Long COVID Is Real.
Effective Treatment Is
Now Available in NZ.
MSQ Health offers Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) — one of the most clinically studied interventions for Long COVID in New Zealand. Drug-free, no side effects, and targeted directly at the underlying mechanisms driving your symptoms: microvascular damage, neuroinflammation, and brain hypoxia.
Drug-Free & No Side Effects
Sit-Down Chamber — 2.0 Atmospheres
Clinically Studied for Long COVID
Book Your Long COVID Consultation
Tell us what you’re experiencing — our team will build the right HBOT protocol for you to help you get back to your best.
Clinically Studied for Long COVID
Drug-Free & No Side Effects
Sit-Down Chamber – 2.0 Atmospheres
~ 40-60 Sessions for Full Benefit
Available Across New Zealand
Long COVID in New Zealand — The Numbers
Long COVID is affecting almost 200,000 New Zealanders (RNZ – 7 Apr 2026) — and the public health system has few answers. These numbers explain why HBOT has become the most evidence-backed treatment option available.
~200,000
New Zealanders are reported to have developed Long COVID symptoms lasting more than 12 weeks
73%
of Long COVID patients in clinical trials reported significant cognitive improvement after a course of HBOT
2.0 ATA
Atmospheric pressure used in MSQ Health’s HBOT chambers — the clinically validated therapeutic level
0
Systemic side effects from HBOT — drug-free, non-invasive, and safe for most patients
MSQ Health
"Long COVID isn't in your head. It has a measurable biological cause — and HBOT addresses it directly."
MSQ Health · Part of the SEQURE Group
Micro-
Neuro-
40-60
10-20
Understanding Long COVID
What Is Long COVID — and Why Is It So Hard to Treat?
Long COVID (also called Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2, or PASC) occurs when COVID-19 symptoms persist — or new symptoms develop — beyond 12 weeks after initial infection. It affects an estimated 10–30% of people who contract COVID-19, regardless of how severe their initial illness was.
The underlying cause is now well understood: COVID-19 damages the tiny blood vessels (microvasculature) throughout the body and brain, creating areas of chronic hypoxia (oxygen deprivation) and neuroinflammation. This is precisely what HBOT is designed to address — by flooding tissue with oxygen at elevated pressure, reaching areas that normal blood flow can no longer adequately supply.
Long COVID is a real, measurable biological condition — not psychological
Caused by microvascular damage and neuroinflammation — both targets of HBOT
HBOT is one of the most studied interventions for Long COVID globally
Drug-free and non-invasive — safe alongside other treatments
Clinical trials show significant improvements in cognition, energy, and quality of life
Available at MSQ Health across New Zealand — in weeks, not months
Brain Fog & Cognitive Dysfunction
One of the most common and disabling Long COVID symptoms — difficulty thinking, remembering, concentrating, and processing information. Caused by neuroinflammation and reduced cerebral blood flow. HBOT directly increases oxygen delivery to affected brain regions and reduces neuroinflammation, with clinical trials showing significant cognitive improvements across a treatment course.
Crushing Fatigue & Post-Exertional Malaise
Long COVID fatigue is unlike normal tiredness — it’s a deep, systemic exhaustion that doesn’t improve with rest and worsens dramatically with exertion (post-exertional malaise). Caused by mitochondrial dysfunction and tissue hypoxia, it responds to HBOT’s ability to restore aerobic metabolism in oxygen-deprived cells.
Breathlessness & Reduced Exercise Tolerance
Persistent breathlessness after COVID-19 — even in patients with no lung damage — is driven by microvascular dysfunction in pulmonary tissue. HBOT promotes new blood vessel formation (angiogenesis) and reduces pulmonary inflammation, improving oxygenation capacity and exercise tolerance over a treatment course.
Heart Palpitations & Autonomic Dysfunction
Racing heart, postural tachycardia (POTS), dizziness on standing, and temperature dysregulation are common Long COVID presentations caused by autonomic nervous system damage. HBOT supports autonomic nervous system recovery through neuroplasticity and reduced neuroinflammation.
