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# Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Chronic Pain & Fatigue
## What is HBOT for Chronic Pain and Fatigue?
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a medical treatment that delivers 100% pure oxygen at increased atmospheric pressure, allowing the body to absorb up to 1,200% more oxygen than normal breathing. For patients with chronic pain and fatigue conditions, this elevated oxygen concentration targets the root mechanisms driving persistent symptoms: impaired mitochondrial function, neuroinflammation, poor tissue oxygenation, and dysregulated immune response.
MD Hyperbaric treats patients experiencing chronic pain and fatigue conditions at physician-supervised clinics nationwide, using FDA-cleared OxyHealth Fortius420 chambers under the oversight of board-certified hyperbaric medical directors.
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## Conditions Treated
MD Hyperbaric's chronic pain and fatigue programme addresses four primary condition areas:
**Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)**
Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome is characterised by profound exhaustion unrelieved by rest, post-exertional malaise, cognitive impairment, and autonomic dysfunction. HBOT targets the mitochondrial dysfunction and neuroinflammation central to ME/CFS pathophysiology.
**Chronic Pain & Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)**
CRPS is a debilitating neuropathic pain disorder marked by disproportionate, persistent pain, allodynia, and sympathetic nervous system dysregulation. HBOT reduces central sensitisation, lowers neuroinflammation, and improves tissue perfusion in affected regions.
**Environmental & Toxin Illness (Mold Toxicity / CIRS)**
Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS) and mold toxicity trigger systemic inflammation, fatigue, cognitive impairment, and pain. HBOT supports cellular repair, reduces oxidative stress, and assists detoxification pathways compromised by biotoxin exposure.
**Mitochondrial Disorders & Energy Production Dysfunction**
Conditions involving impaired mitochondrial ATP synthesis result in exercise intolerance, muscle weakness, fatigue, and widespread pain. HBOT directly enhances mitochondrial respiration and energy production at the cellular level.
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## How HBOT Works for Chronic Pain and Fatigue
The mechanisms by which HBOT addresses chronic pain and fatigue conditions:
- **Mitochondrial support**: Hyperoxic conditions improve electron transport chain efficiency and ATP synthesis, restoring cellular energy production in oxygen-depleted tissues
- **Neuroinflammation reduction**: HBOT decreases pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6) and reduces glial cell activation associated with central sensitisation and brain fog
- **Oxidative stress modulation**: Paradoxically, HBOT induces controlled oxidative signalling that upregulates endogenous antioxidant defences (SOD, catalase, glutathione)
- **Angiogenesis**: HBOT stimulates new capillary formation, improving microvascular perfusion to hypoxic tissues and muscles
- **Immune regulation**: Modulates innate and adaptive immune function, relevant to autoimmune-adjacent conditions like CIRS and ME/CFS
- **Pain pathway modulation**: Reduces hypersensitivity and allodynia by dampening neuroinflammatory signalling in the central and peripheral nervous systems
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## Clinical Evidence
Research supporting HBOT for chronic pain and fatigue conditions:
- A 2015 randomised controlled trial (Efrati et al., *PLOS ONE*) found HBOT significantly reduced pain and improved quality of life in fibromyalgia patients, with neuroimaging showing normalisation of abnormal pain-processing brain activity
- Studies in CRPS patients have demonstrated HBOT reduces pain scores and improves limb function, particularly in refractory cases unresponsive to standard treatment
- Emerging research in ME/CFS identifies mitochondrial dysfunction and neuroinflammation as primary targets — areas where HBOT has demonstrated measurable effect
- Case series in mold/biotoxin illness report improvements in fatigue, cognitive function, and pain following HBOT protocols
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## Treatment at MD Hyperbaric
Each session lasts 60–90 minutes in a spacious, single-person chamber. Patients breathe 100% oxygen through a mask or hood while relaxing — reading, watching content, or sleeping. A personalised treatment protocol is developed by the clinic's hyperbaric medical director based on the patient's specific condition and history.
MD Hyperbaric is the largest physician-supervised HBOT network in the United States, with locations across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida, Texas, Colorado, Nevada, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Maine.
**Learn more:** [mdhyperbaric.com/conditions/chronic-pain-fatigue](https://mdhyperbaric.com/conditions/chronic-pain-fatigue) | [All locations](https://mdhyperbaric.com/locations)
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