Brain Fog and Long COVID: Could HBOT Offer Relief?

Brain fog refers to difficulty concentrating, memory lapses, and a general sense that your thinking is slower than it should be. While stress and poor sleep can cause these symptoms, Long COVID has made them far more common. Many people who recovered from COVID-19 months ago still experience cognitive effects that interfere with work and daily life.

Why Long COVID Affects the Brain

Researchers are still working to understand why COVID-19 leaves cognitive symptoms behind. The leading theories point to persistent inflammation, reduced blood flow to the brain, and cellular damage that lingers after the virus itself is gone.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) addresses several of these mechanisms directly. By breathing pure oxygen at elevated pressure, your blood plasma becomes saturated with oxygen, delivering it to tissues that normal circulation struggles to reach, including oxygen-hungry brain cells.

How HBOT Supports Cognitive Recovery

HBOT has demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects across multiple studies. Neuroinflammation, the persistent brain inflammation associated with Long COVID, disrupts how neurons communicate. Reducing this inflammation can improve the signaling that underlies focus and memory.

The therapy also promotes vasodilation, widening blood vessels to improve cerebral blood flow. Long COVID appears to involve microvascular dysfunction, where the smallest blood vessels fail to deliver adequate oxygen. HBOT helps compensate by dissolving oxygen directly into plasma, bypassing compromised circulation.

Beyond reducing inflammation and improving blood flow, HBOT stimulates the release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein critical for neuroplasticity. This supports the brain's ability to form new connections and repair damaged tissue.

What to Expect at OxyRenew

Our hard-shell chamber in Los Angeles operates at 2.0 ATA, the pressure level where these therapeutic effects become significant. Unlike soft-shell chambers that max out around 1.3 ATA, our chamber delivers the oxygen saturation needed to reach deep tissues and support meaningful recovery.

Sessions are private and comfortable. You can sit upright or recline, use your phone, watch something on our courtesy iPad, or simply rest. Your Certified Hyperbaric Technician monitors the entire session and can answer questions before, during, or after.

HBOT works best as part of a broader treatment plan. We encourage you to discuss it with your physician, especially if you are managing Long COVID symptoms. If your doctor recommends HBOT, or you want to learn whether it fits your situation, contact us to speak directly with a Certified Hyperbaric Technician, or book your first session online.