Former England captain Dylan Hartley has said he will undergo hyperbaric oxygen therapy in hopes of helping him fight the brain damage he suffered during his rugby career.

In a wide-ranging interview with the Daily Mail, Hartley spoke about dementia in rugby, how many players are left behind when they retire, and battling injuries himself as a player .

The New Zealand-born 36-year-old has been charged in rugby's massive class action case over head injuries, including several former internationals such as former All Blacks Karl Heyman and former England star Steve Thompson, They all suffer from early-onset dementia.

But he refused, saying "I always thought I had dementia...it made me feel bad about myself".

"It's not right for me and my family to be part of this group action because it doesn't do us any good," Hartley told the Daily Mail. "If you talk about it all day And thinking about getting sicker, forgetting your child's name, etc., how do you feel?"

"Instead, my wife and I sat down and said, 'What can we do to help improve what's coming?'" Studies show eating well, drinking less, training more, enjoying time with kids, and improving brain health Provide more oxygen.

"These guys have to do their thing. Okay. I support what they're doing from afar, but I need to find my way. A way to provide solutions and hope. I love the sport and everything it has given me. "I love being a coach on Tuesday and Thursday nights. I don't want to get in the way of my sport. I don't need to pursue compensation. I just want to see changes and solutions so football can thrive."

Hartley, who retired from rugby in 2019 due to injury, is now the rugby director of the Dubai Sharks in the UAE. He said he would undergo 3 months of hyperbaric oxygen therapy at the Tel Aviv Clinic in Dubai, which treats traumatic brain injuries.

He said he put off the brain scan until now because "deep down, I don't want to know."

"These people who are chasing collective action have made me look at myself and realize that I need to be proactive with my brain and my health," he said. "I know my head has taken some hits and now I'm doing rehab, so I'm in The best in 10 years.

"I'm working on this hyperbaric oxygen therapy program to see if we can show positive results in brain health. I'm willing to offer hope and solutions to people.

"Can I be a pioneer in brain recovery? I hope so, because we can't ignore what people like Steve and Alex (Popham) have gone through. "