Table of contents

• Oxygen therapy at a Glance
• What Is Oxygen Therapy?
• Who Is a Good Candidate for Oxygen Therapy?
• How Is Oxygen Therapy Performed?
• Why Visit Korea for Oxygen Therapy?
• Key Information for International Patients
• Which Are the Best Clinics in Korea for Oxygen Therapy?
• Oxygen therapy From Start to Finish
• Alternatives to Oxygen Therapy
• How Can I Prepare for Oxygen Therapy?
• Aftercare Advice

Considering treatment in Korea? Everything you need to know e.g. — how to avoid scams, visas, interpreters, recovery tips — in our Medical Tourism Master Guide. Plan with confidence in minutes, not weeks!

Last updated: September 2026

Oxygen therapy at a Glance

• Two distinct treatments — Oxygen therapy can mean prescribed supplemental oxygen for low blood oxygen or hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), which delivers near-100% oxygen in a pressurized chamber; they are not interchangeable wellness services.
• Diagnosis-specific use — HBOT is used as adjunctive or emergency care for selected conditions such as carbon-monoxide poisoning, decompression sickness, advanced diabetic foot ulcers, delayed radiation injury, refractory bone infection, and compromised grafts or flaps.
• Typical HBOT course — A stable outpatient HBOT protocol commonly uses 2.0–2.5 ATA for 60–90 minutes per session, with about 20–40 weekday sessions over 4–8 weeks for chronic wounds or radiation injury.
• Travel is rarely suitable for emergencies — Do not travel to Korea for urgent HBOT needs such as gas embolism, decompression sickness, carbon-monoxide poisoning, severe infection, or sudden hearing loss; these require immediate local assessment and treatment.
• Limited downtime, delayed assessment — After an uncomplicated outpatient session, stable patients can usually resume light activity the same day, but chronic wound or radiation-injury progress is evaluated over weeks rather than after one session.
• Key safety issue — Untreated pneumothorax is the key absolute contraindication to HBOT; ear or sinus congestion and inability to equalize pressure may delay treatment because middle-ear barotrauma is a common complication.
• Korea facility verification — Korea has hospital-based hyperbaric services and national equipment listings, but patients must obtain written confirmation that a specific hospital offers the needed pressure protocol, specialty support, emergency capacity, and foreign-patient services before booking travel.

What Is Oxygen Therapy?

Oxygen therapy supplies medical oxygen to treat low blood oxygen; hyperbaric oxygen therapy delivers oxygen in a pressurized chamber for selected conditions. It supports oxygen delivery and healing in specific emergencies and complex conditions while complementing the main treatment. Conventional oxygen is non-surgical, while hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a minimally invasive, non-surgical treatment.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Oxygen Therapy?

• Emergency HBOT candidates — People already in need of urgent local care for conditions such as decompression sickness, arterial gas embolism, carbon-monoxide poisoning, gas gangrene, crush injury, or selected severe infections. Travel must never delay emergency assessment or definitive treatment.
• Stable adjunct-treatment candidates — Patients with a confirmed indication, such as selected advanced diabetic foot ulcers, delayed radiation tissue injury, refractory osteomyelitis, or a compromised graft or flap, who have a clear treatment objective and can commit to a serial schedule.
• Specialist-directed ENT or eye candidates — Some acute conditions, including idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss or central retinal-artery occlusion, can be considered under time-sensitive specialty care rather than as elective travel treatment.
• Conventional oxygen candidates — People with documented low blood oxygen levels who have a clinician-prescribed flow rate, device, duration, and oxygen-saturation target. Supplemental oxygen is treatment for hypoxaemia, not a wellness service.

HBOT is an adjunct to diagnosis-specific care, not a replacement for surgery, revascularization, antibiotics, wound debridement, off-loading, glucose control, or specialist treatment. Untreated pneumothorax is the key absolute contraindication to HBOT and must be excluded before chamber pressurization. Acute ear or sinus infection, severe congestion, or inability to equalize pressure can require postponement or modification because of barotrauma risk. COPD with air trapping, lung bullae, previous spontaneous pneumothorax or thoracic surgery, uncontrolled seizures, severe claustrophobia, heart failure, pregnancy, and poorly controlled diabetes require individualized specialist assessment; there is no general age threshold, but children need pediatric assessment and age-appropriate chamber support.

