HBOT & Long COVID — What the Research Shows · Oceanside, CA
LONG COVID &
THE BODY
KEEPS SCORE.
Months — sometimes years — after infection, millions of people are still dealing with fatigue, brain fog, breathlessness, and a body that doesn't feel like their own. Researchers are now investigating what's happening at the cellular level, and whether hyperbaric oxygen therapy might play a role in recovery. This page explores what the science currently shows.
This page is educational and informational. It does not claim that HBOT treats, cures, or prevents Long COVID or any other condition. HBOT is not an FDA-approved treatment for Long COVID. If you are experiencing symptoms, please speak with a qualified healthcare provider.
What the Research Shows
65%
Clinically significant quality of life improvement in 232-patient registry study1
1 yr+
Improvements persisted more than one year post-HBOT in follow-up research2
#1
Rated PT Clinic — North County 2025
Understanding Long COVID
LONG COVID IS A BIOLOGICAL CONDITION, NOT JUST BURNOUT.
Long COVID — also called Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC) — affects an estimated 65 million people worldwide. Symptoms persist for months or years after the initial infection has cleared, regardless of how mild or severe the original illness was.
The most commonly reported symptoms include profound fatigue, brain fog, post-exertional malaise, breathlessness, and difficulty with concentration and memory. For many people, these symptoms fluctuate unpredictably — improving for stretches, then crashing without obvious cause.
What researchers have begun uncovering is that Long COVID isn't simply lingering illness. Studies have found evidence of persistent microclots in the bloodstream, mitochondrial dysfunction, ongoing immune dysregulation, and reduced oxygen delivery to tissues — changes that may explain why the condition doesn't resolve on its own the way most viral illnesses do.
"Hyperbaric oxygen therapy led to significant improvements in cognitive function, pain, sleep, fatigue, and quality of life — with changes in brain activity confirmed on imaging."
— Hadanny et al., PLOS ONE, 2022 (Tel Aviv University / Sagol Center for Hyperbaric Medicine)
Why Conventional Medicine Struggles
THERE IS NO APPROVED TREATMENT FOR LONG COVID.
As of today, no pharmaceutical treatment has been FDA-approved specifically for Long COVID. Most patients are managed symptomatically — rest, pacing, and treatment of individual symptoms — rather than through any mechanism that addresses the underlying biology.
This gap has led researchers at institutions including Tel Aviv University, Stanford, and Harvard to investigate interventions that work at the cellular and vascular level — including hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which delivers high concentrations of oxygen to tissues under increased atmospheric pressure.
The rationale is biological: if Long COVID is partly a disease of impaired tissue oxygenation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and disrupted vascular flow, then an intervention that directly addresses oxygen delivery at the cellular level may be worth investigating.
Tissue hypoxia — reduced oxygen delivery to cells may contribute to fatigue and brain fog
Mitochondrial dysfunction — impaired energy production at the cellular level
Persistent microclotting — reduced blood flow in small vessels throughout the body
Neuroinflammation — ongoing immune activation in brain tissue affecting cognition
Immune dysregulation — the immune system remains in an altered state long after infection clears
The Research Angle
WHAT HBOT DOES
THAT RESEARCHERS
ARE INVESTIGATING
THAT RESEARCHERS
ARE INVESTIGATING
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy delivers 100% oxygen at increased atmospheric pressure — allowing significantly more oxygen to dissolve directly into plasma and reach tissues that normal circulation may not be adequately supplying. Here are six mechanisms researchers are exploring in the context of Long COVID.
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Enhanced Tissue Oxygenation
Under hyperbaric pressure, oxygen dissolves directly into blood plasma — bypassing hemoglobin and reaching tissues that may be oxygen-deprived due to microclotting or vascular damage. Researchers are exploring whether this can help restore function in hypoxic tissue throughout the body.
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Mitochondrial Support
Mitochondria — the energy-producing structures in every cell — require oxygen to function. Long COVID research has identified mitochondrial dysfunction as a potential driver of chronic fatigue. HBOT's delivery of high-concentration oxygen is being studied for its potential to support mitochondrial recovery and energy production at the cellular level.
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Neuroinflammation & Brain Fog
Neuroimaging studies of Long COVID patients have identified areas of reduced brain perfusion — particularly in regions associated with cognitive function. HBOT has been studied for its potential to reduce neuroinflammation and improve cerebral blood flow, with multiple trials documenting improvements in concentration, memory, and processing speed.
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Microclot Disruption
Researchers have found persistent fibrin microclots in the bloodstream of many Long COVID patients — structures that may reduce blood flow through small vessels. HBOT's effects on vascular function and oxygen delivery are being explored in the context of improving circulation in tissues affected by this microclot burden.
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Immune System Modulation
Long COVID appears to involve ongoing immune dysregulation — a state in which the immune system remains activated in ways that may drive symptoms. HBOT has been studied for its anti-inflammatory properties and effects on immune cell signaling, with researchers exploring whether it can help restore immune balance after post-viral disruption.
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Stem Cell Mobilization
Research at the University of Pennsylvania found that a course of HBOT increased circulating stem cells by 800% — described by the lead researcher as the safest known method of stem cell mobilization. In the context of Long COVID, researchers are investigating whether mobilization of the body's own repair cells may support tissue recovery and healing.
