25 May Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Wound Healing: What to Expect
Got a wound that just won’t heal?
Stubborn wounds can be so aggravating. They linger for weeks (or months) and typical wound care doesn’t seem to work.
Here’s the good news…
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) ranks among today’s most powerful healing modalities for chronic wounds. HBOT delivers 100% oxygen at high pressure throughout the body and the results can be astounding.
Here’s what’s inside:
What Is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?
How HBOT Helps Wounds Heal
Wounds That Respond Best To Treatment
What To Expect During A Session
How Many Sessions Are Needed
Possible Side Effects To Know About
Let’s jump in!
What Is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a treatment which involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurised room or chamber.
Sounds complicated? It’s not.
The hyperbaric chamber is pressurized to approximately 2-3 times the normal atmospheric pressure. At that pressure, your body can absorb significantly more oxygen — as much as 20 times greater than what is normally transported by your blood.
And that extra oxygen does wonders for wound healing.
There are two main types of hyperbaric chambers used today:
Monoplace chambers: Intended for single occupancy, they resemble oversized clear bubbles.
Multiplace chambers: Bigger units that can fit multiple people at once.
A good choice for home or small clinic use is the seated hyperbaric chamber as it’s small, comfortable and allows you to sit upright during your session. Sitting up as opposed to lying down also makes the experience much less claustrophobic than being stuck in a tube for an hour.
How HBOT Helps Wounds Heal
This is where things get really interesting…
Poorly healing wounds suffer from insufficient oxygen delivery to the wound site. There is no healing without oxygen.
HBOT solves this problem by saturating the body with much higher levels of oxygen. This greatly elevated oxygen concentration:
Boost blood flow to the wound site
Kill bacteria that cause infections
Stimulate growth factors that build new tissue
Promote collagen production for stronger skin
Form new blood vessels in damaged areas
That last point is BIG. New blood vessels allow oxygen and nutrients to continue flowing to the site of the wound well beyond the treatment session.
Studies show it too. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy successfully heals approximately 75% of all wounds. That stat comes from over 600,000 documented wounds treated in real world settings. That’s an incredible success rate.
Wounds That Respond Best To Treatment
Not every wound needs HBOT…
Although it’s not a miracle cure for all wounds, it’s miraculous for some. Chronic or complex wounds that see the biggest difference are:
Diabetic foot ulcers — one of the most common uses
Radiation injuries from cancer treatment
Crush injuries with damaged soft tissue
Compromised skin grafts and flaps
Necrotising soft tissue infections
Chronic bone infections (osteomyelitis)
Burns that aren’t healing properly
Diabetic foot ulcers are of particular importance here. In diabetic foot ulcers, a meta-analysis of 20 trials showed that HBOT increased healing rate, decreased healing time, and lowered rates of major amputation.
If you’re diabetic and have had a foot ulcer for months, that’s great news for you.
What To Expect During A Session
If you have never been in a hyperbaric chamber before, learning what to expect can be very helpful.
Here’s how it usually goes:
Metal objects, lighters, electronic devices – these will be removed before the session. They cannot be taken into the chamber. Comfortable cotton clothing is typically requested.
Upon entering the chamber, the pressure will slowly begin to rise. Your ears may feel funny while pressure is changing – similar to what you would experience on an airplane. Yawning, swallowing, or pinching your nose and blowing gently will equalize the pressure.
After the chamber reaches full pressure, the patient just relaxes. Most people:
Read a book
Watch TV (in chambers with screens)
Take a nap
Listen to music
Pretty chill, right?
Sessions usually run between 1-2 hours. Once finished, the chamber slowly depressurises…and that’s pretty much it. Congratulations, you’re finished!
How Many Sessions Are Needed?
Here’s the thing… HBOT isn’t a one-and-done treatment.
Most wound healing treatments require more than one session spread out over weeks. The number of sessions depends on:
Type of wound being treated
Severity of the wound
How well the patient responds to the therapy
Overall health of the individual
A typical treatment plan for most chronic wounds ranges from 20-40 treatments. Some patients may require more treatments and some may heal with fewer.
Attend your sessions religiously. Missed sessions or leaving early can cause regression and cost you time and money. You have to allow your body to experience that increase in oxygen repeatedly.
A standard programme would be one session a day, five days a week. This fits into everyday life quite easily for most people, especially with home programmes which eliminate travel to a clinic.
Possible Side Effects To Know About
HBOT is generally super safe…
However, like any medical intervention, there are some potential side effects you should know about. The most common of these are:
Ear pressure or discomfort — usually mild and easy to manage
Temporary vision changes — typically reverse after treatment ends
Fatigue or lightheadedness after a session
Sinus pressure for people with colds or allergies
Serious risks such as oxygen toxicity or pulmonary damage are exceedingly rare and only occur if there are unusual conditions present. By receiving treatment with a trained hyperbaric medicine professional risk is minimized.
Individuals who have certain conditions — such as untreated pneumothorax, severe COPD or recent ear surgery — should always consult with their physician before beginning HBOT.
The Bottom Line
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is one of the most effective treatments available for recalcitrant wounds. It has approximately a 75% success rate, offering hope to those who have failed all other therapies.
A quick recap:
HBOT uses pure oxygen at high pressure to boost healing
It works best for chronic wounds, diabetic ulcers, and radiation injuries
Sessions are relaxed and last 60-120 minutes
Most patients need 20-40 sessions for full results
Side effects are usually mild and manageable
If you have a non-healing wound, consult your physician about HBOT. Real healing may be possible. Technology has advanced to where home comfortable units are available.
Your body desires to heal. Occasionally it merely requires some additional oxygen.
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Last Updated on May 25, 2026 by Marie Benz MD FAAD