Living with diabetes means keeping a close eye on your feet. A small cut or blister can quickly turn into a wound that is difficult to treat and can have serious health consequences.
For some people, these wounds can become long-term diabetic foot ulcers, which can limit mobility, increase the risk of infection, and even lead to amputation.
But one supportive treatment is helping more people finally move forward: hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT ).
Why do ulcers struggle to heal?
High blood sugar levels can damage blood vessels and nerves, and the damage tends to start in the feet. This means less sensation (so injuries go unnoticed ), and reduced blood flow (so wounds don’t get the oxygen and nutrients they need to heal ).
When healing slows down and wounds take a long time to heal, infection risk can rise. Standard treatments like dressings, antibiotics, and pressure-relieving measures don’t always lead to full healing.
How HBOT can help
HBOT is a treatment that involves breathing high-concentration oxygen via a face mask in a sealed chamber where the air pressure is higher than normal. This means that your lungs take in more oxygen, which then travels in your blood to tissues that are damaged or inflamed.
One study showed that having HBOT alongside standard wound care led to diabetic foot ulcers healing more quickly and being more likely to remain healed one year later, when compared to not using HBOT. People who underwent surgical treatment for their ulcer followed by HBOT were also less likely to need amputation than those who had surgery alone.
If you’re living with a diabetic foot ulcer that’s not healing as expected despite good wound care, talk to your GP, podiatrist or diabetes team about whether HBOT may be appropriate.
To find out more, visit OxyGeneration.com or call 091 394 444. Self-referral is welcome, and OxyGeneration works with referring clinicians.
