Affiliate disclosure: HoneyColony may earn a commission from purchases made through the Oxygen Health Systems links in this article.

You can’t see it, touch it, taste it, or smell it, but oxygen is essential to life. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy brings pressure into the equation. This article explores the history of the treatment, Bill Schindler’s experience with portable chambers, and the questions worth asking before booking a session or considering a home unit.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) — breathing purified oxygen in a pressurized environment — is both yesterday and today’s news. What’s old: The first hyperbaric chamber created in 1662. What’s relatively new: A portable hyperbaric chamber that makes treatment both accessible and affordable. What’s the latest: Practitioners thinking outside the chamber to broaden the scope of HBOT’s reach. Convinced we have not even scratched the surface of HBOT’s healing possibilities, they are determined to prove it.  

Clinical HBOT and Portable Chambers: What’s the Difference?

Pressure, breathing gas and the chamber model matter. Hospital treatment commonly uses higher pressures than portable systems. The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society’s position statement explains that breathing air below 1.4 atmospheres absolute (ATA) does not meet its definition of therapeutic HBOT. Results from a clinical protocol should not automatically be promised for a different home setup.

Chambers of the Past

The first Hyperbaric Chamber — hyper meaning increased, baric meaning pressure — was introduced in 1662 by Hank Henshaw, a British physician and priest who used a system devised of organ bellows and valves to adjust pressure. He called the airtight chamber that looked like a large metal cannister, his domicillium. It functioned solely by adjusting air pressure, as oxygen had not yet been discovered and named. Henshaw discovered that chronic illnesses benefited from reduced pressure while acute diseases responded better to pressure increases.

In the 19th century, European research continued to unlock the benefits of HBOT. As a recommended method of improving blood flow to the brain and eliciting a sense of well-being, it became a fashionable spa treatment. By the late 19th century, Americans joined the party and began to use HBOT to treat neurological disorders. By the 1930s it became — and still is — the go to treatment for decompression sickness in deep sea divers and coal miners. Jump to the 50s and hyperbaric chambers were being used to reduce the side effects of radiation treatment in cancer patients.

The formation of both the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society in 1967 and the International Hyperbarics Association in 1988 further legitimized HBOT. According to Hyperbaric clinic practitioner Bill Schindler, today it is among the top 20 most widely practiced treatments in traditional medicine. Used in hospitals all over the world, it is the gold standard for a specified list of conditions including burns, skin or bone infections that cause tissue death, carbon monoxide poisoning, wound healing especially in diabetics, gangrene, and its original application, decompression sickness or the bends.

But, laments Schindler, that list is outrageously incomplete and an epic waste of an undervalued resource that could change the face of modern medicine. “HBOT is the most misused medical tool in history,” insists Schindler, the owner and director of Hyperbaric PHP (People Helping People), an HBOT clinic in Georgia. “To me it is criminal that we have one of the greatest medical inventions that mankind has ever produced, and because of hospital policy and finances,we are only making it available to a select number of patients for a very select number of conditions.”

It is Schindler’s contention that with hospital HBOT treatments ranging from $600.00 to $2500.00 an hour, the chamber is reserved for conditions that are relatively rare. He feels patients with more common ailments, like strokes, cancer, Alzheimer’s, and autoimmune disorders are being denied access to the chamber’s healing benefits — because the numbers just don’t add up.

From Focusing on Death  to Enhancing Life

In 1999 Schindler worked in a cemetery, doing marketing and sales in Los Angeles. While on a vacation in Georgia, a friend introduced him to the hyperbaric portable chamber world. When asked if he wanted to be an innovator and start one of the first private HBOT clinics — after just four days of discussions — he decided to take the leap of faith.

“I went from dealing with the end of life to saving and extending lives,” he smiles. Fifteen years and 17,000 treatments later, he is still overwhelmed at the power of HBOT to change and enhance a client’s quality of life. “How many people get to hear an autistic child’s first words?” he asks, citing the case of an autistic child for whom other treatment modalities have failed. “There is not a week that goes by that I don’t have tears in my eyes.”

When meeting prospective clients, Schindler always asks whether they think HBOT is alternative or traditional medicine. He is constantly amazed when 99 percent say it’s an alternative therapy that has only been around for a couple of decades. “Hyperbaric medicine has ancient origins,” he explains. “Back in 4500 BC, pearl divers understood the impact of pressure on the human body and its relationship to diving. The concept is literally as old as human history.”

The Miracles That Occur Under Pressure

Under increased pressure, more oxygen can dissolve in the blood plasma and reach tissues. That is the useful principle behind clinical HBOT—not cells filling up and oxygen then overflowing. The pressure and oxygen dose are part of the treatment protocol, rather than interchangeable features of every chamber. Mayo Clinic explains how the treatment works.

The increase in blood flow also decreases inflammation. “One hour in the chamber is equal to 40 Motrin minus the side effects,” says Schindler. “The effect is also cleansing. Oxygen in, toxins out.”

