Chronic Pain & Fibromyalgia

Living with pain, fatigue and fibro fog every day?

Living with chronic pain or fibromyalgia can affect every part of daily life. Pain, fatigue, poor sleep and fibro fog can make even simple tasks feel harder than they should. Cocoon offers guided, at-home hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) that some people choose to explore as part of their wider recovery and wellbeing plan.

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A person resting comfortably in a Cocoon at-home hyperbaric chamber

Does this sound familiar?

Why you still don't feel like yourself

Many people live with pain and fatigue that don't show up clearly on scans and don't ease with rest. If several of these feel familiar, you're not alone.

Widespread pain Deep fatigue Fibro fog Poor, unrefreshing sleep Morning stiffness Tender points Sensory sensitivity Exercise intolerance Low mood Difficulty concentrating

These are common experiences with fibromyalgia and chronic pain conditions. If they sound familiar, it may be worth exploring additional support options as part of your wider care.

Understanding fibromyalgia

Why fibromyalgia can affect so much more than pain

Many people think fibromyalgia is simply a pain condition. In reality, it can affect sleep, energy levels, concentration, mood and everyday function.

Because symptoms often overlap and fluctuate, many people spend years searching for answers before receiving a diagnosis.

About the therapy

Why some people explore HBOT when pain and fatigue persist

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy isn't a cure for fibromyalgia or chronic pain. However, when symptoms continue despite other approaches, some people choose to explore HBOT as part of their wider recovery plan. Here's what it actually involves.

01

Oxygen under gentle pressure

During a session you breathe oxygen-enriched air while the chamber is gently pressurised, allowing more oxygen than usual to dissolve into your bloodstream.

02

Dissolved oxygen circulates through the body

That dissolved oxygen circulates in the blood throughout the time you spend in the chamber, reaching tissues around the body.

03

Part of a wider recovery

People generally use HBOT as one part of a broader routine — alongside rest, rehabilitation and the advice of their own health professionals.

Whether HBOT is a sensible fit depends entirely on your situation, and it isn't right for everyone. Our team will talk it through with you honestly before you decide anything.

The Cocoon difference

Why at-home HBOT is different

Most hyperbaric therapy means travelling to a clinic for short, scheduled appointments. Cocoon brings the chamber to you — which changes how easily it fits into your life.

Traditional clinic-based HBOT

  • Travelling to and from each appointment
  • Fixed, limited session times
  • Fitting around the clinic's availability
  • Waiting rooms and parking

At home with Cocoon

  • Your chamber is installed in your own home
  • Unlimited sessions across your programme
  • Use it at the times that suit your day
  • No travel, no waiting rooms

Consistency is often one of the biggest challenges in any recovery programme. Having your chamber available at home can make it easier to build therapy into everyday life.

Dr Gary Dennis, founder of Cocoon Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Meet your guide

Guidance from Dr Gary Dennis

DC (USA) · MMC (AUS) · Dip HBOT (USA) · NZCA

Dr Gary Dennis has spent much of his career supporting people with complex and chronic health challenges, with a special interest in neurological recovery and dysautonomia. His own experience recovering from a serious brain injury led him to explore hyperbaric oxygen therapy and the role that consistent access can play within a broader recovery programme.

Every Cocoon programme begins with a personal conversation with Gary to understand your situation, answer your questions and determine whether at-home HBOT may be appropriate for your goals. From installation through to ongoing support, you'll have direct access to guidance throughout your programme.

How it works

Your Cocoon programme

Recovery takes time, and everyone's path is different. Here's how a Cocoon programme works — from the first conversation through to ongoing support.

1

Consultation

We start with a conversation about your symptoms, history and goals, to understand whether HBOT is a sensible fit for you.

2

Personalised HBOT programme

If it's appropriate, we map out a programme — session length, frequency, and how it fits around your routine.

3

At-home therapy

Your chamber is installed in your home, giving you convenient access to HBOT without travelling to appointments or fitting sessions around clinic schedules.

4

Ongoing support

We stay in touch throughout your programme, checking in and adjusting your plan as you go.

A person resting calmly inside a Cocoon at-home hyperbaric chamber

What you can count on

Why people choose Cocoon

Guided by Dr Gary Dennis

Every programme is personally guided from your first conversation through to ongoing support.

Consistent access at home

Daily access makes it easier to stay consistent with your programme and fit sessions around your life.

Delivery & setup included

Your chamber is delivered, installed and explained by our team so you can get started with confidence.

Ongoing support

Regular check-ins throughout your programme mean you're never left to navigate the process alone.

Common questions

Fibromyalgia & chronic pain, answered

What causes fibromyalgia?
The exact cause isn't fully understood. It's thought to involve changes in how the nervous system processes pain, and it can sometimes follow physical or emotional stress, illness or injury. It often appears alongside other conditions. Your GP or specialist is the best person to explore the cause in your situation.
Can fibromyalgia symptoms get worse over time?
Symptoms tend to fluctuate rather than follow a straight line — many people have better and worse spells, and flares can come and go. How it changes over time varies a lot from person to person, which is why an individual plan with your healthcare team matters.
Why am I always tired with fibromyalgia?
Fatigue is one of the most common parts of fibromyalgia. Unrefreshing sleep, ongoing pain and the daily effort of managing symptoms all add up, so people often feel tired even after rest.
What is fibro fog?
"Fibro fog" is the everyday term for the difficulty with memory, focus and clear thinking that many people with fibromyalgia experience. It can make concentration and word-finding harder, especially during flares or when sleep is poor.
Is fibromyalgia considered a neurological condition?
Fibromyalgia is generally understood to involve the nervous system and how it processes pain signals, so it's often described in that context. It's classified and managed in different ways by different clinicians — your specialist can explain how it's viewed in your case.
Can chronic pain affect sleep?
Yes — pain and sleep are closely linked. Ongoing pain can make it harder to fall and stay asleep, and poor sleep can in turn make pain and fatigue feel worse, which is part of why both are usually addressed together.
Can fibromyalgia flare-ups come and go?
For many people, yes. Symptoms often rise and settle, and flares can be triggered by things like stress, overactivity, poor sleep or illness. Pacing and a steady routine are things many people find help.
What therapies do people explore for fibromyalgia?
Management usually combines several things — movement and gentle exercise, sleep and stress support, pacing, and guidance from your own healthcare team. Some people also explore additional options such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). HBOT isn't a cure and isn't right for everyone; it's something some people choose to add to a wider plan after talking it through.
What does a typical HBOT programme at Cocoon involve?
A typical Cocoon programme runs over about six weeks using a chamber installed in your home. Session length and frequency are mapped out with you based on your situation, so the routine fits around everyday life.
Is HBOT safe, and is it covered by ACC or insurance?
HBOT is generally well tolerated, but it isn't suitable for everyone and there are some conditions where it isn't recommended — which is why every programme starts with a conversation to check it's appropriate. On cost, coverage varies and isn't guaranteed; some people check with ACC or their insurer, and we're happy to provide information you can pass on.

Talk to us

Find out whether HBOT could support your recovery

Have a conversation with our team about your symptoms, and we'll help you work out whether an at-home HBOT programme is a sensible fit. No pressure, no obligation.

Talk to our team

Call 022 067 2277  ·  info@cocoon.net.nz

“We were so impressed with the results we decided to invest in purchasing one so we could continue to use it in the longer term."

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- Richard