Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy on Long Island: more oxygen, under pressure, to tissue that is starving for it.
Air is about a fifth oxygen. In the chamber you breathe pure oxygen at two to two and a half times normal pressure. Your blood plasma, not just your red cells, carries the extra oxygen, and it diffuses into tissue that damaged or narrowed vessels cannot reach.
Request a call back
Tell us who you are and what you are asking about. Someone from the clinic calls you back within one business day.
What to expect
From first call to last session
- Step 1
Evaluation
A visit with our physician. We review your condition, your records, and whether oxygen under pressure is an approved treatment for it. If it is not, we tell you.
- Step 2
Coverage check
Before anything is scheduled we verify your Medicare or insurance benefits and tell you what to expect.
- Step 3
Your course
Most courses are 20 to 40 sessions, Monday through Friday. We book the whole course so your calendar is set.
- Step 4
Each session
About two hours. You change into cotton scrubs, lie down in the chamber, and the pressure rises slowly over ten minutes. You clear your ears like on a plane. Then you rest, nap, or watch TV while you breathe oxygen.
- Step 5
Progress
Wounds are measured and photographed on a schedule. Your referring doctor gets notes. If something is not working, we say so.
What it feels like
Pressure in the ears on the way down, the same as a flight. Most people feel nothing else. Some notice they are tired afterward, some notice the opposite. You can drive yourself home.
Who should not do it
An untreated collapsed lung is the one hard stop. Certain chemotherapy drugs, recent ear surgery, a bad cold, or uncontrolled seizures need a conversation first. Bring your medication list to the evaluation.
Questions people ask first
Hyperbaric chamber treatment: cost, benefits, what to expect
Is hyperbaric oxygen therapy covered by Medicare or insurance?
For the approved conditions on our list, yes. Medicare and most major plans cover it. We check your benefits before your first session and tell you what to expect.
How much does hyperbaric chamber treatment cost?
For an approved condition, your cost is your normal copay or coinsurance, because Medicare and most insurance plans cover it. We tell you the number before you start. We do not sell sessions for conditions that are not approved.
How long is a hyperbaric session?
About two hours door to door. The pressure rises for about ten minutes, you breathe oxygen for ninety minutes, and it comes back down for ten.
How many sessions will I need?
Most courses are 20 to 40 sessions, one a day, Monday through Friday. Sudden hearing loss is usually shorter. Radiation injury is usually longer.
Does it hurt?
No. You feel pressure in your ears on the way down, like on an airplane, and you clear them the same way. Most people rest or watch TV.
What are the side effects?
Ear pressure is the common one. Temporary nearsightedness can happen over a long course and goes away after. Serious problems are rare and we screen for them at your evaluation.
Do I need a referral?
No. Many patients come from a podiatrist, surgeon, oncologist, or ENT, but you can call us yourself. We will ask for your records after we speak.
Can I drive myself home?
Yes. There is no sedation and nothing that affects driving.
What should I wear?
We give you cotton scrubs. Leave lotions, jewelry, watches, phones, and anything with a battery outside the chamber. We walk you through it the first day.
Where are you located?
Two clinics on Long Island: 290 Community Drive in Great Neck on the North Shore, and 450 Sunrise Highway in Massapequa Park on the South Shore.