Important Context
The mechanisms described above represent areas of active scientific investigation — not established treatments. Long COVID research is still evolving rapidly, and while early clinical results are encouraging, HBOT is not an approved treatment for Long COVID. Results vary between individuals, and research protocols used in clinical trials typically involve 40–60 supervised sessions under medical oversight. If you are managing Long COVID symptoms, please work with your healthcare team about the full range of options available to you.
WANT TO KNOW IF HBOT IS RIGHT FOR YOU?
The Clinical Evidence
WHAT THE STUDIES
HAVE FOUND
HAVE FOUND
A growing number of clinical trials and registry studies have examined HBOT specifically in Long COVID patients. Here are three studies researchers and clinicians are currently citing.
Randomized Controlled Trial · PLOS ONE 2022
SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS ACROSS COGNITION, FATIGUE, SLEEP, AND PAIN
A randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial at the Sagol Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Research in Tel Aviv studied 73 Long COVID patients with persistent symptoms for at least three months post-infection. Participants received 40 HBOT sessions over two months.
Results showed significant improvements in cognitive function, energy, sleep quality, and pain compared to the sham group. Brain imaging confirmed measurable changes in cerebral blood flow and activity in regions associated with attention and executive function — suggesting the improvements were neurological, not just symptomatic.
Source: Hadanny et al., PLOS ONE, 2022. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261405
232-Patient Registry · Scientific Reports 2025
65% ACHIEVED CLINICALLY SIGNIFICANT QUALITY OF LIFE IMPROVEMENT
A large observational registry study published in Scientific Reports (2025) tracked 232 Long COVID patients treated with HBOT across multiple clinical sites — one of the largest real-world datasets on HBOT and Long COVID at the time of publication.
Findings: 65% of patients achieved clinically significant improvement in quality of life scores, with meaningful gains in fatigue, cognitive function, and overall symptom burden. Improvements were observed regardless of vaccination status — suggesting the effect was related to post-viral biology rather than immune status alone.
Source: Garcia Estevez et al., Scientific Reports, 2025. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-85888-7
Long-Term Follow-Up · Scientific Reports 2024
IMPROVEMENTS PERSISTED MORE THAN ONE YEAR POST-TREATMENT
A follow-up study published in Scientific Reports (2024) evaluated Long COVID patients who had previously completed an HBOT protocol, assessing whether benefits observed immediately post-treatment were maintained over time — a critical question for any intervention in a chronic condition.
The findings: symptom improvements persisted at the one-year follow-up mark, with patients continuing to report better quality of life, reduced fatigue, and improved cognitive function compared to pre-treatment baselines. No significant deterioration was observed over the follow-up period.
Source: Hadanny et al., Scientific Reports, 2024. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54081-3
The Broader Research Context
Long COVID research is moving quickly. Major academic medical centers including Tel Aviv University's Sagol Center, Stanford, and Harvard have ongoing or completed studies examining the biological mechanisms of post-viral illness — and HBOT has emerged as one of several interventions attracting serious scientific attention. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) launched RECOVER, a multi-year initiative specifically focused on Long COVID research, reflecting how seriously the condition is being taken at the federal level.
Oceanside and North County San Diego are home to a significant number of active-duty military members and veterans — a population that has also shown higher rates of post-viral and post-infectious fatigue syndromes. At Land and Sea PT, we offer HBOT as a wellness service for people interested in exploring what the research shows. We are not a medical clinic and do not treat Long COVID — but we are glad to have an honest conversation about what HBOT is and whether it might be worth exploring alongside your existing care team.
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
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Long COVID
Fatigue, brain fog, breathlessness
Current Page
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Autoimmune
Immune dysregulation, inflammation
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Chronic Fatigue
Low energy, brain fog, exhaustion
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Chronic Inflammation
Systemic inflammatory response
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Chronic Pain
Persistent pain, neuropathy, fibromyalgia
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Fibromyalgia
Widespread pain, fatigue, sensitivity
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Lyme Disease
Chronic symptoms, fatigue, joint pain
🩹
Tissue Recovery
Wound healing, diabetic tissue health
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Neuropathy
Nerve pain, tingling, numbness
🏥
Post-Surgical Recovery
Healing, swelling, tissue repair
🧠 Brain & Nervous System
Getting Started
WHAT TO EXPECT
01
Free Consultation
We review your long COVID history, current symptoms, and goals. We'll answer every question and determine whether HBOT is the right fit for your situation.
02
Safety Screening
A thorough medical screening ensures HBOT is safe and appropriate for you. Your health history is reviewed in full before your first session.
03
Custom Protocol
We build a personalized plan around your specific symptoms and goals — session frequency, pressure, and duration tailored to your needs.
04
Track Progress
We monitor your response throughout and adjust your protocol as you improve. Many patients begin noticing changes within their first several sessions.
Curious About HBOT?
LET'S HAVE A
CONVERSATION.
CONVERSATION.
We're happy to talk through what HBOT is, how it works, and whether it might be worth exploring as part of your approach to Long COVID recovery. We don't have all the answers — but we're glad to share what we know.
This page is educational only. HBOT is not an approved treatment for Long COVID or any other condition. Results vary between individuals. If you are managing Long COVID symptoms, please work with your healthcare provider. 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
- Garcia Estevez et al. "Hyperbaric oxygen therapy in long COVID: a prospective observational multicenter registry study." Scientific Reports, 2025. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-85888-7
- Hadanny et al. "Long-term outcomes of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in post-COVID condition: one year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial." Scientific Reports, 2024. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54081-3
- Hadanny et al. "Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for cognitive and functional improvement in post-COVID-19 condition." PLOS ONE, 2022. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261405