Problem wounds are those which fail to respond to established medical and surgical management. Such wounds usually develop in patients with multiple local and systemic factors contributing to poor tissue healing. These include diabetic foot ulcers, compromised amputation sites, vascular insufficiency ulcers (ulcers with poor circulation) and non-healing traumatic wounds. All share the common problem of tissue hypoxia (low tissue oxygen levels), usually related to impaired circulation.
Diabetic foot wounds are one of the major complications of diabetes and an excellent example of the type of complicated wound which can be treated with hyperbaric oxygen. Many diabetics have impaired arterial circulation in their feet and have great difficulty with wound healing of foot ulcers.
The elevation in tissue oxygenation which occurs in the hyperbaric chamber induces significant changes in the wound repair process that promote healing. When the hyperbaric chamber is used in conjunction with standard wound care, improved results have been demonstrated in the healing of difficult or limb threatening wounds
“I was diagnosed with Bulbar ALS in Dec. 2005. My speech was leaving me. I started Tibetan herbs because a friend had reversed speech problems due to taking them. I still take the herbs but my speech has become impossible to understand. I have a feeding tube now and am gaining weight-yippee! A year ago I started hyperbaric oxygen therapy with. I have not had the tiredness that most ALS patients seem to deal with. I am playing golf,doing yoga and pilates and jog/walking 5k races.
I volunteer for Hospice, Lifehouse and am a National official for USA Track and Field covering the meets at Cal and Stanford and the NCAA Nationals. I credit this to my oxygen treatments – I started at 5 times a week and now take it 4 times a week…It is enjoyable for me as I can meditate, read or sleep in the chamber.I am happy doing this as it cannot hurt me and only help me.”
Day after day, patients are overcoming the bleak forecasts about recovery from their stroke or traumatic brain injury, using Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.