For many athletes, both professional and amateur, coping with chronic pain can feel like a constant battle. Regardless of whether you joined a recreational volleyball league or play baseball at the national level, sports injuries can detract from the activities you enjoy most.
Fortunately, treatments like Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) at Lume can help you recover faster. By providing the body with increased oxygen levels, HBOT has helped countless athletes reduce inflammation and achieve peak performance.
Continue reading to learn how our Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber near Lincoln Park Chicago enhances the body’s natural healing processes. Ready to speak with one of our experts? Visit our website to schedule your athletic consultation.
What is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy uses a private pressurized chamber to deliver concentrated oxygen to the body. Among many other health benefits, HBOT’s increased oxygen levels prompt the body’s healing response to reduce inflammation.
At the right levels, oxygen can help the body withstand infection and restore damaged tissues. However, the regular air we breathe on a daily basis contains just 21% oxygen—a level far below the concentration needed to unlock many of oxygen’s healing benefits.
To give your lungs greater access to that powerful oxygen, we pressurize the Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber near Lincoln Park Chicago to levels higher than the normal atmosphere, with a very high concentration of oxygen (around 95%). These pressurized, higher levels allow the lungs to gather more oxygen than they could outside the chamber.
Lume offers Chicago’s only custom-built steel Hyperbaric Oxygen Chambers. Unlike typical “soft-shell” or “mild” HBOT chambers that max out below the threshold for therapeutic benefit, Lume’s chambers unlock maximum oxygen absorption at the cellular level.
How does HBOT promote athletic recovery?
Between nagging aches, concussions, and low energy levels, our favorite sports can take a toll on our well-being. This can feel especially true for professional athletes, who must remain in peak physical condition to perform their best.
Fortunately, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy at Lume can alleviate injuries and fatigue so you can return to your training plan. With regular treatment sessions in our Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber, you can recover more quickly and efficiently.
Here’s a breakdown of how Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy can help you get back into top shape.
Supports Tissue Repair
Many injuries damage the body’s blood vessels, which leak fluid into the tissues and cause swelling. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy provides the blood with enough oxygen to restore damaged tissue, accelerating the healing process and helping perform at your best.
Repairable tissues range from wounds where the skin breaks to crush injuries that occur when trauma forces pressure onto a body part.
Fights Against Infection
Have you ever gotten sick immediately after a long race? Though the physical and mental stress associated with demanding races can often weaken the immune system, our Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber in Lincoln Park Chicago can help you finish strong and recover stronger.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy improves the white blood cells’ ability to find and destroy invading bacteria. This reaction strengthens the immune system and prevents illness from affecting your body after you cross the finish line.
Reduces Inflammation
Excessive inflammation and swelling hinder the healing process by reducing blood flow to injured tissues. When left untreated, inflammation can become chronic, leading to a variety of other health concerns, including:
- Fever
- Joint pain
- Weight fluctuations
- Frequent infections
- Rashes
- Gastrointestinal issues
By increasing blood and oxygen flow to injuries, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy breaks the cycle of swelling and tissue death. Decreasing inflammation also reduces fatigue and increases energy levels, helping you perform better than before.
Additional HBOT Health Benefits
Along with increasing athletic performance and enhancing recovery, our wellness specialists frequently recommend Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy to treat the following health concerns:
- Altitude sickness – Helps the body adjust to higher altitudes by protecting the blood-brain barrier and preventing brain edema.
- Concussion – Alleviates headaches and reduces inflammation associated with concussions.
- Long COVID – Reduces inflammation in the lungs while alleviating chest pain and shortness of breath.
- Heart disease – Decreases plaque buildup within the arteries to increase beats per minute.
- Mold toxicity – Strengthens the immune system while improving the body’s response to antifungal medications.
We recommend scheduling a consultation with one of our providers to learn how our Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber near Lincoln Park Chicago can address your wellness needs.
Who’s not a good candidate for HBOT?
