This review looked at whether hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) helps people with muscle and joint pain conditions such as fibromyalgia, pain after knee replacement, and pain after nerve surgery. Across 18 studies (mostly high-quality trials with 671 patients), HBOT was usually given for 60–90 minutes per session over several days or weeks, at mild to moderate pressure levels (1.3 - 2.5 ATA) Overall, HBOT consistently reduced pain and led to modest improvements in function and quality of life in people with fibromyalgia and some postoperative pain conditions, and it sometimes improved markers of inflammation. However, results were mixed for short-term problems like post-exercise muscle soreness and acute ligament injuries. The authors conclude that HBOT may be a helpful add-on treatment for certain chronic pain conditions, but the evidence is still limited and better, more standardized studies are needed before it can be widely recommended <view study> Read Less

Radiation therapy saves countless lives, but it can leave a lasting legacy: months or years later, some survivors develop chronic tissue damage in the areas that were treated — painful, slow-healing injuries to bone, bladder, or bowel that standard care struggles to fix. As cancer survival improves and more people live long after treatment, managing these late effects becomes an increasingly important quality-of-life issue. This review, published in a leading cancer journal, is significant for clarifying where HBOT genuinely helps. The strongest evidence was for jawbone damage after head-and-neck radiation (osteoradionecrosis), radiation cystitis (bladder), and radiation proctitis (rectum), where HBOT — typically delivered at 2.0–2.5 ATA for 90–120 minutes, daily, 5 times a week — can promote healing and improve quality of life. For survivors living with these hard-to-treat injuries, it is a well-supported option worth raising with their oncology team. <view study> Read Less

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