What to expect

Before treatment: your assessment

Every HBOT treatment at Heal & Go₂ will be provided following a medical assessment and an individual prescription from a doctor trained in hyperbaric medicine.

At the assessment you will be asked about your health, your medicines and anything that could make treatment unsafe or need extra precautions, such as a lung condition, recent surgery, ear or sinus problems, an implanted device, pregnancy, or claustrophobia. The full list is set out by our Medical Director on our safety page. HBOT is not suitable for everyone, and the assessment may conclude that it is not appropriate for you.

If treatment may have a role, the pressure, the length of each session and the number of sessions will be set out in your plan. They vary by clinical indication and by the relevant treatment protocol. Treatment pressure is not selected by the patient.

Getting ready for a session

• Arrange a lift home after your first session. We advise you not to drive yourself home after your first HBOT session, so that you can see how you personally respond to treatment.
• Come without creams, oils, make-up, perfume or aftershave, and leave jewellery, watches and anything electronic at home.
• If you have a cold, a cough, blocked sinuses or ear pain, contact us before travelling, because your appointment may need to move.

We will send these points again with your appointment details.

During a session

• You will change into a medical cotton gown, which we provide. This is a safety requirement rather than a formality.
• You will be in the chamber on your own. It is a monoplace chamber, which means you are treated on your own rather than in a group.
• Oxygen is delivered through a mask rather than into the chamber itself.
• Treatment will be delivered at pressures between 2.0 and 2.4 ATA, which is 2.0 to 2.4 times normal air pressure at sea level.
• A trained chamber operator will supervise and continuously monitor you throughout, and will be able to see, hear and speak to you. You can speak to them at any point during the session.
• A registered nurse will be available as part of the clinical team during treatment sessions, with appropriate medical cover and a defined escalation pathway should you become unwell or need medical review.
• Tell the operator straight away if anything hurts, particularly your ears, or if you feel unwell.

After a session

After your first session, please do not drive yourself home. After later sessions you may drive, provided you feel completely well and have no dizziness, light-headedness, significant fatigue, visual disturbance or other symptoms that could affect safe driving. If any of these occur, do not drive until they have fully resolved.

Repeated HBOT can sometimes cause a temporary change in vision, most commonly a short-sighted shift. This is usually temporary and reversible. Please tell the clinical team if you notice any change in your vision during a course of treatment.

Risks and who should not have HBOT

The risks of HBOT, and the conditions that mean it is not suitable or needs extra care, are set out by our Medical Director on our safety page. They are not repeated here, so that there is only one version to keep up to date. Please read that page before your assessment.

Cost

Our services will include privately funded treatment. Any NHS-funded treatment would depend upon an appropriate NHS referral, commissioning or contractual pathway and should not be assumed simply because treatment is provided by Heal & Go₂ Medical. The cost of a course depends on how many sessions your plan sets out. Our costs and access page explains NHS funding for HBOT, what to check with an insurer, and why a course varies.