FDA-Approved Conditions for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Trusted HBOT Treatments Available in Fargo, ND
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has been used in modern medicine for over a century—and for good reason. By delivering 100% oxygen in a pressurized chamber, HBOT enhances the body’s natural healing abilities, particularly in areas where oxygen flow has been compromised. Today, HBOT is recognized across the medical field as a proven treatment for a growing number of health conditions, including many that are covered by insurance.
At Healing with Hyperbarics, we stay at the forefront of ongoing research to expand how HBOT can help patients heal. While we’re seeing powerful, real-life results for emerging conditions like concussions, PTSD, and post-COVID symptoms, these are still being studied and are not yet FDA-approved indications.
What Does It Mean for a Condition to Be FDA-Approved?
FDA approval means that a condition has undergone extensive medical research and clinical trials confirming that HBOT is both safe and effective for treating it. These indications are widely accepted in the medical community and are most often covered by Medicare, TRICARE, and private insurance plans.
In the sections below, you’ll find a full list of FDA-approved conditions, along with a breakdown of how HBOT works and why it’s often used as a critical part of treatment for chronic wounds, infections, and life-threatening complications.
What Is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?
How HBOT Works
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy involves breathing 100% medical-grade oxygen inside a chamber pressurized to levels higher than normal atmospheric pressure. This increased pressure allows oxygen to dissolve more efficiently into the bloodstream—especially into areas of the body that are inflamed, injured, or oxygen-deprived.
This boost in oxygen supply helps to:
Promote angiogenesis (the growth of new blood vessels)
Reduce chronic inflammation
Stimulate collagen production and tissue regeneration
Improve immune response
Accelerate wound and bone healing
In short: HBOT delivers oxygen where the body needs it most, speeding recovery and restoring function at the cellular level.
Why FDA Approval Matters
In the world of healthcare, FDA approval matters—especially when it comes to insurance coverage, safety, and clinical credibility. For an HBOT indication to be FDA-approved, there must be substantial clinical evidence showing that the treatment improves outcomes for a specific condition. These approvals make it easier for patients to access care, especially when working with Medicare or private insurance providers.
It’s important to note: while only certain conditions are FDA-approved, many others are showing strong outcomes in ongoing clinical studies. At Healing with Hyperbarics, we offer treatment for both FDA-approved and research-supported conditions—and we’re happy to help you understand your options.
Full List of FDA-Approved Indications for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) currently recognizes the following medical conditions as approved indications for hyperbaric oxygen therapy. At Healing with Hyperbarics in Fargo, ND, we regularly treat several of these conditions and can help determine whether HBOT is right for your situation.
Note: Coverage varies by insurance provider and plan. Contact our team to verify your benefits and discuss eligibility.
Post-Radiation Tissue Damage (Soft Tissue & Bone)
Radiation therapy for cancer can lead to progressive damage in nearby healthy tissue. This delayed injury may not appear until months or even years after treatment ends. HBOT is FDA-approved to treat these conditions by improving circulation, reducing inflammation, and stimulating tissue repair.
Common post-radiation conditions treated with HBOT include:
Osteoradionecrosis – Bone damage, especially in the jaw, due to radiation to the head or neck area. Often presents as exposed or infected bone and poor healing after dental procedures.
Radiation Cystitis – Bladder damage caused by pelvic radiation that can lead to urinary urgency, bleeding, and pain.
Radiation Proctitis – Inflammation and damage in the rectum or colon following pelvic or abdominal radiation, often causing pain, bleeding, or bowel urgency.
Soft Tissue Radiation Injury – Generalized damage to the skin, muscle, or tissue in the treated area, resulting in chronic pain, tightness, swelling, or slow-healing wounds.
Want to learn more about how HBOT supports recovery from radiation damage?
Non-Healing Wounds (including Diabetic Foot Ulcers)
Chronic wounds that fail to heal—especially in patients with diabetes—are among the most common FDA-approved uses of HBOT. These may include diabetic foot ulcers, venous stasis ulcers, and arterial insufficiency ulcers, which are often resistant to conventional treatments.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy increases oxygen delivery to the wound site, stimulates the growth of new blood vessels (angiogenesis), reduces swelling and infection risk, and accelerates the healing process. It’s typically used as an adjunctive therapy alongside conventional wound care, supporting tissue repair from the inside out.
