Top Hyperbaric Medicine Services & Treatments for Wound Care

Each and every year, somewhere between 3 and 5 million people suffer from chronic wounds caused by things such as poor circulation, diabetes, inadequate nutrition, traumatic injury, chronic disease, excess bacteria, and other conditions. So, if you have a wound that doesn’t seem to heal or respond to conventional treatments, don’t feel alone – it happens to many people.

While chronic wounds may not necessarily be rare, they still require attention as they can become an ongoing and serious medical issue. In the case that the body’s natural healing process seems inadequate, or altogether nonexistent, chronic wounds can lead to things like severe deterioration of the surrounding tissues, bad infections, gangrene, and even amputation in rare cases if it isn’t treated for properly.

So, if you have a non-healing wound, you should find a wound care clinic nearby so you can discuss what may be the best treatment plans with specially-trained medical experts.

While the doctors may recommend a certain treatment plan based on things such as your medical history, your wound, various medical tests and measurements, and your general health, it is important to understand the top forms of treatment for wound care. This way you will be able to better understand the doctors’ recommendations and ask any questions you may have.

For those who are not familiar with the different hyperbaric medicine services and wound treatments, here’s a guide to help provide you with a rundown of the top services and treatments for wound care:

Infection Control/Antibiotic Therapy

Antibiotic therapy deals with infection control and management while limiting and healing the effects of the infection. Infection control typically requires a multidisciplinary approach. Infection control itself focuses on three steps.

1.     Optimize host response, which means enhancing the tissue oxygenation, minimizing risk factors for infection, maximizing nutritional status, ensuring hydration, and treating the infection and its roots.

2.     Reducing bacterial load by preventing future wound contamination, managing wound drainage if needed, optimizing the wound bed, which usually involves some degree of debridement, and antibiotic therapy, which we will explain shortly.

3.     Then, thirdly, take general measures to manage the infection such as manage any systemic symptoms (pain), provide careful instruction for patient, ensure cooperation and support if the patient needs it.

In addition to infection control, antibiotic therapy is almost always necessary in conjunction with the control measures. Antibiotics and antiseptics act directly on the micro-organisms causing the problems and systems.

Antiseptics are applied topically and they prevent the cells from multiply and sometimes kill the cells in a non-selective manner, whereas antibiotics should be taken orally and they will act selectively against bacteria killing the infection.

Debridement

As the body goes through its natural healing process, it’s possible that the wound area can become overrun with dead tissue and skin cells. This inhibits the body’s ability to heal naturally as it restricts the development of new and healthy cells while also increasing the likelihood of infection.

Debridement helps the wound healing process by removing the necrotic material (dead cells). Debridement can occur in a few ways:

1.     Autolytic debridement, which involves applying hydrocolloids and hydrogels to the affected area to increase the moisture so the body can naturally shed off the dead material.

2.     Surgical Debridement and sharp debridement, which involve the manual removal of the material by a wound care specialist by using a scalpel and forceps (or scissors for sharp debridement).

3.     Larval therapy, which involves the placement of maggots or their larvae direct on the affected area to allow them the ability to eat away at the dead material ultimately leaving behind healthy tissue.

Compression Therapy

One of the simpler forms of wound treatment, compression therapy, is typically recommended for patient’s suffering from chronic venous disease or chronic leg ulcers, and occasionally for individuals suffering from diabetic wounds. Compression therapy works relatively simply.

Since wound healing is primarily dependent on blood flow, compression therapy helps the body’s healing process become effective again by increasing blood flow. By applying controlled pressure to surface veins (most typically on the legs) and keeping the diameter small and tight, you can force the blood back to the heart through the deep vein system. This ultimately improves overall circulation, which means better blood flow to the wounded area leading to decreased swelling and more effective healing.

Platelet Rich Plasma

Platelet rich plasma, or PRP, is frequently used to help a patient’s wound heal once the more conventional treatments fail to become effective. PRP is an autologous blood therapy that stimulates a healing response using the patient’s own blood. The body’s normal healing processes depend on blood flow, but people with chronic wounds often have diminished blood flow, which creates problems for healing.

