Mild Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Cerebral Palsy

Background and how the search began

Hi there, cerebral palsy warrior. My name is Hitekani Bilankulu and I am 23 years old.

I was told that major complications during my birth affected blood flow and oxygen delivery to my developing brain. I was diagnosed with spastic cerebral palsy, a neurological condition that affects movement, muscle coordination and posture.

In my case, the right side of my brain was most affected, which influenced the muscles on the left side of my body. This included muscles in my face and tongue, my left vocal cord and my left hand. On the right side, the muscles around my hip and obliques also affected my posture, gait and balance. Together, these challenges made speaking, walking and using my left hand difficult. Involuntary muscle contractions, particularly when I attempted an action my body did not know how to execute, affected me emotionally, socially and at school.

In 2019, after a particularly frustrating experience at school, I began searching for ways to improve my condition. That was when I first came across hyperbaric oxygen therapy. I did not pursue it seriously until 2022, during my second year at university, when I began researching mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy and cerebral palsy.

What I found was conflicting and frustrating. Some medical professionals considered it ineffective for cerebral palsy, particularly in mild chambers. Other papers and personal accounts reported improvements in symptoms such as spasticity and motor control. The disagreement made it difficult for me to decide whether the time and money would be worthwhile.

Starting mild hyperbaric oxygen treatment

As I continued researching, I found personal stories from people with cerebral palsy who believed that the therapy had helped them. Their experiences motivated me to try it, despite the uncertainty in the scientific literature.

I had my first mild HBOT session with Julia Hastie in April 2025. It lasted an hour. I did not notice much afterwards, apart from more energy. I then booked a further 20 sessions on alternating days. Once I was comfortable in the chamber, some later sessions were extended beyond 60 minutes.

My first 10 sessions

After each of my first 10 sessions, I felt overstimulated and my symptoms seemed worse, particularly the involuntary muscle contractions. At times walking became so difficult that I had to stop and wait. The flare would usually settle after a day or two.

At the time, I interpreted this as parts of my brain becoming more active and their difficulties becoming more visible. Looking back, that remains my personal interpretation. It is not possible for my experience alone to show what was happening neurologically or whether the sessions caused the changes.

From session 15 to session 42

After about 15 sessions, the post session overstimulation and flare in symptoms had settled. Walking felt more comfortable and I experienced less spasticity. That gave me hope that I was making progress, although I could not know which changes came from HBOT, my exercises, normal variation or the combination.

I also noticed a change in the way I responded to mirrors. Previously, seeing my full reflection could startle me and increase my spasticity. I would close my eyes or cover them. After around 15 sessions, looking in a mirror felt easier.

Cerebral palsy, sensory integration and my mirror experience

I came to understand my response to mirrors as a possible sensory integration challenge. Visual information and the body's internal sense of movement and position, called proprioception, have to work together. For me, my reflection could feel confusing or threatening, leading to a startle response and increased muscle tone.

When I became able to look at myself without flinching or feeling that spasticity take over, it felt as though something important had shifted. I began using a mirror as part of my own practice. The more time I spent in front of it, the more tolerance I developed.

I cannot say that this proved my brain was being rewired by HBOT. What I can say is that the experience encouraged me to combine the sessions with focused physical therapy and to practise activities I found difficult.

For me, the mirror became more than a reflection. It became a practical way to rehearse movement, build tolerance and see small changes for myself.

Cerebral palsy, spasticity and a moment that stayed with me

One encouraging moment came when I had to complete and sign documents. Before starting the sessions, using my right hand to write could trigger significant spasticity in my left hand. On this occasion, I experienced very little spasticity. It was exciting and gave me further motivation to continue.

It was one moment in one person's journey, not a clinical measurement, but it mattered to me because it involved a real task in daily life.

Cerebral palsy, muscle coordination and focused practice

Once I felt calmer and no longer experienced the same post session aggravation, I added exercises and stretches. I did some before the chamber, some inside it and others afterwards. I focused on movements that were difficult for me, including stretching tight muscles, strengthening weaker muscles and doing vocal exercises.

I felt that my brain grasped new movements and patterns more quickly than it had before. Exercises I had previously found ineffective began to feel much more productive. I once described the difference as a 90 percent improvement, using my own maths. That was my way of expressing how dramatic it felt, not a measured clinical result.

For me, the combination of regular practice, physiotherapy and mild HBOT felt as though it created a better period for learning movement. My experience cannot confirm that the treatment increases neuroplasticity in every adult or child with cerebral palsy.

I also chose to support my routine with foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids, antioxidants and anti inflammatory nutrients. Supplements, including mushrooms and herbal products, can interact with medication or be unsuitable for some people, so choices like these should be discussed with an appropriate clinician.

Healing, learning and neuroplasticity

I like to think of supportive treatment as preparing the ground, while focused physical practice plants and strengthens the pathways. Physical exercises repeatedly teach the brain and body what we want them to do. Even people born without a movement disorder learn to walk, grasp and coordinate through practice.

The idea that stayed with me was that neuroplasticity is responsive, not passive. I still had to create the conditions for change by practising consistently, noticing what happened and continuing through difficult moments. HBOT was one part of that wider effort, not a replacement for physiotherapy or medical care.

Where I was in August 2025

At the time of writing, I was still working hard and practising difficult tasks such as walking and standing straighter. I continued to notice changes in my motor function. It was not an easy journey. Sometimes I felt like a young child learning to walk, but with an adult's awareness of every challenge.

My image for neuroplasticity is this: in childhood it can feel like soft clay, responsive and quick to take shape. In adulthood it can feel more like metal. It can still be reshaped, but it asks for the right conditions, consistent effort, patience and support.

In my own journey, mild HBOT felt like one of the tools that helped me engage more fully with focused physiotherapy. I cannot promise that it will produce the same result for someone else. Every small improvement felt like a major victory, and the slow process was deeply rewarding.

You are not alone in this, and you are more capable than you think.

If you live with cerebral palsy and feel uncertain because of mixed research and a lack of guarantees, I understand. I read the studies, had doubts and felt frustrated about not knowing what would work. What made a real difference in my life was continuing to search carefully, combining treatment with focused physical work and staying committed to the possibility of change.

Progress may be slow and it will not look the same for everyone. Please make informed decisions with qualified professionals, pay attention to your own safety and remember that one person's story is a source of perspective, not a promise.