A Lafayette man with traumatic brain injury says hyperbaric oxygen therapy has restored his brain. Since then, as oxygen therapy has become more acceptable in Lafayette, he has been working to raise awareness of brain injury.

Paul Bosworth suffered a traumatic brain injury more than a decade ago. After 5 years of recovery, he discovered hyperbaric oxygen therapy, for him, it worked.

"This oxygen therapy has made me less eccentric and different. I can integrate more easily because I can speak more clearly and because I can function better," Bosworth said.

Dr. Chris Cormier, a chiropractor and founder of the Neurological Health Institute, added hyperbaric oxygen therapy to his practice in Lafayette two months ago. It can be used for general health - like depression, neck and shoulder pain, and concussions.

"Through this process, it uses pressure, pressurizes your body, and gets oxygen into your 31 trillion cells," Dr Cormier said.

Bosworth's brain damage left him with vision, memory and language impairments, as well as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

"I have spare brain cells, and under mild stress, oxygen is able to come in and wake me up," Bosworth said.

After 40 treatments or dives, Paul felt his symptoms eased significantly.

"Now I can speak more clearly, I can function better, I can filter out things that I couldn't filter out before," Bosworth said.

Chiropractor Dr. Angelique Miller said thousands of cases showed it was indeed effective in treating other conditions, but more research needed to be done.

"It's still a new thing in the medical world. I think everyone is trying to find a long-term basis for research. It's just that the medical stuff takes a while," Miller said.

Bosworth has now made about 80 dives in the chamber. He said he now makes it his life mission to help those with brain injuries.

"I lost everything, but with oxygen, I gained a lot of life," Bosworth said.

Current insurance does not cover hyperbaric oxygen therapy for health. Bosworth runs a brain injury support group called the Amaze brain injury group.