Using advanced technology to sort of isolate and concentrate platelets from the patient’s blood, wound care doctors can initiate the standard healing process and then expedite it by increasing the concentration of the platelets by 4-7 times. Then, PRP provides a very strong delivery of growth factors to the area surrounding the injury which can dramatically improve the healing process.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

When patient’s wounds don’t respond to the conventional treatments, they might be recommended to undergo hyperbaric oxygen therapy, or HBOT. HBOT utilizes advanced technology that speeds up and even triggers the body’s healing mechanisms. It does so by providing the patient with 100% oxygen in a chamber with air pressure twice as high as normal.

By taking in such highly-concentrated oxygen for brief periods of time, patients often experience very effective results that include benefits such as the delivery of oxygen to oxygen-starved tissue near the injury, increased abilities for your white blood cells to fight against infection, and an improved ability for your body to begin repairing and replacing the cells in the damaged area.

At the end of the day, it is important to be on the same page as your doctors and wound care specialist in order to ensure the best care for your wound. Of course, there are many various treatment plans, and sometimes treatment plans can be coupled together. For instance, most treatments are coupled with diabetic education and medical nutrition information and guides.

It is important to keep in mind that you will most likely have your progress monitored by a health professional, so if you end up having any questions or concerns about your wound or your treatment, don’t hesitate to ask!

By Russell McBurnie

What to Expect from a Bariatric Wound Care Procedure

As the 6 million Americans who suffer from chronic, non-healing wounds know, Band-Aids do not fix everything. Instead, some wounds need bariatric wound care in order to heal. Most chronic. Non-healing wounds are the result of complications regarding diabetes or vascular issues, but they can also be surgical wounds, pressure sores, or traumatic wounds.

Dealing with these wounds can be extremely challenging for those who suffer from them as well as their caregivers. Fortunately for those individuals, though, there are many wound care centers that will help with managing and treating their wounds. Here’s what you can expect from a typical wound care procedure –

1.     Wound Assessment:

Wound Evaluations –

During your first visit to the wound care center, you should expect that your wound will be evaluated to determine the severity of your wound, your general health, and the best course of action for the most effective healing plan. A typical evaluation involves a blood test and additional special tests to determine information about your blood flow and oxygen flow in and around the wound area. The care provider will also review your medical history for details about your past wounds and medications.

Treatment Programs –

Based on the results from your wound assessment and health evaluation, the doctors will create a treatment program that you will follow. The treatment program typically involves at home care plans for you or your caregiver to follow as well as routine visits to the care center to keep track of your progress and make changes as needed.

Since you are the most important part of ensuring the success of any treatment program, the doctor will likely detail specific instructions for you or your caregiver to follow. These instructions typically detail nutrition plans, dressing/bandage plans, and plans to protect yourself from any further injuries.

Treatment programs also entail plans regarding pain management, diabetic education, medication, and physical therapy. Of course, all of the specifics depend on the particular circumstances of your wound, your body and its health, and the treatment plan.

2.     Bariatric Wound Care: Depending on whether you meet certain criteria, you might also be selected as a good candidate for bariatric wound care, or hyperbaric oxygen therapy. It is expected that about 1 out of 5 patients will undergo HBOT treatments.

What is bariatric wound care?

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy occurs in a chamber with 1.5 to 3 times the normal air pressure where the patient also breathes pure oxygen. HBOT works by feeding the patient’s blood enough oxygen to repair various tissues and cells by the wound as well as restore normal body functions back to working order.

HBOT is a noninvasive and painless treatment that encourages the formation of collagen and new skin cells, strengthens and triggers the body’s natural immune system, prevents hyperfusion injury, and feeds the oxygen-starved blood some oxygen. Of course, there are risks associated with HBOT.

What are the side effects of wound care?

If you undergo HBOT treatments, you should certainly expect your ears to pop in a similar manner to the way they do on air flights. The most common complications associated with HBOT is trauma to the middle ear, which is the section of your ear that includes your ear drums. Some patients also experience complications with their eyes and sinuses.

