Oxygen Therapy for Diabetic Wounds

Living with a diabetes-related wound that just won’t heal is scary and exhausting. A diabetic foot ulcer or lower leg wound can mean constant pain or aching, daily dressing changes, drainage you worry about, and that nagging fear: “What if this gets infected? What if I lose my foot?”

On top of that, it’s emotionally draining to keep doing “all the right things”—dressings, antibiotics, special shoes, repeated office visits—and still see slow or stalled healing. It’s easy to feel stuck and powerless.

For some patients with hard-to-heal wounds, oxygen therapy can be an advanced, medically supervised way to support the body’s natural repair processes and give healing a better chance.

At Medici Orthopaedics & Spine, a patient-centered practice serving Atlanta, Metro Atlanta, and North Georgia, we offer advanced options—including hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) and comprehensive pain and wound-related support—as part of a minimally invasive, least drug-dependent plan.

Every patient is individually evaluated. Oxygen therapy is never a “one size fits all” solution. It’s recommended only when appropriate and is always integrated with proper wound care, diabetes management, and vascular assessment to give you the safest, most effective approach possible.

Understanding Diabetic Wounds and Why They Don’t Heal

What Are Diabetic Wounds?

In people with diabetes, chronic wounds—especially diabetic foot ulcers—are sadly common. These are open sores that don’t heal in a normal timeframe and can last for weeks or even months. They may also occur as lower-leg ulcers, particularly when circulation is poor.

Common locations include:

• Toe tips
• Ball of the foot
• Heel
• Areas where shoes rub
• Bony prominences on the sides or top of the foot

Several factors contribute to these wounds:

• Peripheral neuropathy – Numbness or decreased sensation can cause you to miss early warning signs like rubbing, blisters, or cuts. By the time you notice, the damage may already be deep.
• Poor circulation (peripheral artery disease) – Narrowed or blocked arteries mean less blood flows to the feet and legs, so less oxygen reaches the tissues that need to heal.
• Immune and healing changes – Diabetes can slow your body’s ability to fight infection and rebuild healthy tissue, making even small wounds a big problem.

Symptoms and Early Warning Signs

Catching issues early is critical. Signs to watch for include:

• Persistent redness, swelling, or warmth in an area of the foot or leg
• Open sores, blisters, or cracks that do not heal in a normal timeframe
• Drainage, odor, or dark/black tissue (necrosis) in more severe wounds
• Reduced sensation – you may not feel much pain even if the wound is serious, which can make the problem easier to ignore

Any suspected wound in a person with diabetes should be evaluated promptly—waiting can turn a small issue into a major one.

Risks of Untreated or Poorly Healing Diabetic Wounds

When diabetic wounds don’t heal, they can progress in dangerous ways:

• Deeper infections, such as cellulitis, abscesses, or bone infection (osteomyelitis)
• Higher risk of hospitalization, IV antibiotics, or surgical procedures
• Increased risk of partial or full amputation if the wound remains non-healing or infection spreads

What Is Oxygen Therapy for Diabetic Wounds?

The Role of Oxygen in Wound Healing

Oxygen isn’t just something we breathe—it’s a key ingredient in the healing process. Your body needs oxygen for:

• Formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis)
• Collagen production and tissue repair, which help rebuild skin and deeper tissues
• Fighting infection, by supporting the function of white blood cells that kill bacteria

In diabetic wounds, oxygen levels are often low, especially in areas where circulation is compromised. This oxygen shortage can slow or even stall healing, no matter how good the wound care is on the surface.

Types of Oxygen-Based Therapies (Overview)

There are several ways to deliver extra oxygen to support wound healing:

• Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)
  
  • The patient breathes 100% oxygen inside a pressurized chamber.
  • This significantly increases the amount of oxygen dissolved in the blood, which can then be delivered to tissues that are struggling to get enough.
• Topical oxygen and advanced dressings
  
  • In some settings, devices or dressings deliver oxygen locally to the wound surface.
  • These may be used as part of a broader wound care plan in selected cases.

At Medici Orthopaedics & Spine, the primary advanced oxygen therapy we focus on and coordinate is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), especially for hard-to-heal diabetic wounds.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) in Simple Terms

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy may sound complex, but the experience is straightforward:

• You lie comfortably in a hyperbaric chamber—this can look like a clear tube or a small room, depending on the system used.
• The chamber is gently pressurized, and you breathe pure oxygen.
• Under pressure, more oxygen dissolves into your bloodstream than would be possible at normal atmospheric conditions.

