By Melissa Chester, BBA · Medically reviewed by Phyllis J. Gee, MD, FACOG
Published September 7, 2026 · Last reviewed September 7, 2026
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) delivers nearly 100% oxygen at higher-than-atmospheric pressure, allowing significantly more oxygen to dissolve directly into blood plasma and reach tissues with compromised circulation. At InfusaLounge in Allen, TX, our hard-shell OxyEdge Dual chamber delivers up to 2.0 ATA — the pressure threshold where the most-cited clinical research happens, and meaningfully higher than the 1.3 ATA delivered by soft-shell chambers. HBOT has several FDA-approved medical indications (chronic non-healing wounds, certain infections, radiation injury, decompression sickness, carbon monoxide poisoning). At InfusaLounge it is also used as off-label adjunctive support for concussion and TBI recovery, long COVID, athletic recovery, and cognitive performance protocols, with Triny Nguyen, FNP-BC handling clinical management and Phyllis J. Gee, MD, FACOG providing medical oversight including contraindication screening.
What sets our chamber apart is the experience as much as the pressure. The OxyEdge Dual is a two-person, hard-shell chamber: you sit in a reclining seat rather than lying in a narrow tube, there is room for two guests side by side, and the interior is climate-controlled with an entertainment screen and red-light panels. You can complete a session on your own or alongside a partner, friend, or family member — and sessions are bookable on their own, with no care plan or membership required.
Most people picture hyperbaric therapy as lying alone inside a cramped tube. The Dual is built to change that. Below is how HBOT works, why the pressure rating matters, which patients most often ask about it, and what a session actually involves.
What HBOT Does, In Plain Language
Under hyperbaric pressure at 2.0 ATA, more oxygen dissolves directly into your blood plasma, allowing oxygen to reach tissues with compromised circulation. That is the mechanism behind HBOT’s range of therapeutic applications, and once you understand it, the rest of the science follows naturally.
Under normal atmospheric pressure, you breathe air that is about 21% oxygen. Most of that oxygen binds to hemoglobin in your red blood cells to be carried to your tissues. Inside a hyperbaric chamber pressurized to 2.0 ATA, you breathe nearly 100% oxygen at twice normal atmospheric pressure, and two things happen.
First, more oxygen dissolves directly into your blood plasma. Normally, almost all of your blood oxygen rides on hemoglobin. Under hyperbaric pressure, a significant additional amount dissolves directly into plasma — so your tissues can receive oxygen even in areas where blood flow is restricted. Second, oxygen reaches places it normally cannot: tissues with compromised circulation, such as injuries, post-surgical sites, and chronic infections.
The effects studied in the medical literature include reduced inflammation, tissue repair, new blood vessel formation, and improved mitochondrial function. The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society maintains the recognized list of approved HBOT indications.
Why the Pressure Difference Matters
If you have researched HBOT online, you have probably encountered soft-shell chambers — the inflatable kind advertised for home use and found in many wellness studios. Here is why we invested in the hard-shell OxyEdge Dual instead.
Soft-shell chambers typically max out at 1.3 ATA. Hard-shell chambers like the OxyEdge Dual deliver up to 2.0 ATA — and 2.0 ATA is the pressure threshold where most of the clinical research is conducted, including the research on TBI recovery, stroke recovery, persistent infections, and non-healing wounds.
If you are doing HBOT purely for general wellness, a soft chamber may be enough. If you are doing HBOT for a specific clinical reason, the higher pressure is what the research is built on. That is why we chose the OxyEdge Dual.
FDA-Approved Indications vs. Off-Label Applications
One thing worth clarifying up front: HBOT has several FDA-approved medical indications, and many more off-label applications backed by varying levels of clinical evidence. Both categories are legitimate, but they are not the same thing.
The FDA-approved indications include decompression sickness, carbon monoxide poisoning, certain non-healing chronic wounds (including diabetic foot ulcers), radiation tissue injury, certain serious infections such as gas gangrene and necrotizing fasciitis, severe burns, and a small number of other specific conditions. Patients with FDA-approved indications often have some insurance coverage through a medical referral.
The off-label applications — including TBI and concussion recovery, long COVID, stroke recovery support, Lyme and chronic infections, athletic recovery, and cognitive performance protocols — have growing research support but are not FDA-approved indications. These are wellness and adjunctive uses, generally self-pay, and Triny will discuss what the current evidence does and does not support during your consultation. We do not oversell what HBOT can do, and we do not overstate research that is still developing.
Who Most Often Asks About HBOT at InfusaLounge
The patients who most often discuss HBOT with Triny fall into a few groups, each with its own evidence base and protocol. In every case, the conversation starts with what the current research supports for your specific situation.
Concussion and TBI recovery is one of the more studied off-label applications; research such as a 2020 study in PLOS ONE has examined cognitive measures after multi-session HBOT protocols. Long COVID and post-viral fatigue is the application we have seen grow most over the past two years, with ongoing research — including a 2022 randomized controlled trial in Scientific Reports — investigating HBOT for symptoms such as fatigue and brain fog. Stroke recovery support is discussed with patients who feel they have plateaued in traditional rehabilitation. Chronic wounds and non-healing injuries are an FDA-approved use. Athletic recovery is a popular wellness application for hard training cycles and recovery weeks. Lyme and chronic infections are discussed adjunctively alongside other care. Cognitive performance and longevity is common among patients using HBOT as part of a broader longevity protocol.
