Understanding Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Non-Healing Wounds

As a limb preservation center, one of the most important parts of our job is helping patients understand their treatment options—especially when it comes to advanced therapies that can make a real difference in healing. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is one such treatment. It is safe, well-established, and often highly effective for certain types of non-healing wounds.

In this post, we’ll explain what HBOT is, what you can expect during an appointment, and why it can be such a valuable part of your wound care plan.

What Is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is a medical treatment in which a patient breathes 100% pure oxygen inside a pressurized chamber. The pressure inside the chamber is typically 1.5 to 3 times higher than normal atmospheric pressure.

Under these conditions, your body can take in significantly more oxygen than they can at normal pressure. This oxygen is then dissolved into your blood plasma and carried throughout your body—even into areas with reduced or blocked blood flow.

HBOT has been approved by the Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for specific conditions, including certain types of chronic, non-healing wounds.

What Happens During an Appointment?

Many patients are relieved to learn that HBOT is a comfortable, non-invasive process. Here’s what a typical appointment looks like:

1. Check-In and Preparation – Before your first treatment, we’ll review your medical history, current medications, and wound status. You’ll change into 100% cotton clothing provided by the facility (for safety reasons) and remove items like watches, phones, and hearing aids.

2. Entering the Chamber – Most outpatient centers use a monoplace chamber, which is a clear acrylic tube that allows you to see outside and communicate with the care team via an intercom. You’ll lie down on a padded table that slides into the chamber.

3. Pressurization – Once the chamber is sealed, the pressure is gradually increased. You may feel a slight fullness in your ears, similar to what you might experience during an airplane ascent or descent. Swallowing, yawning, or gently pinching your nose and blowing can help equalize the pressure.

4. Breathing 100% Oxygen – For most wound care cases, each session lasts about 90 minutes. You can relax, listen to music, or even nap while the oxygen does its work.

5. Depressurization and Exit – At the end of the session, the chamber is slowly depressurized. You may feel a light popping in your ears again as the pressure returns to normal. Once complete, you can return to normal activities right away.

Why HBOT Helps Non-Healing Wounds

Non-healing wounds—such as diabetic foot ulcers, radiation injuries, or compromised skin grafts—often struggle to repair themselves because they aren’t getting enough oxygen at the tissue level. Without adequate oxygen:

• New blood vessels can’t form effectively.

• Collagen production slows down.

• Infection-fighting white blood cells can’t work at full strength.

HBOT addresses these issues by:

• Delivering oxygen deep into damaged tissues to jumpstart the healing process.

• Stimulating new blood vessel growth (angiogenesis).

• Reducing swelling and inflammation, which can improve circulation.

• Enhancing the body’s ability to fight infection, especially in cases of chronic bacterial presence.

Benefits You Might Notice

Patients receiving HBOT for non-healing wounds often report:

• Faster wound closure and visible improvement in tissue health.

• Reduced pain and discomfort in the wound area.

• Fewer infections and less drainage from the wound.

• Increased mobility and function as healing progresses.

Perhaps most importantly, HBOT can help prevent amputations in cases where poor healing might otherwise lead to severe complications.

Is HBOT Right for You?

HBOT isn’t the right choice for every wound, but for certain cases—especially wounds caused by diabetes, poor circulation, or radiation damage—it can be a powerful tool. If you have a wound that hasn’t improved after 4–6 weeks of standard treatment, it’s worth asking your healthcare provider about HBOT.

At our center, we combine HBOT with a comprehensive wound care plan that may include specialized dressings, infection control, nutrition guidance, and offloading techniques. This holistic approach gives you the best chance for full recovery.

The Bottom Line

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is more than just breathing oxygen—it’s a scientifically-proven way to give your body the resources it needs to heal when a wound refuses to close. If you or someone you love is living with a non-healing wound, early evaluation and advanced therapies like HBOT can make the difference between saving a limb and losing one.

If you think you might benefit from HBOT, we encourage you to contact our office for a consultation. Together, we can create a plan that supports your healing and helps you get back to living your life.