Muscle Pain, Weakness & Joint Aches
Widespread muscle pain, weakness, and joint aches persist in many Long COVID patients long after the acute infection. Driven by inflammatory cytokines and microvascular damage to muscle tissue, these symptoms respond to HBOT’s powerful anti-inflammatory and tissue-regeneration effects.
Anxiety, Depression & Mood Changes
Neuroinflammation directly affects mood regulation — depression and anxiety are extremely common in Long COVID and are not simply a reaction to illness. HBOT reduces neuroinflammation and supports neuroplasticity, with meaningful improvements in mood, anxiety, and emotional regulation reported across clinical studies.
Sleep Disturbance
Disrupted sleep — including insomnia, unrefreshing sleep, and altered sleep architecture — is a hallmark of Long COVID and significantly worsens all other symptoms. HBOT’s effects on neuroinflammation and autonomic regulation contribute to meaningful improvements in sleep quality across a treatment course.
Immune Dysregulation
Many Long COVID patients have persistent immune activation — a low-grade inflammatory state that perpetuates symptoms. HBOT modulates the immune response, reduces pro-inflammatory cytokines, and helps restore immune homeostasis — addressing one of the root causes of Long COVID’s self-perpetuating nature.
Loss of Taste & Smell
Persistent anosmia (loss of smell) and parosmia (distorted smell) are caused by damage to olfactory neurons and supporting cells. HBOT promotes neuroregeneration and angiogenesis in olfactory tissue, with clinical evidence showing recovery of taste and smell function in a significant proportion of treated patients.
Long COVID Symptoms
Long COVID Symptoms Treated with HBOT in New Zealand
Long COVID presents differently in every person — from debilitating fatigue and brain fog to breathlessness, pain, and autonomic dysfunction. HBOT’s mechanism of dramatically increasing tissue oxygenation addresses the underlying driver of all these symptoms.
Why HBOT Works for Long COVID
How HBOT Targets the Root Causes of Long COVID
HBOT doesn’t just manage Long COVID symptoms — it addresses the underlying biological mechanisms that cause them. At 2.0 atmospheres, three key processes are triggered that no conventional medication can replicate.
Mechanism 1
Microvascular
Repair
COVID-19 damages the endothelial lining of tiny blood vessels throughout the body and brain, creating chronic hypoxia in downstream tissue. HBOT directly repairs this damage.
- Oxygen dissolves into plasma at up to 10× normal levels
- Reaches hypoxic tissue that damaged vessels can no longer supply
- Triggers new blood vessel formation (angiogenesis)
- Restores aerobic metabolism in oxygen-starved cells
Mechanism 2
Neuroinflammation Reduction
Persistent neuroinflammation — chronic immune activation in brain tissue — is a primary driver of Long COVID brain fog, fatigue, and mood symptoms. HBOT powerfully modulates this.
- Significantly reduces pro-inflammatory cytokine levels
- Suppresses microglial overactivation in brain tissue
- Reduces oxidative stress in neurological tissue
- Clinical improvements in brain fog and cognition follow
Mechanism 3
Neuroplasticity & Stem Cell Mobilisation
HBOT triggers the body’s own repair mechanisms — mobilising stem cells and promoting neuroplasticity — enabling the brain and body to rebuild what COVID-19 damaged.
- Up to 800% increase in circulating stem cells
- Upregulates BDNF, VEGF and other repair growth factors
- Promotes formation of new neural connections
- Lasting improvements persist after treatment ends
Clinical Evidence
What the Research Shows — HBOT for Long COVID
HBOT is one of the most clinically studied treatments for Long COVID. Peer-reviewed research consistently demonstrates meaningful improvements across the core symptoms driving Long COVID disability.
73%
Cognitive Improvement
of Long COVID patients reported significant cognitive function improvement in a key HBOT clinical trial
74%
Energy Restored
reduction in fatigue severity scores reported after a course of HBOT treatment for Long COVID
77%
Breathlessness Reduced
improvement in breathlessness and exercise tolerance following HBOT treatment in Long COVID patients
80%
Quality of Life
of Long COVID patients treated with HBOT report meaningful improvement in overall quality of life
Your HBOT Journey
What to Expect from HBOT for Long COVID at MSQ Health
HBOT is a straightforward, comfortable treatment — particularly in MSQ Health’s sit-down chamber. Here’s exactly what your Long COVID treatment journey looks like from first enquiry to final session.
