A new study conducted by Aviv Clinics in collaboration with the Sagol Center at Shamir Medical Center and Weizmann Institute examines hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) as a biologically based treatment for long-term post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The research focused on 56 male veterans with chronic PTSD who had not responded adequately to standard treatments.
According to the company, HBOT promotes neuroplasticity and alleviates symptoms in individuals with PTSD. The study found that veterans who achieved a 35% or greater improvement by the end of HBOT continued to improve even after the treatment ended. Those with less than 35% improvement did not sustain benefits.
PTSD, which affects a large number of veterans and is often resistant to treatment, includes symptoms such as intrusive memories, avoidance, changes in cognition and mood, and hypervigilance. The company claims its HBOT protocol—using cycles of high oxygen levels under pressure with fluctuating oxygen exposure (the hyperoxic-hypoxic paradox)—helps repair damaged brain tissue.
Aviv Clinics operates this protocol in The Villages, Florida. The company said the findings highlight the potential of HBOT to provide sustained relief for PTSD sufferers by crossing a threshold of improvement that triggers ongoing healing processes.