While most side effects of wound care are not severe, there can be severe complications along with treatments in very rare instances. Although only a few patients, it is possible that you might suffer from oxygen poisoning as a side effect of wound care, which puts you at risk to suffer from lung failure, fluid build-up in the lungs, and seizures among many other problems.

At the end of the day, however, the side effects and risks of bariatric wound care can be significantly lessened by making sure that you do not undergo HBOT treatments if you have recently undergone ear surgeries, suffered from ear trauma, colds, or fevers, or suffered from certain types of lung diseases. Of course, these things will the things you discuss with your doctor and medical provider. Remember, just as any other medical procedure, it is important to understand all the details about your expected treatment.

By Russell McBurnie

Hyperbaric Medicine: Wound Care Clinics in Alabama

Managing wounds can be challenging for not only the patient, but also for their caregivers. Since open wound care can be such a difficult task, it is absolutely important that you receive expert care from medical professionals that are appropriately trained. This is especially true if you are expecting that you might have to undergo hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The risks of hyperbaric oxygen therapy are significantly increased by misuse, and the risks of HBOT can already be very serious.

Also, in order to make sure that you are benefitting from state-of-the-art technology for managing wound healing, it is best to stay within the care of hospital systems whenever possible. Additionally, staying within hospital systems will further ensure that you are receiving care from an appropriately qualified professional. To help your search, here are some wound care centers in Alabama –

Wound Care Centers:

·       Marshall Wound Healing Center at Marshall Medical Centers – located on 11491 Highway 431 in Albertville, Alabama 35950. Their number is (256)-894-6976.

·       Department of Hyperbaric Medicine at Andalusia Regional Hospital – located on 849- South Three Notch in Andalusia, AL 36608. Their number is (334)-222-8466.

·       Wound Healing Center at Northeast Alabama Regional Medical Center – located on 731 Leighton Avenue in Anniston, AL 36202. Their number is (256)-741-6070.

·       Saline Wound Healing Center – located on 1 Medical Park Drive in Benton, Alabama 72015. Their phone number is (501-776-6901.

·       Baptist Wound Care Clinic at Princeton Baptist Medical Center – located on 833 Princeton Avenue SW in Birmingham, Alabama 35211. Their number is (205)-783-3740.

·       The Wound Healing Center at ECM East Coffee Health Group – located on 2111 Cloyd Boulevard in Florence, Alabama 35630. Their phone number is (256)-768-8600.

·       Wound and Hyperbaric Center at Riverview Regional Medical Center – located on 2013 Rainbow Drive in Gadsden, AL 35901. Their number is (256)-546-6038.

·       Hyperbaric Department at Huntsville Hospital, East – located on 911 Big Cove Road in Hunstville, Alabama 35801. Their phone number is (256)-517-7761.

·       Center for Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine at Springhill Medical Center – located on 3719 Dauphin Street in Mobile, AL 36608. Their number Is (251)-460-5461.

·       Wound and Hyperbaric Medicine Center at Jackson Hospital – located on 1725 Pine Street in Montgomery, Alabama 36106. Their phone number is (334)-293-8138.

·       Wound Healing Center at DCH Regional Medical Center – located on 701 University Boulevard, East, in Tuscaloosa, AL 35401. Their number is (205)-750-5430.

At the end of the day, if you cannot make it to one of the aforementioned centers, then it is extremely important that you make sure that you receive care from a provider that knows what they are doing. However, there is no need to panic as there are plenty of reputable wound clinics available throughout the state. Wound healing can be very difficult to manage, so it is always best to make sure it is being managed by the best professionals possible. 

By Russell McBurnie

Hyperbaric Medicine: Wound Care Clinics in Colorado

Managing wound healing can be an extremely difficult task not only for the patient, but also for their caregivers. Since open wound care can be such a difficult task, it is an absolutely necessity that you are receiving expert care from medical professionals with the proper training. This is especially true if you expect that you might need to undergo hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The risks of hyperbaric oxygen therapy can be significantly increased because of misuse, and the risks of HBOT (from risks and benefits of HBOT blog) can already be very serious.