Step 1
Free Initial Consultation
Your HBOT journey begins with a clinical consultation to assess your Long COVID symptoms, medical history, and suitability for HBOT. Our team will design a personalised treatment protocol specifically for your presentation.
- Full Long COVID symptom and history review
- Suitability assessment for HBOT
- Personalised protocol designed for your specific symptoms
- All questions answered before you commit to anything
Step 2
Your HBOT Sessions
You’ll be seated comfortably in our sit-down chamber — upright, with room to stretch, and no need to change your clothing. Pressure increases gently over 10–15 minutes to 2.0 atmospheres. You breathe 90-100% pure oxygen for 60–90 minutes, then depressurise gradually. Many patients read, listen to audio, or simply rest.
- Sit-down design — comfortable, not confined
- Gentle pressurisation — like descending in an aircraft
- Room to stretch and move throughout your session
- Mild ear pressure is normal and resolves immediately after
Step 3
Your Treatment Course
HBOT benefits for Long COVID are cumulative and build across sessions. Most patients begin noticing improvements between sessions 10 and 20. A full course of 40–60 sessions is recommended for lasting benefit and sustained neurological repair.
- 40–60 sessions for full, lasting clinical benefit
- Typically scheduled 5 days per week
- Flexible scheduling to fit your availability
- Progress reviewed regularly by your clinical team
MSQ Health HBOT Chamber
MSQ Health's Sit-Down HBOT Chambers — Why It Matters for Long COVID
For Long COVID patients — many of whom are already exhausted and managing multiple symptoms — the comfort and accessibility of the treatment environment matters enormously. MSQ Health’s sit-down chamber is designed with this in mind.
Sit-Down Comfort - Not Confined
Our sit-down HBOT chamber means you’re seated upright throughout your session — with room to stretch and move. This is a meaningful difference for Long COVID patients with fatigue, anxiety, or breathing difficulties, for whom a confined lie-flat tube would be uncomfortable or distressing.
2 Atmospheres of Pressure
MSQ Health’s chamber operates at 2.0 ATA — the pressure validated in peer-reviewed Long COVID clinical trials. At this level, oxygen dissolves directly into blood plasma at concentrations that reach damaged microvascular tissue and inflamed brain regions. Lower-pressure chambers produce significantly weaker clinical effects.
90-100% Pure Oxygen
You breathe 90-100% pharmaceutical-grade oxygen throughout your session — not merely enriched air. The combination of concentrated oxygen and 2.0 atmospheres of pressure is what makes HBOT clinically meaningful for Long COVID, rather than simple oxygen supplementation.
Completely Drug-Free
HBOT involves no medications, no injections, and no systemic side effects. For Long COVID patients who are already managing complex symptoms and sensitivities, this is enormously important. The only sensation is mild, temporary ear pressure — similar to an aircraft descent.
Complements All Other Treatments
HBOT is safe to use alongside all other Long COVID treatments — including medications, physiotherapy, psychological support, and rTMS. MSQ Health can integrate HBOT into a broader treatment plan drawn from our full range of services.
Cumulative & Lasting Results
Unlike symptom-management approaches, HBOT produces structural biological changes — new blood vessels, reduced inflammation, restored neurological function — that persist after treatment ends. Benefits are cumulative and build meaningfully across a 40–60 session course.
Long COVID HBOT Locations NZ
HBOT Available Across New Zealand at MSQ Health
MSQ Health’s HBOT service is available across our clinic network in New Zealand. Contact us to confirm current availability at your nearest location.
