After the end of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), most patients will feel that the body is undergoing some kind of “recalibration”, which is accompanied a gradual feeling of relaxation. The first thing you notice is usually the oppression of the ear-much like when an airplane takes off and land, it is actually the normal “tinnitus” adjustment of the middle ear in order to balance the pressure. After treatment, you may feel deeply relaxed, or you may feel a little tired, which is a natural sign that your body is dealing with high concentrations of oxygen. Within a few hours, many people will find that their thinking becomes clear and the annoying “brain fog” disappears. It takes a little time for the body to adapt to changes in pressure, and these mild, short-lived sensations just show that the treatment is having a positive effect.
The Sense of “Tinnitus”
The feeling of pressure in the ear is the most common physiological experience after the end of the hyperbaric oxygen chamber. Just like when driving through the mountains or flying in an airplane, your ears need to adapt to the air pressure fluctuations in the cabin. Please rest assured that this “click” sound is your Eustachian tube working properly, trying to balance the pressure of the middle ear and the cabin environment. If you feel a little stuffy in your ears at the end of treatment, don’t worry, this is usually temporary and will disappear soon after returning to normal atmospheric pressure.
Why Do You Feel Relaxed Or Tired?
This double reaction of “either extremely relaxed or slightly tired” is actually a very normal physiological feedback of HBOT:
Deep relaxation: The hyperbaric oxygen environment activates the parasympathetic nervous system (I. e., the system responsible for “rest and digestion”). In a quiet, controlled cabin environment, the body is able to down-regulate stress hormones, leading to a sense of calm.
Slight exhaustion: When tissues get high concentrations of oxygen, cells are using this energy to speed up repair and recovery processes. This metabolic activity can sometimes make you feel “drained” or sleepy, which is often a positive signal that your body is using therapeutic oxygen efficiently.
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Cognitive Transformation
The most obvious effect of many patient feedback is the dissipation of “brain fog”. Usually within a few hours of treatment, you will feel a significant improvement in your concentration and your fluency of thinking. According to my observations, this is because when the body ingests oxygen under pressure, the plasma becomes more saturated, and oxygen can be transported to areas that were originally deprived of oxygen due to inflammation or poor circulation. By increasing the oxygen supply to the brain, hyperbaric oxygen therapy effectively optimizes neurological function, which is why many patients feel that their thinking becomes clearer and less strenuous.
Adapt To Pressure Changes
If you feel a little “discomfort” after leaving the cabin, please don’t panic. This is just a necessary adaptation for your body to switch from high oxygen saturation at high pressure back to standard atmospheric pressure. Keep the following in mind:
Mild: These sensations should be mild and should not be accompanied by severe pain.
Transient: Most physiological adjustments pass within 30 to 60 minutes.
Positivity: This feedback indicates that your system is responding to treatment.
As the treatment progresses, your body will become better at adapting to this stress transition, and many patients find that the discomfort after these treatments will decrease over time. Of course, if there is something unusual beyond the above general range, please be sure to communicate with your therapist or doctor so that we can optimize the treatment plan according to your feedback at any time.
Author: Dr. Sarah Jenkins
“I am a clinical specialist dedicated to hyperbaric medicine and restorative health. In my years of practice, I have guided countless patients through the transformative process of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). My focus is not only on the clinical administration of treatment but also on helping patients understand the physiological ‘recalibration’ their bodies undergo. “