Also, in order to make sure that you are benefitting from state-of-the-art technology for managing wound care, it is best to stay within hospital systems whenever possible when you are looking for wound care centers. Additionally, staying within hospital systems can best guarantee that you are receiving care from appropriately qualified professionals. To help your search, here are some wound care centers in Colorado –

Wound Care Clinics:

·       Colorado Center for Hyperbaric Medicine – located on 1460 E. Valley Road in Basalt, Colorado 81621. Their phone number is (970)-927-4950.

·       Rocky Mountain Hyperbaric Institute – located on 2300 Central Avenue in Boulder, CO 80301. Their phone number is (303)-478-5230.

·       Hyperbaric Medicine at Memorial Hospital – located on 1400 East Boulder Street in Colorado Springs, CO 80909. Their phone number is (719)-365-5920.

·       Porter Wound Healing Center at Porter Adventist Hospital – located on 2525 South Downing Street in Denver, Colorado 80210. Their number is (303)-778-5242.

·       Hyperbaric Medicine at St. Luke’s Medical Center – located on 1719 East 19th Avenue in Denver, CO 80218. Their phone number is (303)-839-6900.

·       Hyperbaric Medicine Department at Poudre Valley Hospital – located on 1024 South Lemay Avenue in Fort Collins, CO 80524. Their number is (970)-495-8770.

·       Hyperbaric Medicine Department at North Colorado Medical Center – located on 1801 16th Street in Greeley, CO 80631. Their number is (970)-350-6378.

·       Wound Care Center at St. Anthony North Hospital – located on 2551 W. 84th Avenue in Westminster, Colorado 80031. Their phone number is (303)-430-3220.

At the end of the day, if you cannot make it to one of the centers above to receive care, then it is extremely important that you research whether the provider you do go to has the appropriate qualifications to provide you with proper care. However, do not panic as there are plenty of reputable wound clinics available throughout the state. Again, managing wounds can be very difficult and there are serious risks involved, so it is always best to make sure it is being managed by the best professionals possible. 

By Russell McBurnie

Hyperbaric Medicine: Wound Care Clinics in Florida

Managing wounds can be challenging for not only the patient, but also for their caregivers. Since open wound care is such a difficult task, it is imperative that you receive expert care from appropriately trained medical professionals. This is especially true if you expect to undergo hyperbaric oxygen therapy, as the risks are increased by misuse, and the risks of HBOT are very serious.

Also, in order to ensure that you benefit from state-of-the-art technology, it is best to stay within the care of hospital systems whenever possible. Additionally, that will almost guarantee that you are receiving care from an appropriately qualified professional. To help your search, here are some wound care centers in Florida –

Florida Hospital: Florida Hospital offers patients superior wound healing treatments as their team of experts treat the wound and the underlying issues. Their statewide system of hospitals includes Florida Hospital’s Hyperbaric Medicine and Wound Management Center in Orlando, which houses the state’s largest privately-owned multi-place hyperbaric chamber.

In addition to that center, Florida Hospital’s network also offers wound care at the following hospitals:

·       Florida Hospital Carrollwood – Located on 7171 North Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, FL 33614. Their phone number is (813)-932-2222.

·       Florida Hospital Fish Memorial – Located on 1055 Saxon Boulevard in Orange City, FL 32763. Their phone number is (386)-917-5000.

·       Florida Hospital Heartland Medical Center – Located on 4200 Sun ‘n Lake Boulevard in Sebring, Florida 33872. Their phone number is (863)-314-4466.

·       Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center – Located on 301 Memorial Medical Parkway in Daytona Beach, Florida 32117. Their phone number is (386)-231-6000.

·       Florida Hospital New Smyrna – Located on 401 Palmetto Street in New Smyrna, FL 32168. Their phone number is

·       Florida Hospital North Pinellas – Located on 1395 South Pinellas Avenue in Tarpon Springs, Florida 34698. Their phone number is (727)-942-5000.

·       Florida Hospital Orlando – Located on 601 East Rollins Street in Orlando, FL 32803. Their phone number is (407)-303-5600.

