Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) has long been understood to improve wound healing. Many patients who experience slow healing wounds, whether after surgical procedures or due to difficult areas such as the back of the knee, foot, hand, or other areas with excessive movement can benefit tremendously through HBOT.
HBOT improves circulation, reduces inflammation, reduces infection, stimulates fibroblast production by increasing collagen factors, stimulates stem cells, and improves oxygenation to tissue, all of which are essential for healing. HBOT acts as a super stimulator of all of these function, enhancing the effects of healing beyond normal measures. It also reduces fibrosis, or scarring, while also improving flexibility of joints and ligaments through the hydroxylation of proline and lysine.
Hyperbaric is particularly useful in its ability to heal skin wounds due its ability to stimulate growth hormones associated with skin and underlying tissue healing and its promotion of collagen within the skin. These same growth hormones also are involved with angiogenesis, or new blood vessel formation, further improving wound healing.
Bone fracture healing is expedited through similar mechanisms, but with the stimulation fo osteoblasts, blood flow, and oxygen being very highly involved in the ability for bones to heal quickly.