Learn how HBOT can help heal chronic wounds and prevent long-term complications.
Thermal Burns
Severe burns—whether caused by heat, chemical exposure, or extreme cold (frostbite)—can result in rapid tissue destruction, intense inflammation, and high risk of infection. These injuries often require aggressive care to prevent further damage and promote healing.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy helps preserve tissue at risk, improve oxygen delivery to the affected area, reduce swelling, support new blood vessel formation (angiogenesis), and strengthen the immune response. HBOT is FDA-approved for treating thermal burns and is often used in conjunction with surgical or wound care to accelerate recovery and reduce complications.
Compromised Skin Grafts & Flaps
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is an FDA-approved treatment for compromised skin grafts and flaps, often used after plastic, reconstructive, or orthopedic surgery. When a graft or flap struggles to heal due to poor blood flow, trauma, or improper handling, HBOT delivers oxygen-rich plasma deep into the tissue—reducing tissue death, improving graft viability, and supporting long-term recovery.
At Healing with Hyperbarics in Fargo, ND, our physician-led team regularly treats patients recovering from procedures like breast reconstruction, skin cancer removal, and joint surgeries. By stimulating blood vessel growth and minimizing inflammation, HBOT can significantly improve healing outcomes when complications arise.
Note: Insurance coverage depends on your specific plan and whether the surgery was also covered—contact Healing with Hyperbarics (Fargo, ND) to verify your benefits.
Refractory Osteomyelitis (Chronic Bone Infections)
Osteomyelitis is a serious bone infection that can be difficult to treat—especially when it becomes refractory, meaning it doesn’t respond to standard therapies like antibiotics. In these cases, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is FDA-approved as an adjunctive treatment to help control and eliminate the infection.
HBOT works by flooding the bloodstream with oxygen-rich plasma, which penetrates infected bone, enhances the body’s natural immune response, and promotes new blood vessel growth in areas with poor circulation. This oxygen boost helps antibiotics work more effectively and accelerates bone regeneration and healing.
At Healing with Hyperbarics, we help patients with chronic or post-surgical bone infections reduce inflammation, fight infection, and prevent long-term complications.
Crush Injuries & Acute Traumatic Ischemias
Severe injuries—such as crush injuries, compartment syndrome, or acute traumatic ischemia—can cut off blood supply to muscles, nerves, and tissue. This lack of oxygen can lead to tissue death, infection, or even limb loss if not treated quickly and effectively.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is FDA-approved to help restore oxygen to compromised tissue, reduce swelling, and improve circulation after traumatic injuries. By increasing oxygen availability in areas of poor blood flow, HBOT supports the body’s ability to preserve tissue, fight infection, and recover more fully from trauma.
At Healing with Hyperbarics, we work closely with surgeons and trauma teams to support patients recovering from accidents, crush injuries, or other traumatic wounds.
Other FDA-Approved Emergent Conditions Treated
While Healing with Hyperbarics focuses on outpatient care, it’s important to note that hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is also FDA-approved for several emergency conditions typically treated in hospitals. These conditions require immediate, intensive intervention and are often managed in trauma centers or acute care facilities with 24/7 care.
Here are additional FDA-approved indications for HBOT:
Air or Gas Embolism
An air or gas embolism occurs when bubbles enter the bloodstream and block blood flow to vital organs, leading to serious or life-threatening complications. These embolisms can develop during surgeries, catheter procedures, or scuba diving accidents. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is FDA-approved for treating gas embolisms by rapidly shrinking the bubbles, enhancing absorption, and restoring oxygen-rich circulation to affected tissues.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning occurs when CO gas displaces oxygen in the bloodstream, leading to oxygen deprivation in vital organs. Symptoms range from headache and dizziness to confusion, unconsciousness, and even death. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is an FDA-approved, first-line treatment that rapidly removes CO from the blood, restores oxygen to tissues, and reduces the risk of long-term brain or heart damage. It’s commonly used in emergencies involving smoke inhalation or exposure to faulty heating systems.
