Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Long Covid

How Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Supports Long Covid Recovery

A "recovered" COVID-19 infection, then lingering fatigue. Weeks pass, then months. The brain fog persists, concentration slips, energy vanishes by mid-morning, and even a gentle walk becomes hard work.

For many, this is Long Covid, a condition affecting an estimated 10-30% of non-hospitalised cases, 50-70% of those who required hospitalisation, and 10-12% of vaccinated cases. Alongside the fatigue, the syndrome brings breathlessness, memory lapses, and reduced quality of life.

We see what this does to our clients' daily lives, careers, and wellbeing. One promising therapy is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), which is showing real potential in helping Long Covid patients get their energy and clarity back, and their resilience with it.

What is Long Covid?

Long COVID, also known as post covid-19 condition or Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), refers to a range of symptoms that persist beyond 12 weeks after the acute phase of infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

The suggested pathogenesis of long COVID involves a multitude of mechanisms including immune system dysregulation, exaggerated inflammatory response, hyperviscosity and microvascular damage, with more complex consequences in organs with high oxygen demand such as the central nervous system and the heart.

The most common complaints include:

• Persistent fatigue
• Cognitive dysfunction ("brain fog")
• Breathing difficulties
• Sleep disturbances
• Reduced exercise tolerance

Research suggests these symptoms are linked to ongoing inflammation, microvascular damage, impaired oxygen delivery, and mitochondrial dysfunction. The body struggles to recover because oxygen isn't reaching the cells that need it.

How HBOT Can Help

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy involves breathing 100% oxygen in a pressurised chamber, increasing oxygen delivery up to 10-15 times higher than normal breathing. The pressure saturates the plasma with oxygen, which can reach tissues starved of oxygen and support healing at a cellular level.

What the studies show for Long Covid:

1. Improved Cognitive Function: A 2022 study in Scientific Reports found that Long Covid patients receiving HBOT showed significant improvements in attention, executive function, and memory, with MRI scans revealing enhanced brain perfusion and structure.

2. Reduced Fatigue: A controlled trial published in Frontiers in Medicine (2024) reported that HBOT significantly reduced fatigue scores in Long Covid patients, compared to standard care.

3. Enhanced Oxygenation and Breathing: By delivering oxygen under pressure, HBOT bypasses damaged microcirculation and supports lung tissue repair. Patients often report easier breathing and improved exercise tolerance.

4. Cellular Repair and Anti-Inflammation: HBOT stimulates angiogenesis (new blood vessel growth) and neuroplasticity, reduces neuroinflammation, and restores mitochondrial function, all of which are compromised in Long Covid.

Quality of life

A 2024 study published in Scientific Reports assessed quality of life with the SF-36 questionnaire and found substantial, statistically significant improvements across most domains in the initial short-term evaluation after HBOT. Many Long Covid patients describe HBOT as the point where they begin to feel like themselves again.

That everyday capacity, at work and at home, is what people come in wanting back.

The Expand Health Approach

We integrate HBOT into personalised recovery protocols that may also include:

• PEMF Therapy, for circulation, cellular repair and oxygen absorption.
• Personalised IV Therapy (including antioxidants like glutathione) to support mitochondrial recovery and reduce inflammation
• Ozone Sauna & Infrared Sauna for detoxification and immune support
• Red Light Therapy, aimed at brain and tissue healing

Each protocol is put together around your own biology and goals by our in-house integrative doctor and our team of holistic health practitioners.

Getting started

If you've been struggling with persistent fatigue, brain fog, or breathlessness after COVID-19 or a recent viral infection, recovery is possible.

To find out whether HBOT can be part of your recovery, book a consultation at the Cape Town clinic.