Common Questions

  • Who’s at risk for chronic wounds?

    Smokers: Blood carries oxygen that is needed to heal wounds. Smoking causes the blood vessels to get narrow and decrease the blood flow to a wound, which decreases the oxygen that the wound should get.

    Diabetics: Over time, diabetes changes the blood vessels, inhibiting them from supplying needed oxygen to the wound site.

    Vascular disease patients: Vascular disease conditions affect the blood flow in blood vessels. If blood flow is slowed or kept from getting to the wound, then it will not heal.

  • How can wound care help?

    Chronic wounds need special care in order to be healed. The Wound Care team at BayCare Clinic is specially trained to provide the latest treatments.

  • How do wounds heal?

    When you suffer an injury, your body usually heals itself. It's designed to do that. We've all experienced cuts and scrapes. Typically, the blood clots; a little inflammation helps keep infection at bay and new cells knit the wound together. Wounds that do not heal or get better are called chronic.

    Chronic wounds may be caused by:

    • Infection, if the wound becomes infected, or if your body is suffering an infection, the natural course of healing is disrupted.
    • Ischemia, the obstruction or decrease of blood flow to the wound; or tissue hypoxia, the decrease of oxygen to tissue cells.
    • Certain chronic health problems, such as vascular disease or diabetes. 
    • Pressure or injury to the same wound again and again.
  • How does hyperbaric oxygen treatment help heal wounds?

    Hyperbaric oxygen treatment increases the amount of dissolved oxygen in the blood, so more oxygen is delivered to the injured tissue. The increase in oxygen stimulates small blood vessel and skin growth and helps fight infection. The treatment also reduces swelling due to fluid retention around the wound (edema), helps reduce toxin production and improves the body's ability to fight infection around the wound. Treatments are administered Monday through Friday in a pressurized chamber and are generally two hours long. BayCare Clinic Hyperbaric & Wound Care Management team develops a personalized treatment plan for each patient to treat specific conditions. During treatment, patients inhale pure oxygen, which is dissolved into blood or body tissues at high pressures within the chamber. The sensation is similar to the experience when flying or at high elevations and a patient's ears will pop as pressure builds and is released. Otherwise, no discomfort should be experienced and patients may sleep, listen to music or watch television or videos to pass the time.

    Hyperbaric oxygen treatment is a proven option for:

    • Carbon monoxide poisoning and smoke inhalation. 
    • Decompression sickness. 
    • Radiation tissue damage. 
    • Failed skin grafts or flaps. 
    • Thermal burns. 
    • Non-healing diabetic ulcers