Take a look inside the chamber with power to heal - WATCH

In fact, this chamber has been a firm feature at Wolverhampton's MS oxygen and therapy centre, based on Meadow View Wharf, Tettenhall Road, for more than 30 years.

The centre was first opened in September 1986 by members of Wolverhampton's Rotary Club.

The chamber was then, and remains now, a central feature of the centre, delivering oxygen therapy to users, requiring people to delve in, strap up, and be fitted with an oxygen mask.

Once fitted and sitting comfortably, the chamber takes the user to the equivalent of 16, 24 or 33 feat under water, increasing air pressure as if the user is breathing through an oxygen tank while diving.

Usually, when breathing, the body only takes around 17 to 20 per cent oxygen. In the chamber, the body is able to take in 100 per cent oxygen.

The aim of the sessions, which last an hour, is to get more oxygen into the blood stream. The health benefits include improved circulation, better mobility, increase lung capacity and speeding up the healing process.

Going in the chamber for the first time was a daunting experience. It was one that brought back a raft of memories for me - as my father regularly received treatment for his secondary progressive MS from when I was three years old. I remembered how intimidating it looked then, with its tiny circular windows, locked iron door and whirring sound. But once inside, me and my fellow 'divers' as we're known, are talkative, welcoming and happy to recount their experiences.

Neil Buchanan, aged 61, travels from Shrewsbury every week to have the treatment. He was diagnosed with primary progressive MS around three years ago.

Since then, he never misses a session in the tank. He said: "At first, you don't feel the difference. But then, when you start coming regularly, you begin to get more energy, it gives you a real boost. If I do miss a session, I can feel it. It can feel quite claustrophobic in there at first, but you soon get used to it.

"It's a bit of a secret really - not many people know about this and the NHS in some ways don't recognise it as a viable treatment, but it needs to be because it works."

Sharon Ebanks, aged 56 of Willenhall, has relapsing and remitting MS. She said: "With this condition, when you feel tired, it's so much more that just an everyday tiredness. It makes you feel like you could sleep for a week and still not feel rested. The reason I keep coming back here is because it just picks me up, it give me energy where I had none before."

We are all strapped up by voluntary, fully-trained operators Moira Adams, 76 of Tettenhall and Terry Smith, 73 of Burntwood. Terry said: "My first wife had MS. I didn't know about the centre then. When I retired, I found out about it and thinking about all the care that my wife had, I wanted to give something back. That's why I'm here."

The tank doesn't just help those with MS however. One 'diver' who didn't wish to be named said: "I have a tissue damage condition with means I have ulcers develop out of nowhere.

"It means that the palm of my hands go white, and the ulcers rarely heal."

This 'diver' is on what the centre call 'saturation' - where a user goes into the chamber every day for 20 days, experiencing different levels of oxygen to get accustomed to it and to build up the effects. Though not suitable for everyone, and dependant on the type of condition a diver has, it seems to be working for her. She is on her 3rd session at the centre and already she has seen results.

She said: "I had an ulcer on my leg that would just not heal.

"I had one session in here and it cleared right up. I couldn't believe it. Ever since then I've been back again and this is my third time.

"I've had another two come up on my other leg so I'm hoping it'll have a similar effect on those."

The centre also offers physiotherapy, reflexology, exercise sessions, manicures and pedicures as well as just a cuppa and a cake for those who fancy a chat.

Susan Husband, manager of the centre said: "Our aim, as always, is to help and support as many people as we can in whatever way we can.

"Whether that be coming for oxygen therapy, or just to sit and have a chat, we are always open for people to come and meet with us."

The centre, which is a registered charity, depends on the work of its volunteers and efforts of it fundraising committee in order to remain open as it does not receive funding from the local authority. Most recently the centre received £1,300 from Wolverhampton Rotary Club following their Christmas 'Tree of Remembrance' campaign, as well as £11,000 from Asda Community Trust. The money from Asda, along with generous donations from others which totalled an additional £5,000, enabled the centre to have a brand new frontage and access path installed.

Susan said: "I cannot thank those that have supported us enough. Without them, none of this would be possible and we wouldn't still be here after all these years."

Now the centre is looking for more people to come and experience what oxygen therapy is like as well as for new volunteers to be trained as chamber operators.

Peter Williams, chair of the centre, said: "Over the years we have had people from all walks of life come in and experience what it's all about. But the more people we can get on board to experience what we're about and what we do the better it can be for everyone."

The centre is also open to sponsorship from businesses.

For more information on the centre, call 01902 744888.