Well, yesterday was certainly… interesting! Following my second HBOT session, this time 45 minutes at 2 ATA (atmospheres absolute) with a total of 60 minutes in the chamber breathing approximately 90% oxygen, I’ve been on a bit of a physiological puzzle hunt. Much like many of our clients, I’m trying to decipher exactly what the HBOT is prompting within my body. I even had an audience for my pre-session preparations – Ouzo and Mack, my ever-supportive (and slightly bewildered) dogs, who gave me some serious looks as I prevented them from climbing in with me, clearly wondering why I was going into the metal tube.

Leading up to the session, I could feel that familiar cough brewing in my chest. I was a little apprehensive, wondering if the increased pressure and oxygen would trigger a coughing fit while I was inside the chamber. Incredibly, though, whenever that tell-tale tickle started, a deep breath in through my mouth seemed to completely quell the sensation. It was quite remarkable.

For those of you not familiar with HBOT terminology, 2 ATA means “2 atmospheres absolute.” Normal atmospheric pressure is around 1 ATA. So, being at 2 ATA is the equivalent pressure of diving about 10 meters underwater! It’s like giving your body a super-oxygenated bath, and it really seems to be doing something.

Post-session, I noticed my voice was rather hoarse, a familiar sign for me that there’s likely phlegm needing to be expelled. I made sure to hydrate well, downing at least a litre of water. Around 30 minutes later, some relatively mild coughing did indeed bring up a small amount of phlegm, and thankfully, my voice cleared. The rest of the evening passed without incident, until around 10 pm when that familiar tickle returned. A trusty Yellow Jackman’s sweet seemed to do the trick, and I enjoyed a very peaceful night’s sleep until waking at 5:30 am with a distinct feeling that my throat needed clearing – heavy and sticky are the best words I can find to describe it.

Then came the real surprise. On a short drive to take the dogs for a jog, the inevitable coughing started, and I brought up more phlegm than I feel like I’ve produced in weeks! This continued with a little more coming up while I was jogging, and then another significant amount in the shower afterwards…. today has continued on much like this, with moments of coughing fits and then a clearness for a few hours.

So, what does it all mean? Honestly, your guess is as good as mine! Is the high concentration of oxygen helping to loosen and clear out my lungs? We know that coughing is the body’s natural mechanism for expelling unwanted substances, and clearly, my body feels it has a lot to get rid of. But the persistent question remains: what is producing all this green-tinged gunk if there’s no sign of a bacterial infection, as the doctors have indicated?

It’s fascinating to experience the effects of HBOT so directly and to relate to the questions our clients often have. I’m really intrigued to see how things progress over the next couple of days. I’m hoping to squeeze in another session tomorrow, so I’ll be sure to provide another update on Thursday and share any further noted benefits – or continued mysteries! Stay tuned!