The charming yellow building at the corner of the Pensacola Scenic Highway and East Lloyd Street was once home to many businesses.

"It used to be a permanent makeup clinic, a law firm," said Aimee Allenback, owner of Next Level Oxygen Hyperbaric Med Spa. "It's been almost two months since I came here now."

Allenback was certified by the International Submarine Medical Council and introduced hyperbaric oxygen therapy for the first time in 2005. He also serves as the development director of the National Autism Association. In the following years, she became a product expert for OxyHealth, a manufacturer of portable hyperbaric chambers, and remains an authorized retailer of these products.

So what is hyperbaric oxygen therapy and how does it work?

Using the "power of pressure", Next Level Oxygen Hyperbaric Med Spa provides hyperbaric oxygen therapy or HBOT. According to the Food and Drug Administration, the air we breathe contains only 21% oxygen. With HBOT, when patients stay in a hyperbaric chamber for a period of time, their oxygen intake can be increased to 100%. The hyperbaric chamber pressurizes the oxygen, and in turn, the increased oxygen content helps strengthen the immune system and promote the regeneration and growth of red blood cells.

"Hospitals have used hyperbaric chambers to treat diseases such as severe anemia and carbon monoxide poisoning," Allen Barker said. "The FDA currently recognizes 14 treatment conditions, but there are 120 other conditions that can also benefit from HBOT. We want these people to come here."

Only 32 inches wide and 8 feet long, there is enough space for customers to lie in the room and relax. HBOT sessions can last 60 to 90 minutes. In addition to individual sessions, customers can also purchase packages, bundles, and monthly memberships.

It is not uncommon for your ears to feel pressure once you enter the room, so it is important to balance them.

"It's like you are on a plane or diving," Alan Barker said. "When I am not in the office, I am a flight attendant, so I understand this feeling very well."

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Allenback has begun to build a strong customer base.

“I suffer from migraine and started to notice the difference after the second treatment,” said Emily Thomsen, a customer of Next Level Hyperbaric Oxygen Med Spa. "So far, I have completed about five or six classes."

But this is not the only service provided by Next Level Hyperbaric Oxygen Med Spa. Low-intensity laser therapy, experience on a comfortable zero-gravity chair, and light cushion options help promote balance and relieve stress.

Next Level Hyperbaric Oxygen Med Spa is not the only new business in the neighbourhood. Carla's Studio partnered with Next Level Hyperbaric Oxygen Med Spa to provide eyelash extension, skin care and female facial care services.

"I'm not from Pensacola, but I plan to spend the rest of my life in Pensacola," Allen Barker said. "The cool thing about Pensacola is that it is a city with a lot of things to offer, and how cool it is, we can be a part of it."

The Next Level Hyperbaric Oxygen Med Spa is open from Monday to Friday from 9 am to 6 pm and Saturday from 9 am to 3 pm. For more information, please visit nextleveloxygen.com or call 850-990-HBOT (4268).

Kalyn Wolfe is a freelance columnist for News Daily. Send new business reminders to pcolanewbiz@gmail.com.