion or post-concussion syndrome. Results vary between individuals. Please work with a neurologist or concussion specialist for diagnosis and treatment. HBOT at Land and Sea PT is offered as a wellness service.
📍 821 S Tremont St, Oceanside, CA
Serving Carlsbad · Vista · San Marcos · North County San Diego
Serving Carlsbad · Vista · San Marcos · North County San Diego
References
- Hadanny et al. "Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for post-concussion syndrome: a randomized sham-controlled double-blind trial." Scientific Reports, 2025. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-87854-x
- Boussi-Gross et al. "Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can improve post concussion syndrome years after mild traumatic brain injury." PLOS ONE, 2013. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0079995
- Thom et al. "Stem cell mobilization by hyperbaric oxygen." American Journal of Physiology, 2006. DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00306.2006