·       Florida Hospital Tampa – Located on 3100 East Fletcher Avenue, Tampa, FL 33613. Their phone number is (813)-971-6000.

·       Florida Hospital Waterman – Located on 1000 Waterman Way in Tavares, Florida 32778. Their phone number is (352)-253-3333.

·       Florida Hospital Zephyrhills – Located on 7050 Gall Boulevard, Zephyrhills, FL 33541. Their phone number is (813)-788-0411.

At the end of the day, if you cannot make it to one of the centers listed above, there is no need to panic. There are plenty of reputable wound clinics available throughout the state. It just extremely important to make sure that you are receiving care by a provider that knows what they are doing. Wound healing can be very difficult to manage, so it is always best to make sure it is being managed by the best professionals possible. 

By Russell McBurnie

Bariatric Medicine: Wound Care Clinics in North Carolina

Wound management is no easy task – and not only is it a challenge for the patient, but it can also be difficult for their caregivers as well. Since open wound care is such a difficult task, it’s absolutely a necessity that you receive expert care from medical professionals with the proper training. Since the risks of HBOT are already so serious, it is especially important to ensure that you receive superior care and wound healing expertise if you expect that you might have to undergo hyperbaric oxygen therapy because the risks of the therapy can increase substantially if it is misused.

Also, you can ensure that you benefit from state-of-the-art technology for managing wound care by remaining within hospital systems whenever possible. Additionally, staying within hospital systems can also guarantee that you are under expert care from appropriately trained medical professionals. To help your search, here are some wound care centers in North Carolina –

Hospitals with Wound Care Centers:

·      UNC Wound Healing Center at North Carolina Memorial Hospital – located at 101 Manning Drive in Chapel Hill, NC 27514. Their phone number is (919)-843-1900.

·      Carolinas Medical Center for Hyperbaric Medicine – located in Charlotte, North Carolina 28232. Their phone number is (704)-355-6630.

·      The Presbyterian Hospital – located at 200 Hawthorne Lane in Charlotte, NC 28233. Their phone number is (704)-383-4098.

·      St. Luke’s Regional Hyperbaric and Wound Care Center – located at 85 Hospital Drive in Columbus, NC 28722. Their phone number is (828)-894-0111.

·      Wound Management Center at North East Medical Center – located at 920 Church Street in Concord, NC 28025. Their phone number is (704)783-2190.

·      Duke Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Environmental Physiology at Duke Hospital South – located at 200 Trent Drive in Durham, NC 27710. Their number is (919)-684-6726.

·      Park Ridge Wound Care at Park Ridge Health – located at 50 Hospital Drive in Hendersonville, North Carolina 28792. Their phone number is (828)-650-6822.

·      Johnston Therapeutic Wound Clinic at Johnston Memorial Hospital – located at 514 Bright Leaf Blvd in Smithfield, NC 27577. Their number is (919)-938-7716.

·      Problem Wound Care Center at Valdese General Hospital – located at 720 Malcolm Boulevard in Valdese, North Carolina 28690. Their phone number is (828)-874-2251.

At the end of the day, if you cannot make it to one of the centers above to receive care, then it is extremely important that you research whether the provider you do go to has the appropriate qualifications to provide you with proper care. However, do not panic as there are plenty of reputable wound clinics available throughout the state. Again, managing wound healing is no easy task, and there are extremely serious risks that can be involved, so it’s always best to make that the best professionals available are managing your wounds when needed. 

By Russell McBurnie

Risks and Benefits of Bariatric Wound Care

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy, also known as HBOT, is a certain type of wound treatment that people undergo in order to speed up, or in some cases trigger, the healing process, especially with stubborn wounds. While hyperbaric oxygen is also used to treat other conditions from carbon monoxide poisoning to burns to bone diseases, HBOT is highly effective for diabetic wounds as well.

HBOT works by feeding the blood enough oxygen to repair various tissues and restore normal bodily functions to working order. So, in order to undergo the treatment, the patient will be put into a chamber where they will breathe pure oxygen in air pressure that is about 1.5 to 3 times higher than the normal air pressure we experience.