Editor’s clarification: The “40 Motrin” comparison is an interviewee’s description, not an established dose equivalence or a reason to replace prescribed medication.

The invention of the portable chamber has dramatically changed the HBOT conversation. Treatment is now available by prescription in the small clinic environment, or in the privacy of one’s own home. Wider access means a broader spectrum of clients can reap its benefits. Schindler’s client base is diverse and extensive, and besides autistic children and their families, includes stroke victims, cancer patients, Alzheimer’s sufferers, and baby boomers battling Father Time.

“Plastic surgeons recommend HBOT both pre and post surgically for speedier healing,” he says. His roster also includes pro athletes like golfers Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth, and NFL Hall of Famer, Brett Favre, as well as a long list of celebs like actor Donny Wahlberg, Jenny McCarthy, and Usher, who has a chamber at home and one for the road.

A Walk-Through The HBOT Process

So, what are we really talking about here in terms of the actual therapy? According to Schindler, “The whole experience is like zipping into a sleeping bag, as easy for the 2-week-old as the 104 year old.” And he has treated both. With several different sizes, the chamber can accommodate virtually any body type and size. In most cases, the larger chamber, 7 and ½ feet long and 3 feet wide can be shared by two people.  The ambient air goes through a hepa filter to create a sterile environment comparable to a surgical suite. There is also an oxygen concentrator that separates oxygen from nitrogen. A tube runs from the concentrator into the chamber. Clients wear a mask and breathe in the concentrated oxygen, which is between 91 percent and 95 percent pure oxygen, flowing at 10 liters per minute. The chamber also works without the concentrator, but the additional oxygen maximizes the effects of the treatment.

The pressure is set to duplicate 11 feet below sea level. With pressure change similar to an airplane, clients have to clear their ears. Other than that, Schindler invites patients to crawl in and read a book, or lie back, relax, and as Lauryn Hill sings, “Just Breathe.”  

Even the most claustrophobic among us can handle it, he assures. “I’ve definitely had clients who say ‘No way. I’ll never get in there!’ but once they get in they are fine. We keep the light on and make sure they know they can always get out by themselves.”

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: Risks and Screening

The original interview described HBOT as having no side effects. That statement needs correction. Ear and sinus pressure injuries, temporary vision changes and claustrophobia can occur; more serious complications include oxygen-related seizures and lung injury. Mayo Clinic describes the risks. Suitability needs individual medical assessment.

In its August 2025 safety communication, the FDA reported serious injuries and deaths associated with HBOT devices and emphasized fire prevention, trained operators, monitoring and following each manufacturer’s instructions. Do not add oxygen or accessories to a chamber unless the specific system permits them.

Related Product: Molecular Hydrogen

 

A World Of Potential

Schindler expressed strong enthusiasm about broader applications in the original interview, including cancer. Oxygen metabolism has a long research history: Otto Heinrich Warburg received the 1931 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for work on respiratory enzymes. That history does not establish that HBOT cures cancer.

Editor’s update: HBOT can be used for selected tissue damage caused by radiation therapy, which is different from treating the tumor itself. MedlinePlus notes that HBOT has not been cleared or approved to treat cancer, autism, Alzheimer’s disease or Lyme disease. These distinctions concern the evidence and authorized uses; they do not rule out further research. HBOT should not replace a patient’s cancer treatment.

Schindler is optimistic that eventually traditional medicine will acknowledge the virtues of HBOT for a wider range of diseases and conditions. “As more and more doctors are becoming educated, I think we are changing hearts and minds. We have a powerful tool in our possession and now we just need to spread the message so more people can take advantage of it.”

Thinking About Renting or Buying a Hyperbaric Chamber?

Start with the intended use, the exact model and the full cost. The prices and equipment descriptions in this 2017 interview are historical—not current quotations.

• Clinical fit: Ask a qualified clinician which protocol, if any, fits your situation and what evidence applies to that protocol.
• Equipment: Confirm operating pressure in ATA, breathing gas, model-specific clearance and permitted accessories. Ask to see the instructions for use.
• Home requirements: Check space, ventilation, power, access, operator training, supervision and the emergency exit procedure.
• Total cost: Request written purchase and rental quotes including delivery, setup, collection, deposits, cleaning, consumables and financing charges.
• Support: Ask about maintenance intervals, replacement parts, warranty coverage, return terms and service availability where you live.

Explore chamber options at Oxygen Health Systems.

Ask HoneyColony about a chamber: Email Maryam with your location and whether you are considering rental or purchase.

Bill Schindler of Hyperbaric PHP, featured in the original interview, lists (678) 794-5863 as a contact number; the clinic number is (678) 765-7220. Check the company’s contact page and confirm current availability directly. Mention HoneyColony when enquiring. HoneyColony’s current referral terms and tracking arrangements have not been reconfirmed.

Susan Pevaroff Berschler is a busy freelancer specializing in health and wellbeing and committed to helping consumers wade through the maze of health information to make choices that will enhance their lives.

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