Wellington
HBOT available in-clinic
Napier/Hastings
HBOT available in-clinic
Hamilton
HBOT available in-clinic
Auckland
HBOT available in-clinic
Other Locations
New Locations coming soon
🔗 HBOT + rTMS — A Powerful Combination for Long COVID
For Long COVID patients experiencing significant brain fog, depression, anxiety, or cognitive symptoms, combining HBOT with rTMS (Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) provides a comprehensive neurological treatment approach. MSQ Health offers both under one roof — our clinical team can integrate these therapies into a single personalised plan.
Why choose MSQ Health for Long COVID
Why Long COVID Patients Choose MSQ Health for HBOT in New Zealand
HBOT for Long COVID done properly — sit-down chamber, 2.0 atmospheres, 90-100% oxygen, clinical oversight, and the right number of sessions to produce real, lasting results.
01
Clinically Validated Protocol
MSQ Health’s HBOT protocol for Long COVID is based on the peer-reviewed clinical trial evidence — 2 atmospheres, 40–60 sessions, 100% pure oxygen. Not a watered-down version of the real thing.
02
Sit-Down Comfort
Our sit-down chamber is specifically appropriate for Long COVID patients managing fatigue and multiple symptoms. Comfortable, not confined — with room to stretch throughout every session.
03
Completely Drug-Free
No medications, no injections, no systemic side effects. For Long COVID patients who may be sensitive or already managing complex treatment regimens, HBOT is safe, natural, and complementary.
04
Fast Access
We understand that Long COVID patients have often already waited months for answers. MSQ Health can typically get you started within weeks — not months on a public waitlist.
05
Integrated with Other MSQ Services
HBOT can be combined with rTMS, psychiatric support, and TeleGP care — all under one MSQ Health roof. One provider managing your whole Long COVID recovery pathway.
06
Transparent & Honest
We’re honest about what HBOT takes — 40–60 sessions for meaningful benefit. Clear fees quoted upfront. No hidden costs. We support you through the entire treatment course.
Patient Reviews
What Our HBOT Patients Say
4.9 / 5
Based on verified patient reviews
“Long COVID had taken 18 months of my life. Brain fog so bad I couldn’t string sentences together, fatigue that meant I couldn’t work, breathlessness from walking to my letterbox. After 45 HBOT sessions at MSQ Health I’m back working full time. I genuinely didn’t think that was possible.”
“I’d been told by doctors to ‘rest and wait it out’ for over a year. My brain fog was debilitating. MSQ Health assessed me within two weeks and I started HBOT shortly after. By session 20 I was noticeably sharper. By session 50 I felt like myself again.”
“The POTS and heart palpitations from Long COVID were terrifying. My cardiologist had no solutions. MSQ Health suggested HBOT and combined it with rTMS for my anxiety. The combination has been transformative — my heart rate is stable and I’m functioning again.”
“The sit-down chamber made all the difference. I had severe fatigue and was anxious about being confined in a tube. Being able to sit upright and stretch meant I could actually get through the sessions comfortably. The results came gradually and then suddenly — around session 30 I realised I’d had a whole week without crashing.”
“18 months of Long COVID and my sense of smell still hadn’t returned. After 40 HBOT sessions at MSQ Health I can smell coffee again. It sounds small but after 18 months it made me cry. The team were incredibly supportive throughout the whole process.”
“I was sceptical — HBOT sounded too good to be true. But the science is real and the MSQ team explained it clearly before I committed to anything. 50 sessions later, my energy is back, my brain works, and my anxiety has halved. Worth every session.”
Common Questions
HBOT for Long COVID in New Zealand — Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about HBOT as a Long COVID treatment at MSQ Health.
What does HBOT feel like? Is it claustrophobic?
MSQ Health’s sit-down HBOT chamber is specifically designed for comfort. You’re seated upright — not lying flat in a confined tube — and you have enough room to stretch. The only sensation most patients notice is mild ear pressure as the chamber pressurises, similar to the feeling of descending in an aircraft. This resolves immediately when the chamber depressurises at the end of your session.
Are there any side effects from HBOT?