How Is Oxygen Therapy Performed?

Oxygen therapy is not one procedure. The device and setting must match the diagnosis, oxygenation level, work of breathing, carbon-dioxide retention risk, and urgency.

• Conventional supplemental oxygen — Medicinal oxygen is delivered by nasal cannula, simple face mask, Venturi mask, reservoir mask, high-flow nasal oxygen, or through non-invasive or invasive ventilation. Clinicians prescribe the concentration and flow based on monitored oxygen saturation and the underlying illness.
• Monoplace HBOT — One patient lies in an individual pressurized chamber, typically breathing the chamber oxygen. Communication, monitoring, emergency arrangements, and permitted personal items are specific to the facility.
• Multiplace HBOT — Several patients can be treated in a larger chamber, generally receiving oxygen by mask or hood. This configuration has different staffing, infection-control, communication, and emergency systems.
• Emergency HBOT course — Treatment starts urgently after local assessment for eligible conditions. Emergency treatment can involve 1–5 sessions over hours to several days, alongside critical care or specialty treatment.
• Serial outpatient HBOT course — Chronic wound and delayed radiation-injury protocols commonly involve about 20–40 weekday sessions over 4–8 weeks. A typical elective session uses approximately 2.0–2.5 ATA for 60–90 minutes, although the prescribing clinician sets pressure, oxygen time, air breaks, and total session count.

A Korean retrospective monoplace-chamber cohort found that 78.0% of 296 patients received 1–5 sessions, largely for acute indications such as carbon-monoxide poisoning and sudden hearing loss. This is not a universal treatment protocol or prediction of individual benefit.

Why Visit Korea for Oxygen Therapy?

Korea has hospital-based HBOT services and national resources identifying facilities with hyperbaric equipment. A medically appropriate visit still depends on a hospital accepting the diagnosis, confirming a therapeutic protocol, and coordinating care with the home clinical team. Do not treat a wellness chamber or oxygen-inhalation service as equivalent to medical HBOT.

• National facility information — A Ministry of Employment and Labor publication lists hospitals operating hyperbaric oxygen treatment equipment as of December 17, 2025, supporting the availability of hospital-based services across the country; the list does not confirm a hospital’s current pressure capability, chamber type, emergency capacity, or foreign-patient availability.
• Physician-led standards — The Korean Association of Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine states that medical HBOT should be physician-supervised and based on recognized indications and protocols, with safety systems, trained staff, equipment management, treatment records, and protocol standardization.
• Foreign-patient registration — Korea’s Medical Korea system states that registered institutions serving foreign patients carry medical-malpractice liability insurance. Confirm registration, English communication, record-transfer arrangements, and emergency support directly with the hospital.
• Important limitation — Nationwide equipment listings and professional position statements do not establish that a particular facility can treat a specific emergency, provide inpatient specialty care, accept international patients, or deliver a suitable protocol. Obtain written confirmation before booking travel.

Key Information for International Patients

• Minimum stay — Allow at least 1–2 business days for records review, consultation, ear-pressure teaching, safety screening, and a first session when a stable chronic indication has already been accepted. Completing a weekday outpatient HBOT course generally requires 4–8 weeks in Korea.
• Emergency care — Carbon-monoxide poisoning, decompression sickness, gas embolism, severe infection, sudden hearing loss, and acute respiratory illness require urgent local assessment. Do not fly to Korea expecting emergency HBOT on arrival.
• Flight timing — Fitness to fly depends on lung disease, current oxygen requirement, recent pneumothorax or surgery, infection, and overall stability—not simply on the chamber schedule. People who need in-flight oxygen require airline medical clearance and must confirm approved portable oxygen concentrator and battery rules in advance.
• Repeat visits and itinerary — HBOT courses are usually weekday-based. Plan for daily hospital attendance, wound reviews or specialty appointments, and possible schedule changes if ear congestion, illness, or treatment complications arise.
• Same-day activity — After an uncomplicated outpatient session, stable patients can generally return to light activity the same day. Infection, wounds, surgery, cardiopulmonary disease, trauma, or the original emergency condition can impose stricter limits.
• Remote follow-up — Arrange home-clinician follow-up before departure. Request an English discharge summary recording diagnosis, chamber configuration, pressure, oxygen-breathing time, session dates, complications, medicines, wound plan, oxygen requirements, and next review.

