ANZHMG statement on the administration of mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy

'Mild' hyperbaric therapy (MHT) and hyperbaric oxygen therapy are easily confused. Essentially the difference lies in the effective oxygen dose. Oxygen is an extremely useful and efficacious drug in a wide range of medical conditions. MHT does not typically provide more available oxygen to the body than is possible with oxygen administration at one atmosphere (sea level), and there is no known therapeutic benefit of mild compression alone. There is, therefore, no documented, biologically plausible evidence for the use of MHT over delivery of oxygen by a simple facemask at one atmosphere of pressure. MHT is advocated for a wide range of clinical conditions, in particular for chronic neurological conditions and as part of a suite of 'wellbeing' therapies. The Australia and New Zealand Hyperbaric Medicine Group, a standing sub-committee of the South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society, is not aware of any reliable clinical evidence for therapeutic benefit from mild hyperbaric therapy and does not recommend the use of this modality for any medical purpose.