HBOT is one of the safest medical therapies available. There are no systemic side effects. The only common sensation is temporary mild ear pressure — like popping ears when descending in a plane. Some patients feel mildly tired after early sessions as their body adjusts to the increased oxygen, but this typically resolves after the first few sessions. Oxygen toxicity is not a risk at the pressure and session duration used in therapeutic HBOT.
How many HBOT sessions do I need?
For most conditions, a course of 40–60 sessions is recommended to achieve lasting clinical benefit. Some patients notice improvements after 10–20 sessions, but the full therapeutic effect and to reduce the likelihood of recurrence — particularly for neurological conditions, tissue repair, and chronic inflammation — accumulate over the full course. Our clinical team will design a personalised protocol for your specific condition and review your progress throughout.
How long is each HBOT session?
Each session is typically 60–90 minutes of treatment time at pressure, plus around 10–15 minutes each for pressurisation and depressurisation. Most patients plan for approximately 90–120 minutes per visit. Sessions are generally scheduled 5 days per week for maximum benefit, though our team will work with your availability and condition requirements.
What is 2 atmospheres and why does it matter?
2 ATA (atmospheres absolute) means the air pressure inside the chamber is twice normal atmospheric pressure. At this level, oxygen dissolves directly into blood plasma — bypassing haemoglobin — and reaches concentrations up to 10 times higher than normal. This allows oxygen to penetrate deeply into tissues with poor blood flow, including injured brain tissue, tendons, and surgical wounds. The pressure level is critically important — lower-pressure chambers produce meaningfully weaker clinical effects.
Is HBOT for Long COVID covered by Southern Cross or other health insurance?
Insurance coverage for HBOT varies depending on your policy and the condition being treated. Our team will help you understand what cover may be available and provide the documentation your insurer requires. We recommend contacting your insurer before commencing treatment to confirm your entitlements. Please contact us to discuss your specific situation.
Can HBOT be combined with other treatments?
Absolutely — in fact, HBOT often works best as part of a broader treatment programme. It combines particularly well with rTMS for neurological and mental health conditions, physiotherapy for injury recovery, and post-surgical rehabilitation. MSQ Health can integrate HBOT into a comprehensive treatment plan alongside our other services.
Is HBOT suitable for everyone?
HBOT is suitable for most people, but there are some contraindications — including untreated pneumothorax (collapsed lung) and certain ear conditions. A full clinical assessment is conducted before your first session to confirm suitability. If you have any existing medical conditions, please mention them when enquiring and our team will advise.
Do I need a GP referral?
Yes — for funded HBOT, a GP/Specialist referral is required. This also ensures your GP/Specialist is informed and your care is properly coordinated.
If you are self-funding, no referral is required.
Contact our team, and we can guide you on how to obtain a referral efficiently.
How soon can I get an assessment?
We can get an HBOT specialist to give you a free initial consultation. Contact us today and our team will confirm the earliest available appointment.
Your initial consultation can often be arranged via telehealth, meaning you can get expert advice from home before attending in person for your examination.
Payment Options
Flexible Ways to Pay for Long COVID HBOT Treatment
We believe cost shouldn’t stand between Long COVID patients and effective treatment. All fees quoted clearly upfront. Session packages available for longer treatment courses.
Health Insurance
MSQ Health is ACC-accredited and is also accepted by New Zealand’s leading health insurance providers. We work directly with your insurer to confirm cover and manage the claims process on your behalf wherever possible.
Southern Cross
NIB
UniMed
Visa Credit Card
Pay securely online by Visa credit card. All transactions are processed through an encrypted payment gateway. Your full procedure fee is quoted transparently before any payment is taken — no hidden costs at any stage.
POLi Online Banking
Pay directly from your New Zealand bank account using POLi — available through all major NZ banks. No credit card required, no transaction fees, and instant payment confirmation so your booking is secured immediately.
Questions about HBOT costs, packages, ACC, or insurance?
Ready to fix it?
You've Waited Long Enough for Answers.
HBOT for Long COVID is available at MSQ Health across New Zealand — drug-free, no side effects, and targeting the root causes of your symptoms. Brain fog, fatigue, breathlessness, pain — the evidence is clear. The sooner you start, the sooner you recover.