Travel note: A companion is not routinely required for an alert outpatient, but is sensible for impaired mobility, cognitive symptoms, serious illness, sedating medicines, a language barrier, or a new oxygen requirement. Companions generally cannot enter a monoplace chamber.

Which Are the Best Clinics in Korea for Oxygen Therapy?

Listed below are some of the best clinics in Korea for oxygen therapy.

1. Muse Clinic - Gimhae

Muse Clinic - Gimhae may be worth considering if you want an aesthetic clinic with skin-focused options such as Aquapeel and PicoSure Laser alongside lifting and facial-contouring treatments; however, the available information does not specifically confirm an Oxygen Therapy service.

• URL: Muse Clinic - Gimhae Website
• Location: Gimhae-si, Gyeongsangnam-do
• Skin-focused treatments:
  • Aquapeel deeply cleanses pores, removes dead skin cells and impurities, and replenishes the skin with nutrients for a refreshed, hydrated finish.
  • PicoSure Laser is described for pigmented areas, clearer-looking tone, and collagen stimulation.
• Other aesthetic options:
  • Ultrasound-based Shurink Universe Lifting and radiofrequency-based Inmode Lifting are offered for skin firmness, elasticity, and wrinkles.
  • Jaw Botox, lip filler, and lip-corner Botox are listed for jawline contouring and lip enhancement.

2. DA Hospital - Seohyeon

DA Hospital - Seohyeon may suit you if you are looking for a dermatology and plastic-surgery setting with certified medical-professional consultations and a broad range of laser, injectable, lifting, and surgical aesthetic services, though the supplied information does not specifically list Oxygen Therapy.

• URL: DA Hospital - Seohyeon Website
• Location: Seongnam-si Bundang-gu, Gyeonggi
• Consultation and access:
  • The clinic describes meticulous, friendly consultations with certified medical professionals.
  • It is located near Seohyeon Station and offers appointments into later evening hours.
• Skin and lifting treatments:
  • Pico laser is listed for pigmentation, acne scars, and skin rejuvenation.
  • Tune Face Lifting uses radiofrequency, while Ultherapy uses ultrasound energy for non-surgical skin lifting and tightening.
  • Skin Botox is offered for fine lines and skin texture, and standard Botox and fillers are also available.
• Broader services: Laser hair removal, rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty, breast implants, and genioplasty are listed among the available services.

3. S-Reborn Clinic

S-Reborn Clinic specifically lists Oxygen Therapy as a skincare treatment intended to promote skin healing, rejuvenation, and hydration. You can consider it when you want an oxygen-based facial-care option alongside other treatments targeting moisture, texture, pigmentation, or skin laxity.

• URL: S-Reborn Clinic Website
• Location: Mapo-gu, Seoul
• Oxygen Therapy: The clinic describes Oxygen Therapy as supporting healing, rejuvenation, and hydration of the skin.
• Complementary skincare options:
  • LDM Water Droplets is listed as a hydration-focused treatment designed to infuse moisture deeply.
  • Peeling is available to remove dead skin cells and improve texture and imperfections.
  • Derma Shine and skin boosters are listed for hydration, elasticity, and skin rejuvenation.
• Options for specific concerns:
  • Lasemd, Clarity 2, and Pico Toning are listed for resurfacing, pigmentation, tone, and texture concerns.
  • 3D Ulthera, Shrink Universe, Tenthema, and InMode are listed for lifting, firmness, contouring, or fat reduction.