What a Session Actually Feels Like
A typical session runs about 90 minutes in clinic: roughly 10 minutes of pressurization, about 60 minutes at full pressure, and about 10 minutes of depressurization.
You step into the OxyEdge Dual and settle into a reclining seat — there is room for two, so you can bring a partner, friend, or family member, or have the chamber to yourself. The door seals, and the chamber gradually pressurizes over about 10 minutes. During pressurization you will feel pressure in your ears similar to descending in an airplane; we coach you through the equalization techniques before your first session.
Once at full pressure (2.0 ATA), you settle in for about 60 minutes. The interior is climate-controlled, with an entertainment screen and red-light panels, so most guests watch something, listen to audio, or simply rest. You can communicate with our staff through the chamber’s intercom at any time. At the end of the session, the chamber gradually depressurizes over about 10 minutes, and you step out.
Typical Protocol Lengths
Most clinical applications involve a series of sessions rather than a single visit. Depending on the goal, a series commonly ranges from about 20 sessions up to 40 or more. Triny tailors the protocol to your specific case — many patients front-load sessions in the early weeks and taper as they progress — and Dr. Gee reviews protocols for patients with complex medical histories. The right number of sessions is part of your consultation, not a fixed formula.
Combining HBOT With Other Therapies
Many of our HBOT patients build a week that includes one or two other targeted treatments. A few pairings we are often asked about:
- HBOT + IV NAD+ for cellular-energy support.
- HBOT + red light therapy in the NovaPod, for a multi-modal recovery week.
- HBOT + peptide therapy during recovery protocols.
- HBOT + ozone therapy for patients already working through a chronic-infection plan.
- HBOT + functional medicine programs, where root-cause work and oxygen delivery support each other.
Triny will help design the right combination based on what you are trying to accomplish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is HBOT safe?
When performed in a properly maintained chamber with trained operators, HBOT is generally well tolerated. Triny screens every patient before HBOT to rule out contraindications, and Dr. Gee provides medical oversight on protocols for patients with complex medical histories.
Can two people do a session together?
Yes. The OxyEdge Dual is a two-person chamber with two reclining seats, so you can complete a session alongside a partner, friend, or family member — or have the chamber to yourself. Dual-session bookings are available.
Do I need a care plan or membership to book?
No. A hyperbaric session is bookable on its own as a standalone visit — no care plan, program, or membership required. If HBOT is part of a broader plan, we can coordinate it with your other care, but that is a choice, not a requirement.
Who cannot do HBOT?
Untreated pneumothorax, certain ear and sinus conditions, certain chemotherapy agents, and some implanted devices are contraindications. Pregnancy and certain pulmonary conditions also require careful evaluation. Triny will walk through your full medical history at consultation before recommending any HBOT protocol.
What does it feel like during pressurization?
Mainly ear pressure, similar to an airplane descending. Most patients adjust quickly with the equalization techniques we teach during the first session. If equalization is difficult for you, we slow the pressurization rate.
What if I’m claustrophobic?
The OxyEdge Dual is a hard-shell chamber with a large viewing window and a roomier, seated interior than a single tube, and many people who feel claustrophobic tolerate it well — particularly after a session or two. We can coach you through a first session to build comfort.
How is the OxyEdge Dual different from a soft-shell chamber?
The OxyEdge Dual is a hard-shell chamber capable of up to 2.0 ATA; soft-shell chambers typically max out at 1.3 ATA. The pressure difference matters for most clinical applications beyond general wellness, and the Dual adds seated, two-person comfort.
Will my insurance cover HBOT?
For FDA-approved indications (certain chronic wounds, radiation injury, decompression sickness, and several others), HBOT may be covered when accessed through a medical referral pathway. For off-label applications (TBI, long COVID, athletic recovery, cognitive performance), HBOT is generally self-pay. Triny will discuss expectations at consultation.
Ready to Book?
If you have been considering HBOT for recovery, performance, or a longevity protocol, the first step is a consultation to make sure the OxyEdge Dual is the right tool for your goal.
InfusaLounge Integrative & Functional Medicine
190 E Stacy Rd #1720, Allen, TX 75002
Call 972-546-4318 or book an HBOT consultation
Serving Allen, McKinney, Frisco, Plano, Fairview, and surrounding North Dallas communities.
About the Authors
Medically reviewed by Phyllis J. Gee, MD, FACOG. Dr. Phyllis J. Gee is Medical Director of InfusaLounge Integrative & Functional Medicine. A board-certified OB/GYN and Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, she completed her Bachelor of Science in Nutrition at Cornell University, her MD at Wayne State University School of Medicine, and her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She is an ADAPT-trained Functional Medicine practitioner (Kresser Institute) with more than 30 years of clinical experience. Dr. Gee’s research on transcervical fibroid ablation has been published in the International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics, and she served as a site investigator in the FDA-reviewed SONATA Pivotal IDE clinical trial. She has been cited in The New York Times. NPI 1417953241 · Texas Medical License H1583. View full bio →
Written by Melissa Chester, BBA. Founder and Director of Operations, InfusaLounge Integrative & Functional Medicine. Healthcare operations leader who built InfusaLounge from the ground up in 2018, with direct operational oversight of every clinical program. View full bio →
