If your doctor or wound care provider has recommended Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), you probably have questions.
What does it feel like? How long will I be inside the chamber? Can I watch TV? Will I feel claustrophobic? And perhaps most importantly… what exactly is HBOT doing to help my body heal?
Knowing what to expect can make your first treatment much less intimidating. Here’s a look at what happens before, during and after a typical hyperbaric oxygen therapy session.
First- What Is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is a medical treatment in which you breathe 100% oxygen inside a specially designed chamber that is pressurized to greater than normal atmospheric pressure.
Under these conditions, your blood can carry significantly more oxygen throughout your body, including to areas where tissue has been damaged by injury, infection, radiation or poor circulation.
This increased oxygen can help support several processes involved in healing, including:
- Stimulating new blood vessel growth
- Supporting tissue repair and collagen production
- Reducing swelling and inflammation
- Helping the body fight certain infections
- Improving oxygen delivery to damaged tissue
- Supporting the body’s natural wound-healing process
HBOT is used for a number of medical conditions, including certain chronic and difficult-to-heal wounds.
What Happens Before Your HBOT Treatment?
Before entering the hyperbaric chamber, a member of your treatment team will review your health status, check your vital signs and make sure you’re ready for treatment.
This is also a good time to ask questions or let your treatment team know about anything that has changed since your previous visit.
For example, tell your provider if you have a cold, sinus congestion, fever, ear pain or changes in your medications.
You’ll also need to follow specific safety guidelines about what can and cannot enter the chamber. Because the chamber contains a high-oxygen environment, items such as cell phones, electronic devices, batteries, lighters, matches and certain petroleum-based products cannot be taken inside.
Your hyperbaric team will review all safety requirements with you before treatment.
What Does It Feel Like When the Hyperbaric Chamber Is Pressurized?
This is one of the most common questions first-time HBOT patients have.
As the chamber gradually pressurizes, you may notice fullness or pressure in your ears. Many patients compare the sensation to what you experience during takeoff or landing in an airplane.
Your hyperbaric team can teach you simple ways to equalize the pressure in your ears, such as swallowing, yawning or gently clearing your ears.
Once the chamber reaches the prescribed treatment pressure, the pressure sensation generally subsides and you can relax.
What Do You Do During an HBOT Treatment?
Not much! and that’s actually the point.
Once you’re comfortable and at treatment pressure, you can simply rest while the oxygen does its work.
Depending on the hyperbaric facility and type of chamber, patients may be able to:
- Watch television
- Take a nap
- Relax and rest
Throughout your treatment, trained hyperbaric professionals monitor you and the chamber.
At Southlake Wound Care & Hyperbarics, patients receive treatment in individual hyperbaric chambers designed to allow the clinical team to continually monitor and communicate with them throughout the session.
How Long Does an HBOT Treatment Take?
The oxygen-treatment portion of a typical session is approximately 90 minutes, although the prescribed treatment time can vary.
The entire appointment may last approximately two hours when you include:
- Check-in and preparation
- Gradual chamber pressurization
- Approximately 90 minutes of oxygen treatment
- Slow decompression and post-treatment evaluation
Because HBOT is typically prescribed as a series of treatments rather than a single session, it’s important to understand the time commitment before beginning therapy.
Why Do I Need More Than One HBOT Treatment?
Healing doesn’t happen all at once.
Each HBOT treatment temporarily increases the amount of oxygen available to injured tissue. A series of treatments provides repeated exposure to this oxygen-rich environment to support the biological processes involved in tissue repair and healing.
Depending on the medical condition and your physician’s treatment plan, many patients receive 20–40 treatments, while others may require more or fewer.
For some conditions, treatments may be scheduled several days per week. Following the prescribed schedule is an important part of the overall treatment plan.
What Happens After an HBOT Session?
At the end of treatment, the chamber is slowly returned to normal atmospheric pressure.
Most patients can resume their normal daily activities immediately afterward. Some people experience mild fatigue following treatment, but this generally resolves quickly.
Your clinical team will let you know if there are any specific instructions you should follow after your session.
Is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Painful?
HBOT itself is generally not painful.
The most commonly noticed sensation is temporary ear pressure while the chamber is being pressurized or depressurized. Your hyperbaric team will work with you to make this process as comfortable as possible.
If you experience discomfort at any time, communicate with your treatment team.
What Should I Do Before My First HBOT Appointment?
Follow the instructions provided by your hyperbaric treatment center. General preparation may include:
- Eat a light meal before treatment.
- Stay well hydrated.
- Continue medications unless your provider instructs you otherwise.
- Arrive on time so you aren’t rushed before treatment.
- Tell your clinical team if you have cold or sinus symptoms, fever or ear pain.
- Follow all instructions regarding clothing, personal products and items that cannot enter the chamber.
Safety guidelines can vary based on your individual treatment plan, so always follow the instructions provided by your medical team.
What Conditions Can Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Help Treat?
HBOT is not appropriate for every wound or every patient. It is a medical therapy used for specific conditions and should be recommended after an appropriate clinical evaluation.
In wound care, HBOT may be considered as part of a comprehensive treatment plan for certain difficult-to-heal wounds and conditions, including selected diabetic foot ulcers, radiation tissue injuries, chronic refractory osteomyelitis and compromised skin grafts or flaps.
The important question isn’t simply, “Would oxygen help my wound?”
It’s why isn’t the wound healing normally?
Identifying and treating the underlying cause is an important part of determining whether advanced wound care, HBOT or another treatment approach may be appropriate.
Considering Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?
If you have been referred for HBOT or have a wound that isn’t healing as expected, an evaluation with an advanced wound care provider can help determine what’s interfering with healing and what treatment options may be appropriate.
No referral is required to schedule a wound care evaluation.
At Southlake Wound Care & Hyperbarics, our team provides advanced wound care and medical Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for qualifying conditions in Southlake, Texas, serving patients throughout the DFW metroplex.
