Breathe Better, Feel Better
Local Women editor Kim Kelly tries a Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy session at O2 North West in Coleraine and feels the difference almost instantly.
After weeks of feeling unwell following a bout of Covid, I was still struggling. Breathless, hoarse and constantly tired, I just couldn’t seem to shake it off.
So, when Andy from O2 North West in Coleraine suggested I try a Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy session, I was more than willing to give it a go.
I’d never done anything like it before, but I thought – if it can help me breathe again, it’s worth a shot.
When I arrived at the clinic, Andy talked me through the process and made me feel completely at ease.
The chamber itself looks a little like a cosy chair inside a tent-like pod.
You sit comfortably, pop in a mask, and let the chamber do the work.
The first ten minutes are for compression, and after that, your session begins properly.
It’s all very relaxing. The temperature is comfortable, the atmosphere is peaceful, and for the first time in days, I felt calm.
I scrolled on my phone for a bit, then curled up and drifted off to sleep.
You’re in there for around an hour and a half, breathing in concentrated oxygen under increased pressure.
The final few minutes involved decompression again and I could feel my ears popping slightly, just like being on a plane – and that was it.
No pain, no fuss, no side effects.
But the results? Immediate.
I could breathe more deeply, my chest felt lighter, and the constant hoarseness in my voice started to shift.
That afternoon, I had the deepest nap I’ve had in weeks, and that night, I slept soundly for the first time in ages.
Since then, I’ve been sleeping better, breathing easier and generally feeling more like myself again.
Even my skin looked brighter. I had more colour and felt like I looked fresher.
To be honest, I think this is something everyone should try at least once and ideally, make part of your monthly wellbeing routine.
It’s completely painless, surprisingly enjoyable, and has so many benefits for your body, from clearer skin to boosted immunity and faster recovery from illness or injury.
So, what exactly is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?
In simple terms, it’s a treatment where you breathe high purity oxygen in a pressurised chamber.
That higher pressure means your body can absorb far more oxygen than normal, which speeds up healing, reduces inflammation and helps fight infection.
It’s commonly used for everything from wound healing and serious infections to post-surgery recovery, carbon monoxide poisoning and even radiation damage.
For me, it was about recovering from long Covid symptoms and it honestly worked.
I’d recommend it to anyone feeling run down, recovering from illness or just wanting to give their system a boost.
Sometimes the best thing you can do is breathe, deeply, fully, and with the help of a little science!
O2 North West – Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
📍 Beresford Business Centre, 2 Beresford Road, Coleraine, BT52 1GE
📞 07376 852 392
✉️ info@o2nw.com | 🌐 www.o2nw.co.uk
Instagram: @o2northwest | Facebook: O2 North West
