Hyperbaric therapy is a relatively new treatment for fibromyalgia. However, initial studies seem to illustrate that hyperbaric therapy has a positive effect on the symptoms of fibromyalgia, including muscle pain and tender points. Symptoms of fibromyalgia are chronic, widespread pain and tenderness to the touch. Typically there is also moderate to severe fatigue. Those affected may also experience heightened sensitivity of the skin, tingling of the skin (often needle-like), achiness in the muscles, prolonged muscle spasms, weakness in the limbs, and nerve pain. Chronic sleep disturbances are also characteristic of fibromyalgia.
Hyperbaric oxygen is used to treat all conditions which benefit from increased tissue oxygen availability and infections where oxygen can be used for its antibiotic properties, either as the primary therapy, or in conjunction with other drugs.