This extra dissolved oxygen can then:

• Travel to poorly perfused or damaged tissues, including chronic wounds
• Support healing in areas that aren’t getting adequate oxygen through normal circulation

It’s important to understand that:

• HBOT is not a replacement for good wound care and diabetes management.
• It is an adjunctive therapy—meaning it works alongside proper wound cleaning, offloading, infection control, and blood sugar management.

For the right patients, HBOT can significantly support healing and limb preservation when standard treatments alone haven’t been enough.

How Oxygen Therapy May Help Diabetic Wounds Heal

Physiologic Benefits of Increased Oxygen

By increasing the amount of oxygen in the blood and tissues, oxygen therapy (particularly HBOT) can:

• Improve tissue oxygenation in areas with compromised circulation, giving struggling cells the fuel they need to repair.
• Enhance white blood cell function, helping your body better fight infection in and around the wound.
• Reduce swelling and inflammation, which can otherwise choke off blood flow and slow healing.
• Stimulate new blood vessel growth (angiogenesis) and collagen formation, both crucial steps in forming healthy, durable new tissue.

Potential Clinical Benefits for Diabetic Wounds

When used appropriately and combined with good wound care, oxygen therapy may offer:

• Faster healing in certain chronic or non-healing ulcers
• Reduced risk of serious wound-related infection or the need for amputation
• A greater chance of avoiding or delaying more drastic surgical options, such as major amputations
• Improved foot and limb preservation, which supports mobility, independence, and quality of life

Results vary from person to person, and not every wound is a candidate—but for the right patient, oxygen therapy can be a powerful part of a limb-saving strategy.

Oxygen Therapy as Part of a Comprehensive Plan

Oxygen therapy works best when it’s part of a team approach. At Medici Orthopaedics & Spine, we emphasize that HBOT and other advanced treatments are only one piece of the puzzle. A strong plan also includes:

• Proper wound cleaning and debridement: Removing dead or infected tissue so healthy tissue can grow.
• Offloading of pressure: Specialized footwear, boots, braces, or orthotics to take pressure off the wound while walking or standing.
• Blood sugar control and medical management of diabetes: Working with your primary care doctor or endocrinologist to keep glucose levels in a healing-friendly range.
• Vascular assessment and treatment when needed: Ensuring enough blood can reach the area; if circulation is severely impaired, vascular specialists may need to intervene.

Medici’s role is to coordinate and integrate these components, so you’re not left trying to piece together your own plan. We work alongside your other healthcare providers to give your wound—and you—the best possible chance to heal safely and stay active.

Ready to See if Oxygen Therapy Can Help Your Diabetic Wound Heal?

For many patients struggling with stubborn diabetic foot or leg wounds, oxygen therapy—especially hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT)—can provide a much-needed breakthrough. By helping oxygen reach starved tissues, HBOT supports your body’s natural ability to fight infection and rebuild healthy tissue from the inside out.

At Medici Orthopaedics & Spine, oxygen therapy is never offered as a stand-alone or one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, it’s used as part of a comprehensive, minimally invasive, least drug-dependent strategy.

If you’re living with a non-healing diabetic foot or leg ulcer, we invite you to schedule a thorough wound and medical evaluation with our team. Even if you’ve been told you’ve “tried everything,” you may still have options.

Our physicians take the time to understand your full story—your wound history, circulation, diabetes control, and personal goals—to create an individualized plan that truly supports your healing journey.

Contact Information:

Main Phone: +1-844-328-4624

Kennesaw Clinic
2911 George Busbee Parkway, Suite 50
Kennesaw, GA 30144
Phone: (770) 545-6404

Snellville Clinic
2220 Wisteria Drive, Unit 101
Snellville, GA 30078
Phone: (470) 645-9297

Buckhead PM&R
3200 Downwood Circle, NW, Suite 520
Atlanta, GA 30327
Phone: (770) 872-7549

Marietta Ambulatory Surgery Center
792 Church Street, Unit 101
Marietta, GA 30060
Phone: (470) 795-8398

Website: mediciortho.com ‍

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