Oxygen is essential to nearly every step of wound healing. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) addresses oxygen deficit directly by placing you in a pressurized chamber and having you breathe 100 percent oxygen, dramatically increasing the amount of oxygen dissolved in your blood plasma. Available at our Forest City clinic location.
The Science
During an HBOT session (often called a "dive"), you enter a pressurized chamber set to 2.0 to 2.5 atmospheres absolute (ATA). At this pressure, oxygen dissolves into your blood plasma at concentrations far higher than what normal breathing can achieve. The therapeutic effects extend beyond simple oxygen delivery:
Increased tissue oxygen levels improve the bactericidal function of your white blood cells, which require oxygen to produce the reactive molecules that kill bacteria.
Collagen synthesis depends on a biochemical process called hydroxylation, which requires adequate oxygen. In hypoxic wounds, collagen production stalls. HBOT restores the oxygen supply needed to build the structural protein that holds new tissue together.
HBOT modulates hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) signaling, which stimulates angiogenesis, the growth of new blood vessels into oxygen-deprived tissue. Over a course of treatment, this can improve the wound's long-term blood supply.
A typical HBOT course involves 30 to 40 sessions, each lasting approximately 90 minutes, scheduled five days per week. We monitor your response throughout the treatment course, including transcutaneous oxygen (TcPO2) measurements, to confirm that the therapy is producing measurable improvement. HBOT is treated like a biologic drug trial: we continue only if the data shows it's working.
Who It Helps
HBOT is FDA-cleared for several wound-related conditions where tissue hypoxia is a primary barrier to healing:
Diabetic foot ulcers that have not responded to standard wound care, particularly after vascular status has been assessed and any revascularization has been performed.
Radiation-induced tissue injury (such as soft tissue radionecrosis or osteoradionecrosis), where radiation has permanently damaged the blood vessels in the treatment area.
Chronic refractory osteomyelitis, a persistent bone infection that has not resolved with standard antibiotic therapy and surgical debridement.
Compromised surgical grafts and flaps where blood supply to the transferred tissue is insufficient for survival.
HBOT is not appropriate for every wound. It is most effective when integrated into a comprehensive treatment plan that also addresses debridement, infection control, nutrition, and systemic health factors. We use it as a targeted intervention for specific clinical indications, not as a general-purpose wound therapy.
Your Visit
Here's what a typical course of HBOT looks like at our Forest City clinic.
Each session takes place in a hyperbaric chamber at our Forest City clinic. You will lie comfortably inside the chamber while it is pressurized gradually over several minutes.
Once at treatment pressure (2.0 to 2.5 ATA), you breathe normally for approximately 90 minutes. Many patients read, watch a screen, or rest during their session. You may feel pressure in your ears during pressurization, similar to what you experience during airplane takeoff.
Sessions are scheduled five days per week, with a typical course running 30 to 40 sessions depending on your condition and response. Your wound care team monitors your progress at regular intervals, including TcPO2 measurements to track oxygen delivery to the wound site. If the data indicates that HBOT is not producing the expected response, we adjust the treatment plan rather than continuing therapy that isn't working.
HBOT is a well-established therapy with a strong safety profile when administered by trained clinicians. The most common side effect is temporary ear pressure. More serious complications are rare. Patients with certain conditions (including untreated pneumothorax, certain chemotherapy histories, or severe COPD with CO2 retention) may not be candidates, which is why a thorough evaluation is performed before treatment begins.
Wound response varies, but measurable improvements in tissue oxygenation are often detectable within the first two to three weeks. Visible wound healing changes typically follow as the treatment course progresses. Your clinician will track objective measures at regular intervals.
HBOT is covered by most insurance plans, including Medicare, for FDA-cleared indications such as diabetic foot ulcers and radiation tissue injury. Our team verifies coverage and obtains authorization before starting your treatment course.
Yes. HBOT does not impair your ability to drive. You can resume normal activities immediately after each session.
No. HBOT works alongside your existing treatment plan, which may include debridement, dressings, compression, offloading, and nutritional support. It addresses the oxygen deficit that other therapies cannot.
Request a consultation to find out whether HBOT is right for you.