Community-delivered hyperbaric oxygen therapy for people affected by long COVID: a pilot study

Long COVID is an umbrella term commonly used to describe a range of symptoms, such as chronic fatigue, ‘brain fog’ and breathlessness, that persist for at least 12 weeks after acute COVID-19. Although there are currently no effective treatment options, emerging research indicates that hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) may help improve many major long COVID symptoms, in the short term. This mixed-methods pilot study aimed to explore the impact of HBOT, delivered in a community setting, on key long COVID symptoms. Findings indicate that fatigue, breathlessness and quality of life improved in participants who completed 4 weeks of HBOT. Although experiences of therapy were positive, with perceived improvements in significant symptoms, attending regular sessions was often difficult, due to the ongoing challenges associated with long COVID. This preliminary study suggests HBOT has potential to improve key symptoms in people with long COVID but further controlled studies are now needed.