Cognitive function
Identify the tasks affected by brain fog, such as reading, conversation, or sustained attention.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for long COVID
Long COVID research & care · Scottsdale & Glendale, AZ
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for long COVID
Persistent brain fog, fatigue, and reduced activity tolerance deserve a careful, individualized discussion.
RX-O2 offers a physician-led conversation about the evidence, your diagnosis, and the role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in your broader care plan. Our Scottsdale and Glendale teams serve patients across the Phoenix area.
A randomized trial reported improvements in cognition and several persistent symptoms, and newer community research adds encouraging patient-reported findings. Explore what these results could mean for your recovery goals with the RX-O2 team.
Physician-led care in Scottsdale and Glendale, serving the Phoenix area.
Physician-ledIndividual assessment and treatment planning
FDA-cleared chambersMedical hard-shell hyperbaric equipment
100% medical oxygenDelivered through a mask or hood
NHSA-certified techniciansPreparation, monitoring, and communication
The starting point
Long COVID is not one uniform illness
Symptoms after COVID-19 may affect concentration, sleep, energy, breathing, and everyday function. People enrolled in different HBOT studies have not always had the same symptom pattern or illness duration.
An assessment should consider your existing workup, medications, exertional symptoms, and ability to attend repeated visits. A research result for one group cannot determine the right approach for everyone with post-COVID symptoms.
The clinical context matters. If activity causes delayed symptom worsening, tell your care team. Travel and repeated appointments can be demanding, and a plan should account for your tolerance.
Connect the research to your goals
What matters in daily life?
Energy and symptom burden
Track daily function and delayed symptom flares as well as fatigue intensity.
Practical participation
Consider the effort required to attend treatment and whether any benefit would justify that burden.
Your goals help shape the conversation and provide a useful way to follow progress if treatment is prescribed.
Explore the evidence
Long COVID & HBOT research
Explore the findings behind the conversation. These selected publications highlight reported benefits, the patients studied, and the questions researchers are still working to answer.
Literature checked
October 20, 2026
2022 · Randomized, sham-controlled trial
A 40-session sham-controlled trial reported benefits
Zilberman-Itskovich S, et al. Scientific reports. 07/12/2022.
Read the publicationA 2022 trial of 73 patients reported improvement in several cognitive and symptom measures after a 40-session course compared with sham treatment.
How to interpret it: The selected population and short initial follow-up limit generalization. The positive result must be considered alongside later negative controlled trials.
2026 · Community pilot study
A 2026 community pilot
Gale N, et al. British journal of nursing (Mark Allen Publishing). 06/18/2026.
Read the publicationParticipants completing a community HBOT program reported improvements in fatigue, breathlessness, and quality of life. The study also highlighted attendance burden.
How to interpret it: This was a pilot without a randomized control group. Completer outcomes can overstate what all patients might experience.
2025 · Randomized, placebo-controlled trial
A 2025 placebo-controlled trial found no clear advantage
D'hoore L, et al. Diving and hyperbaric medicine. 06/30/2025.
Read the publicationA trial involving 101 patients compared different oxygen and pressure exposures over 10 sessions. It found no significant differences between groups in symptoms, function, or cognitive outcomes.
How to interpret it: This finding applies to the tested courses. It neither proves all HBOT ineffective nor establishes that a longer course would work.
What this means for your decision
Positive findings in cognition, energy, and quality of life give patients and clinicians a reason to explore HBOT. Some controlled studies have found no added benefit, so ongoing research remains essential. A consultation connects that evolving evidence with your symptom pattern, activity tolerance, and priorities.
Plan with your care team
Start with your diagnosis and a coordinated plan
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Share the relevant records
Bring your post-COVID assessments, relevant cardiac or respiratory testing, current treatment plan, and a description of symptom changes after activity.
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Agree on the purpose of treatment
Review the evidence with your treating specialist and hyperbaric clinician. Identify specific outcomes to follow, the alternatives, and the reasons HBOT may or may not be appropriate.
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Set reassessment points
If treatment is prescribed, discuss the schedule, travel, costs, safety screening, and how progress will be reviewed. A published study schedule does not determine an individual prescription.
Your consultation is an opportunity to ask about expected benefits, treatment experience, scheduling, costs, and follow-up. We review suitability with you and coordinate with your treating clinicians when appropriate.
The RX-O2 difference
A team and setting you can get to know
Medical oversight from the start
Medical Director Marvin A. Borsand, DO, FACOS, FACCS, HCC, leads clinical oversight. A licensed medical provider reviews suitability and prescribes treatment when appropriate.
Medical hyperbaric equipment
Our clinics use FDA-cleared hard-shell chambers. You breathe 100% medical oxygen through a mask or hood while the chamber is pressurized with air.
Preparation and communication
NHSA-certified hyperbaric technicians explain the visit and monitor treatment. Tell us about ear pressure, positioning, mobility, or confinement concerns before you arrive.
Before your visit
Long COVID FAQs
What benefits have long COVID studies reported?
A sham-controlled trial reported improvements in cognitive performance and several symptom measures. Community research also describes improvements in fatigue and quality of life. Because results differ across studies, an individual assessment is essential.
Can HBOT cure long COVID?
No reliable evidence establishes a cure. Some people in research studies improved, while other controlled studies found no added benefit.
Is this the same as treatment for acute COVID pneumonia?
No. Long COVID concerns persistent symptoms after infection. Severe acute respiratory illness requires its own urgent medical assessment and treatment.
Where can I discuss this research near Phoenix?
RX-O2 has clinics in Scottsdale and Glendale. Bring your records or ask your provider to send a referral so that the team can review your circumstances and explain whether an outpatient consultation is appropriate.
Local care, two Valley locations
Explore HBOT in Scottsdale or Glendale
Looking for a hyperbaric consultation near Phoenix? RX-O2 offers two locations for patients across the Valley. Call the clinic closest to you for appointment availability and help planning repeat visits.
RX-O2 Scottsdale
9035 E Pima Center Parkway #11Scottsdale, AZ 85258
An East Valley option for patients in Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Fountain Hills, and nearby communities.
RX-O2 Glendale
5626 N 51st AvenueGlendale, AZ 85301
A West Valley option for patients in Glendale, Peoria, Phoenix, and nearby communities.
Take the next step toward a personalized plan
You do not have to interpret the research alone. Meet with our Scottsdale or Glendale team to discuss your goals, ask questions, and explore whether HBOT is right for you.
Sources & further reading
- Zilberman-Itskovich S, et al. Scientific reports. 07/12/2022. A 40-session sham-controlled trial reported benefits.
- Gale N, et al. British journal of nursing (Mark Allen Publishing). 06/18/2026. A 2026 community pilot.
- D'hoore L, et al. Diving and hyperbaric medicine. 06/30/2025. A 2025 placebo-controlled trial found no clear advantage.
Browse the complete HBOT research library · Learn how HBOT works
Selected research checked October 20, 2026. Evidence continues to evolve. This educational overview supports a conversation with your treating clinician; individual results vary.
Read HBOT safety and treatment FAQs. Discuss treatment risks, medicines, implants, and relevant medical history with your clinician. Equipment clearance does not establish effectiveness for every condition.