Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Complications from diabetes, infections, surgery, and radiation treatments can stress your body, making it harder to heal wounds.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy enhances new tissue growth and improves blood circulation—all as you rest comfortably watching a movie, listening to music, or even sleeping.

Am I a Candidate for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?

You may be a candidate for hyperbaric oxygen therapy if you have any of the following conditions:

• Wounds that have not healed within 30 days
• Diabetes-related wounds, including ulcers on the legs and feet
• Bone infection (osteomyelitis)
• Failed or compromised skin grafts
• Delayed radiation tissue damage, including oral and gum tissue
• Urological conditions or issues like interstitial cystitis, a chronic condition causing bladder and pelvic pain or pressure, and a frequent urge to urinate
• Actinomycosis, a bacterial infection that causes sores in the face, neck, and other parts of the body
• Crush injury wounds
• Burns
• Severe bacterial infection that destroys tissue, muscles, and skin
• Gangrene

What Are the Side Effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?

Most people who undergo hyperbaric oxygen therapy report mild to no side effects from treatment. Side effects may include:

• Lightheadedness that subsides after a few minutes
• Sinus pain or pressure
• Claustrophobia
• Fatigue
• Eye pain or pressure
• Low blood sugar in people with diabetes

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy at Virtua

The staff of our three hyperbaric oxygen therapy locations work closely with your wound care center or referring physician as we promote healing and seek to restore your quality of life.

During treatment, you breathe 100% oxygen, compared to 21% in the air you normally breathe. The therapy is painless, and many people find it relaxing.

Sessions are 90 minutes, five times a week, for several weeks or as prescribed by your physician.

At Virtua’s hyperbaric oxygen centers, you will:

• Receive a hospital-style gown to wear in the chamber
• Lie comfortably in a large, see-through tube
• See and talk to your technician at any time
• Listen to music, watch a movie, sleep, or just relax

During therapy, the increased air pressure may create a temporary feeling of fullness in your ears, similar to what you might feel in an airplane. You can relieve that feeling by swallowing or yawning. 

Benefits of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

During your treatment, the combination of pure oxygen and increased pressure forces oxygen to enter your blood faster and more efficiently. This extra oxygen is carried through your bloodstream and delivered to your body tissues, promoting healing.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy:

• Increases oxygenation to the body’s tissues
• Increases blood flow and circulation
• Strengthens the body’s immune system and helps block the action of harmful bacteria
• Reduces swelling and pain
• Encourages the growth of new skin and collagen cells