Oxygen therapy From Start to Finish

1. First contact and records review — Send English medical records before travel: referral notes, diagnosis, imaging, wound photographs and measurements when relevant, operative or pathology reports, laboratory results, complete medicine list, cancer-treatment history, and current oxygen prescription. Ask whether an English or virtual consultation is available.
2. Clinical acceptance and travel coordination — The Korean hospital determines whether the indication is accepted, whether care is urgent or outpatient, what chamber configuration is available, and whether travel is medically reasonable. Confirm that HBOT is hospital-supervised, prescribed for a specific diagnosis, and delivered at therapeutic pressure when medically indicated.
3. In-person evaluation — The team reviews symptoms, cardiopulmonary history, implanted devices, medicines, prior pneumothorax or thoracic surgery, diabetes control, and claustrophobia. Ear and sinus assessment and the ability to equalize pressure are central; glucose testing, ECG, chest imaging, wound measurement, hearing tests, or specialty clearance depend on the clinical situation.
4. Safety screening and teaching — Staff teach ear-clearing techniques and screen clothing, creams, cosmetics, adhesives, electronics, batteries, and other prohibited items. Report nasal congestion, a cold, sinus symptoms, ear pain, chest symptoms, fever, or any change in health before entering the chamber.
5. Treatment session — For HBOT, the patient enters a monoplace or multiplace chamber, undergoes controlled compression, breathes oxygen according to the protocol with air breaks when prescribed, then completes decompression under observation. A typical outpatient session is about 60–90 minutes of prescribed oxygen exposure, plus compression, decompression, and checks.
6. Post-session check and discharge — Staff assess ear symptoms, neurological or respiratory symptoms, and glucose when relevant. Stable outpatients generally leave the same day; poisoning, severe infection, burns, trauma, unstable cardiopulmonary disease, and neurological symptoms can require inpatient care led by the relevant specialty.
7. Course review and overseas follow-up — The prescribing team reassesses wound progress, radiation injury, hearing, oxygen needs, or other diagnosis-specific outcomes over the planned course. Before flying home, obtain a detailed English summary and confirm who will manage ongoing treatment and urgent concerns.

Alternatives to Oxygen Therapy

Alternatives are determined by the underlying diagnosis. In serious illness, conventional oxygen or HBOT is considered only when it adds value to definitive medical, surgical, infectious-disease, respiratory, ENT, ophthalmic, radiation-oncology, or diving-medicine care; it does not substitute for that care.

Prescribed supplemental oxygen and respiratory support

• Best suited to — Hypoxaemia or respiratory failure requiring controlled oxygen delivery by nasal cannula, mask, high-flow oxygen, non-invasive ventilation, or mechanical ventilation.
• Tradeoff — This is the direct treatment for inadequate oxygenation; it does not reproduce the pressure-related effects of HBOT and needs saturation monitoring, particularly where carbon-dioxide retention is a concern.

Definitive wound and infection treatment

• Best suited to — Diabetic foot ulcers, osteomyelitis, necrotizing infection, trauma, burns, and compromised tissue where a correctable cause remains.
• Core treatment — Revascularization, debridement, drainage, culture-directed antibiotics, off-loading, negative-pressure wound therapy, compression where indicated, and glycaemic control address the disease process. HBOT is adjunctive in selected cases.

Emergency toxicology and critical care

• Best suited to — Carbon-monoxide poisoning, gas embolism, severe anaemia, or unstable cardiopulmonary illness.
• Tradeoff — Immediate normobaric oxygen, toxicology assessment, resuscitation, and critical care begin locally without delay; HBOT is added only when the emergency team identifies an accepted indication.

Specialty-specific treatment

• Best suited to — Sudden hearing loss, retinal vascular emergencies, delayed radiation injury, compromised flaps, or diving injuries.
• Core treatment — ENT, ophthalmology, reconstructive surgery, radiation oncology, or diving medicine directs diagnosis-specific care. HBOT can be time-sensitive in some settings but is not a stand-alone solution.