Of course, like any other procedure or treatment, it’s not necessarily all good and flowers. There are certain risks, as well as many benefits, to hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and it is important to understand them if you are considering undergoing HBOT. So, we will begin with the bad news and finish with the good:

Risks:

There are many different risks associated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy, but they all have different likelihoods of occurring, so we will break the risks down by the most common ones to rarest complications.

The most common complications patients experience from HBOT is trauma to the middle ear. The middle ear is the section of your ear that includes the ear drum and three tiny bones called ossicles. Trauma to the middle can be painful, but it can also be painless. Regardless of the pain, trauma to the middle ear can lead to infections and it is important to take care of the trauma.

Other possible complications from HBOT include eye damage and sinus problems. The risks of suffering from these complications are heightened if the patient has recently experienced cold or fever symptoms before undergoing HBOT.

In rare and the most severe cases, a patient might experience oxygen poisoning. Oxygen poisoning is very serious as it can lead to lung failure, fluid in the lungs, seizures, and a few other serious problems for the body. But, oxygen poisoning is extremely rare and only occurs in the most severe cases.

So, if you have had any recent ear surgeries or trauma, any serious colds, fevers, or sicknesses, or certain types of lung diseases or injuries, then HBOT is most likely not the best option for you.

Benefits:

Now, of course hyperbaric oxygen therapy is not all bad news – there are also plenty of benefits associated with HBOT.

HBOT encourages the formation of new collagen, which is the connective tissue in your body, and new skin cells. HBOT encourages the body to form new blood vessels. Also, HBOT can even stimulate cells to produce vascular endothelial growth factor, which attracts and stimulates certain substances necessary for healing, like endothelial cells.

HBOT strengthens the body’s immune system and helps block the damage and action of harmful bacteria. HBOT disables the toxins of certain bacteria that can be harmful to the body. HBOT also increases oxygen concentration in the body’s tissues, which helps the body resist infections. Additionally, HBOT improves the white blood cell’s ability to find and eliminate harmful molecules in the body.

HBOT helps prevent reperfusion injury. Reperfusion injury is the sever tissue damage that occurs when the oxygen-deprived blood reaches the tissue. Molecules in the oxygen-deprived blood can cause irreparable damage to the tissue. HBOT allows healing to continue by seeking out the problematic molecules in the blood.

HBOT helps wound healing by bringing oxygen-rich plasma to tissue starved by oxygen. Wound injuries can damage the body’s blood vessels, which in turn releases fluids into the surrounding tissue causing swelling. This swelling causes oxygen deprivation, which kills the tissues cells. So, the increases in oxygen breaks the cycle of swelling, oxygen deprivation, and tissue death.

At the end of the day, hyperbaric oxygen therapy can be a very useful treatment plan went it comes to bariatric wound care. However, HBOT might not be for everyone, so it’s absolutely necessary to discuss whether HBOT is right for you with your health care provider. 

By Russell McBurnie

Reasons To Explore Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is using high pressure oxygen as a way to treat serious injuries and wounds.  It is used for the treatment of decompression which is an illness caused by scuba diving. This treatment is used to treat infections in the body that will not heal. This powerful therapy has been utlized to help heal wounds caused by diabetes, burns, skin grafts, and carbon monoxide poisoning.

Many hospitals now use this as a regular treatment because of the successful results. About 2,000 hospitals in the United States offer hyperbaric  oxygen  therapy! Hospitals only treat illnesses with hyperbaric oxygen therapy that have been scientifically validated by Food and Drug Administration and other professional medical organizations. The hyperbaric oxygen therapy is either given in single or multi person chambers. The patients breathe in pure, pressurized oxygen. The pure oxygen releases chemicals that promote healing and aids in the formation of new blood vessels.