Though Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy has helped countless Lume guests make a full athletic recovery, this revolutionary treatment is not ideal for everyone. We recommend consulting your provider on alternative treatments if you have:
- Lung disease or a collapsed lung
- A cold, fever, or the flu
- An ear injury
- Recently undergone ear surgery
- Claustrophobia
The HBOT Treatment Process at Lume
Once you arrive at the Lume office for your Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy treatment session, one of our wellness specialists checks you in and leads you back to your private chamber.
We may recommend regular or extended sessions in our Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber near Lincoln Park Chicago. We can also customize your chamber pressure to reach anywhere from 1.5 to 3.0 ATA, depending on your specific health concerns. You may need a doctor’s note to schedule a treatment session at our higher chamber pressures.
HBOT treatment sessions take 60 to 90 minutes to complete. Your provider also checks in with you throughout your appointment to ensure you properly adjust to the increased pressure.
Most guests describe Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy as a relaxing experience that serves an escape from their busy schedules. During your treatment, you can nap, meditate, scroll on your phone, or watch Netflix on one of our iPads. We also provide complimentary beverages once your treatment ends.
HBOT Results
Your recommended number of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy sessions varies based on your unique health needs, but most guests undergo anywhere from 5 to 10 treatments.
Athletes who want to focus on health and maintenance often see noticeable results in as little as 5 treatment sessions. Athletes with concussions or more severe injuries typically come in 5 days in a row, and then follow that initial series with additional maintenance sessions.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy works cumulatively, meaning the more often you come in for treatments, the better the results. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy also doesn’t require downtime, so you can get back to your training plan immediately after treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have some unanswered questions about Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy? Here are some additional details to inform your treatment decision.
Is HBOT safe?
Yes, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is a safe recovery option when monitored by a trained professional.
We recommend reaching out to your provider if you have any additional safety concerns regarding our Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber in Lincoln Park Chicago.
Are there any side effects associated with HBOT?
Though widely regarded as a safe and effective treatment, there are some mild side effects associated with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. Alert your Lume provider and stop treatment immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms:
- Ear pain
- Sinus pressure
- Nose bleeds
- Changes in sight
- Low blood sugar
- Difficulty breathing
- Severe headache
Does insurance cover HBOT?
Though some policies may cover Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for medical reasons, Lume does not accept insurance. However, we provide guests with a variety of financing options, so you can receive the treatments you need. These payment plans include:
- Cherry – Allows guests to choose from a variety of flexible payment options with no hard credit checks or hidden fees.
- Care Credit – Offers special financing options and no upfront costs—all with an easy application process.
We also offer Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy package discounts to make your treatment plan more accessible.
Can I combine HBOT with other treatments?
Yes! We encourage guests to pair Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy with other wellness treatments to speed up their athletic performance recovery. Some of these treatments include:
- NAD+ IV Therapy – Treats everything from fatigue to poor metabolism to cognitive dysfunction with essential NAD+ vitamins.
- Lymphatic Compression Suit – Helps the body eliminate fluid waste via the lymphatic system. Also reduces swelling and inflammation.
- Massage – Relaxes tense muscles using pressure and advanced techniques to aid in recovery. Can include cupping and CBD oil.
- Cryotherapy – Boosts your immune system and reduces inflammation using extreme cold temperatures. Also can treat chronic pain.
- Infrared Sauna – Detoxes the body and soothes sore muscles using infrared waves. Experience includes soft robes, complementary hair dryers, and more.
- Exomind – Uses transcranial magnetic stimulation to increase mental clarity. Also improves focus and self-control.
- Vitamin Shots – Strengthen your immune system using powerful antioxidants. Athletes wanting an energy boost love our B12 injections.
We also offer Exosome IV Therapy, which delivers essential growth factors and proteins to the body to promote a healthy recovery. Consulting your wellness specialist can help you discover which additional treatments best suit your wellness needs.
Schedule Your Treatment Session
At Lume, we believe all of our guests have the ability to achieve their athletic goals. Whether you’re just getting into running or have scheduled your fifth marathon, our Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber in Lincoln Park Chicago can enhance your training plan.
Compete better. Recover fully. Visit our website to schedule your first Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy session.
Want to learn more about muscle recovery at Lume? Head over to our blog for more information.