How Can I Prepare for Oxygen Therapy?

• Confirm the exact treatment — Establish whether the plan is conventional supplemental oxygen or medical HBOT. Ask for the diagnosis, therapeutic objective, chamber type, target pressure, session duration, expected session count, medical supervision, and emergency arrangements in writing.
• Send complete records early — Provide referral letters, scans, test results, wound documentation, oxygen prescription, current symptoms, and contact details for the home clinician. Bring copies in English where possible.
• Disclose every medicine and product — Report insulin and other glucose-lowering medicines, anticoagulants and antiplatelets, inhalers, seizure medicines, antibiotics, chemotherapy and all cancer therapies, plus recent bleomycin, doxorubicin, cisplatin, or disulfiram. Include supplements, herbs, nicotine products, creams, cosmetics, and adhesives. Do not independently stop insulin, blood thinners, inhalers, antibiotics, antiseizure medicines, or cancer treatment.
• Plan meals and glucose checks — HBOT often does not require fasting, but fasting is required when sedation, surgery, or another diagnostic procedure is planned. Patients using insulin or glucose-lowering medication need clinic-specific meal and monitoring instructions because hypoglycaemia can occur during treatment.
• Protect ears and sinuses — Report a cold, blocked nose, sinus symptoms, ear infection, or ear pain before travel or before a session. Do not force pressure equalization.
• Eliminate ignition sources — Do not smoke, vape, or bring lighters, matches, candles, or unapproved electronics and batteries near oxygen equipment or the chamber. Oxygen materially increases fire risk. Follow facility screening rules for hair spray, perfume, make-up, petroleum or oil-based products, heating patches, and clothing.
• Arrange practical support — Book flexible flights for a serial course, stay near reliable transport, and arrange a companion when illness, mobility, cognition, sedation, language needs, or a new oxygen requirement makes independent travel impractical.

Travel note: Do not book a return flight until the hospital and home clinician agree that the condition is stable and that any in-flight oxygen requirement can be safely arranged.

Confirm the treating hospital’s individualized fasting, medication, safety, and travel requirements; they take precedence over general guidance.

Aftercare Advice

Recovery after HBOT is driven by the underlying illness, wound, surgery, infection, or radiation injury—not by a cosmetic-style downtime schedule.

• Activity — Resume normal light activity after an uncomplicated outpatient session unless the underlying condition imposes stricter limits. Avoid scuba diving and other independent pressure exposure during a course unless cleared by the hyperbaric clinician.
• Continue definitive care — Maintain prescribed wound dressings, off-loading, compression, antibiotics, diabetic-foot management, physiotherapy, radiation-injury care, ENT treatment, or respiratory treatment exactly as directed. HBOT does not replace these measures.
• Monitor ear and sinus symptoms — Tell staff immediately about pain, blocked ears, inability to equalize, drainage, new hearing change, or severe headache. Middle-ear barotrauma is a common complication; in one Korean single-center retrospective monoplace-chamber study, it occurred in 56.1% of 296 patients, but that rate cannot be generalized across chamber types, patient groups, or facilities.
• Recognize urgent warning signs — Seek urgent assessment for chest pain, breathlessness, fainting, confusion, seizure, severe or persistent ear pain, visual disturbance, fever, spreading redness, worsening wound symptoms, or recurrence of the original emergency condition.
• Set realistic result timing — Emergency effects are assessed by the acute-care team. For chronic wounds or delayed radiation injury, progress is measured over weeks using wound findings, symptoms, and specialist review—not immediately after one chamber session. Temporary fatigue, ear fullness, and short-sightedness during multi-session treatment can occur.
• Complete follow-up — Keep scheduled assessments, obtain an English discharge summary before leaving Korea, and send it to the home clinician. Continue oxygen only at the prescribed flow and duration; excess oxygen can be harmful.

Follow the treating doctor’s instructions over this general advice, and contact the clinic promptly when symptoms worsen or something appears wrong.