Used to Treat Radiation Therapy and Wounds

It is used to help cancer patients that receive radiation therapy. Radiation can damage the blood vessels and cause damage to bones. It’s been known to cause alarming blood in the urine and kidney damage. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can help the body develop new blood vessels leading to healing of the problems associated with radiation. It can promote healing of bones through growth and new tissue.  It often takes about 30 to 40 treatments to heal the various side effects of radiation therapy.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is definitely worth considering because in traditional hospitals it’s used for a wide array of conditions. It is used for anemia, air bubbles in your blood, serious infections, wounds, carbon monoxide poisoning, and more. It’s extremely convenient and can even be performed as an outpatient!

Often a single unit has a patient lie down on a table that slides into a clear plastic tube. In a large room a patient may lay or sit down receiving oxygen through a mask. Sometimes, a hood is placed over your head. The air pressure is two or three times higher than normal in the chamber. Therapy usually lasts around two hours. It often takes several treatments to see any results or wound healing. You can typically expect anywhere from 20 to 40 treatments for the wounds to heal.

Successfully Combined With Traditional Therapy

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is often used in combination with other therapies to treat various conditions and diseases. It has been found to shrink the size of the wound and increase the time it takes to heal, which is pretty incredible! It takes about 10 minutes to get used to the treatment/increased pressure which lasts around hour. Similarly, it takes about 10 minutes to return to normal pressure after the treatment. 

Some treatments are not approved by certain insurance providers. Check with your insurance before beginning treatment to find out what’s covered. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is often is used in conjunction with traditional wound care, which means it’s most likely to heal serious wounds and infections. Treating wounds effectively often requires a multidisciplinary approach. This mean that wound assessment and wound healing require traditional treatments and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a treatment worth considering because many hospitals around the country use it to treat wounds and infections. It’s used to treat numerous other conditions along with other traditional methods. We understand that infections and wounds that don’t heal are frightening. If you’re currently suffering, definitely contact your doctor to discuss how hyperbaric oxygen therapy can help you.

By Joan Russell

What Is Bariatric Wound Care?

Bariatric wound care, also known as hyperbaric oxygen therapy, is a process that uses oxygen to treat serious wounds that are hard to heal.  If you suffer from thermal burns, soft tissue infections, radiation burns, skin grafts, diabetes wounds and infection you fear the wounds will never heal. This is very frightening for patients.  Hyperbaric oxygen therapy speeds wound healing, reduces infections, and often saves limbs for patients.

How is the Therapy Given?

This therapy is often given in a room called a hyperbaric oxygen chamber.  The medical staff delivers 100% oxygen to the wound at very high pressure. Sometimes it is given through a gas mask directly into your lungs. It often can be applied to one part of the body like your leg or arm where the wound is located.  The wound on the leg is wrapped with a plastic bag and it is filled with oxygen.

This therapy helps heal the wound from the inside out.  It builds new blood vessels, helps to fight serious infections, and reduces swelling in the body.  Chronic wounds that don’t heal are often caused by diabetes, immobility, vascular diseases, and poor circulation. Bariatric wound care helps the body to heal these wounds naturally.

Treatments and Side Effects

Often your doctor will determine whether you need treatment by blood tests and examining the wounds. There are two types of chambers patients are placed in: mono-place and multi-place. A mono-place chamber is designed to treat one person with oxygen. Multi-place chambers treat several patients at a time using masks or hoods to deliver the oxygen.

This therapy must be prescribed by a physician and performed under supervision.  Some of the side effects are changes in the pressure in the eyes and ears. Often tubes are put in the ears to minimize damage and changes are often minor and do not last long. 

This type of therapy is excellent for wound healing and open wound care.  Wounds like diabetic foot ulcers, surgical wounds, and grafts heal quickly.  When your doctor sends you to a specialist they will do a physical exam, take blood tests, and design a specific treatment to help heal your wounds.

Treatment often involves a patient spending about 90 minutes in a chamber several days a week.  Single chambers often have TV’s and comfortable bedding so that patients can watch TV or sleep during the treatment. Treatments often last four to six weeks.

Don’t suffer with wounds that don’t heal. Bariatric wound care can help heal wounds that threaten your health.  It is effective and painless for open wound care and serious wounds that don’t heal for men and women. If you’re interested in the possibility of bariatric wound care for treatment, talk to your doctor and see if it might be an option for you!

Written by: Joan Russell