Gas Gangrene (Clostridial Myositis & Myonecrosis)
Gas gangrene is a rare but severe bacterial infection caused by Clostridium bacteria, which rapidly destroy muscle tissue and release harmful toxins. It often develops after trauma, surgery, or in people with underlying conditions like diabetes. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is FDA-approved for treating gas gangrene. By flooding the affected tissue with high levels of oxygen, HBOT inhibits the growth of anaerobic bacteria, enhances the effectiveness of antibiotics, and supports the body’s natural healing response.
Decompression Sickness (“The Bends”)
Decompression sickness—commonly known as “the bends”—occurs when dissolved gases like nitrogen come out of solution and form bubbles in the bloodstream. This painful and potentially dangerous condition typically affects scuba divers or individuals exposed to sudden changes in altitude. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is the gold standard treatment for decompression sickness. It rapidly reduces the size of nitrogen bubbles, minimizes tissue damage, and helps the body safely eliminate excess gases, relieving symptoms and restoring normal function.
Severe Anemia or Blood Loss
Severe anemia occurs when the body lacks enough red blood cells or hemoglobin to carry oxygen efficiently—often due to trauma, surgery, or medical conditions. When blood transfusions aren’t available or medically feasible, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) can serve as a short-term alternative. FDA-approved for this indication, HBOT delivers high concentrations of oxygen that dissolve directly into the plasma, increasing oxygen saturation and supporting vital organ function until a transfusion becomes possible.
Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections
Necrotizing soft tissue infections—commonly referred to as flesh-eating bacterial infections—are aggressive and life-threatening conditions that cause rapid tissue destruction. These infections require immediate medical intervention, typically combining surgery, antibiotics, and FDA-approved hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). Some bacteria cannot survive in oxygen-rich environments; HBOT increases oxygen levels in the tissue, helping to kill the bacteria, limit the spread of infection, and support the body’s immune response and healing process.
Intracranial Abscesses
Intracranial abscesses are infections that form pockets of pus within the brain tissue, often resulting from severe infections elsewhere in the body or after surgery or trauma. These abscesses can cause pressure, swelling, and life-threatening complications if not treated effectively. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is FDA-approved as an adjunctive treatment for intracranial abscesses, helping to enhance the effectiveness of antibiotics, reduce inflammation, and improve oxygen delivery to infected brain tissue—supporting the body’s ability to heal and recover.
Have Questions About an HBOT Condition?
Not sure if your condition qualifies for treatment at Healing with Hyperbarics? We’re happy to guide you through your options.
Call us at 701.251.0336
Email us at info@healingwithhyperbarics.com.
Insurance Coverage for FDA-Approved HBOT
At Healing with Hyperbarics in Fargo, ND, we understand navigating insurance coverage can feel overwhelming. We’re here to help.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is FDA-approved for several medical conditions, and this approval typically means coverage by Medicare, TRICARE, and most private insurance plans. (Medicaid is not currently accepted at our clinic.) However, coverage varies depending on your condition and individual insurance policy.
Our experienced staff works directly with your insurance provider to:
Verify your benefits
Determine if prior authorization is required
Submit any necessary documentation on your behalf
We’ll walk you through every step, so you can focus on healing—not paperwork.
Wondering If HBOT Can Help Your Condition?
While hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is FDA-approved for several conditions, it’s also showing remarkable results for many others. At Healing with Hyperbarics, we provide physician-led HBOT treatment for a variety of research-supported, non-FDA approved conditions—especially those related to inflammation, injury recovery, and neurological health.
We commonly treat patients with:
Stroke Recovery
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Don’t see your condition listed? Explore our full list of HBOT treatments.
No referral is needed—just reach out to learn if HBOT could support your healing journey.
At Healing with Hyperbarics, we believe no one should have to navigate recovery alone. Whether your condition is FDA-approved or still being studied, we’re here to explore every option and walk with you toward lasting healing.