How Often Do You Do Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy? Session Frequency Explained
Most HBOT protocols use once-daily sessions, 5 days per week. Emergency treatments differ. Here's how session frequency works by condition.
How Often Do You Do Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy? Session Frequency Explained
Standard outpatient HBOT runs once per day, Monday through Friday. Sessions are 90-120 minutes at treatment pressure. Budget about 2 hours total per visit when you include setup and decompression.
That’s the typical answer. But frequency varies by what you’re being treated for.
Outpatient Wound Care Protocols
Five days per week is the standard for diabetic wounds, radiation injury, and other wound care indications. Medicare and most insurers expect this schedule for coverage compliance. Treating less frequently means slower healing and, in some cases, loss of coverage.
Total sessions in a wound care course typically run 20 to 40. A fresh wound with good vascular supply may respond in 20. A chronic, complex wound or radiation-damaged tissue may need 40 or more.
Missed a session? One skipped day won’t undo progress. Let your care team know. Don’t skip regularly.
Emergency and Acute Conditions
Decompression sickness, carbon monoxide poisoning, and gas embolism don’t follow a Monday-Friday outpatient schedule. These are emergencies.
DCS treatment may involve 2-3 sessions per day in the first 24-48 hours. CO poisoning gets treated based on severity and response. These are typically inpatient or emergency department protocols, not outpatient clinic visits.
Research Protocols for Neurological Conditions
Studies on HBOT for TBI, long COVID, and PTSD typically use once daily, 5 days per week, for 40-60 total sessions. The Efrati group studies used 40 sessions. US military TBI trials used 40 sessions. This is the most studied frequency for neurological protocols.
Why not more frequent? Tissue repair processes need time between sessions. Daily appears to be the practical maximum for outpatient protocols. There’s no strong evidence that twice-daily sessions improve neurological outcomes, and it adds significant burden on patients.
How Long Is Each Session?
The treatment itself runs 90 to 120 minutes at pressure. Clinical sessions at 2.0-2.4 ATA typically use 90 minutes of treatment time with 10 minutes of pressurization (descent) and 10 minutes of decompression (ascent). Some protocols include air breaks during treatment where patients breathe room air for 5 minutes to reduce oxygen toxicity risk.
Plan for 2 hours at the facility from arrival to departure.
How Many Sessions Total?
A rough guide by indication:
- Acute CO poisoning: 1-3 sessions depending on severity
- DCS: variable, protocol-driven by Navy Treatment Tables
- Wound care (uncomplicated): 20-30 sessions
- Wound care (radiation injury, complex wounds): 30-40 sessions
- Sudden hearing loss: 10-20 sessions
- Neurological research protocols (TBI, long COVID): 40-60 sessions
These are ranges. Your hyperbaric physician determines your specific protocol based on how you’re responding.
FAQ
Q: How often do you do HBOT? Once daily, 5 days per week for outpatient protocols. Emergency conditions may require multiple sessions per day.
Q: How long is each session? 90-120 minutes at pressure. Plan 2 hours total at the facility.
Q: How many sessions do you need? Wound care: 20-40. Neurological protocols: 40-60. Acute emergencies: 1-3. Your physician sets your specific number.
Q: What if you miss a session? One missed session is fine. Let your care team know. Don’t miss regularly.
Related: How Many HBOT Sessions Do You Need? | How Long to See Results from HBOT | Your First HBOT Session
Medical Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy must be prescribed and supervised by a licensed physician. Always consult your care team about your specific situation. This site does not establish a doctor-patient relationship.