Lake Norman Wound Healing Center - What to Expect
After an initial consultation and examination, therapy can begin. When you arrive, you'll receive complete instructions regarding your treatment. Before treatment begins, you’ll change into a 50% or greater cotton garment that’s provided by the center. For safety reasons, no other clothing may be worn inside the hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber.
After you're comfortably positioned inside the chamber, the pressure gradually increases and the temperature temporarily rises. You may experience fullness in your ears as a result of the increased pressure. The technician will share ways to help clear the pressure and relieve any discomfort. Most treatment sessions in the chamber last approximately two hours. While undergoing treatment, you can watch TV or videos, simply relax or even sleep.
During hyperbaric oxygen therapy treatment, a patient breathes 100% oxygen inside a pressurized chamber. Lake Norman Regional is one of only a few hospitals with this type of wound therapy. It quickly delivers high concentrations of oxygen to the bloodstream and tissues, assists in the healing process of wounds and is effective in fighting certain types of infections. It also stimulates the growth of new blood vessels and improves circulation. Therapy is administered daily and the number of therapies patients receive depends on their diagnosis.
For safety reasons there are certain items not allowed inside the hyperbaric chamber. Please do not wear or bring the following items into the chamber during your treatment:
- Makeup
- Perfume
- Aftershave
- Hairspray/hair oils
- Wigs/hairpieces
- Nail polish
- Alcohol or petroleum based products
- Cell phones/pagers
- Metallic items (such as jewelry, titanium frame eyeglasses, keys, watches and coins)
- Flammable materials or heat producing items (heating pad, lighters, cigarettes)
- Hearing aids
- Food, gum or candy
Ask your hyperbaric physician for advice on wearing contact lenses during treatment. You should also refrain from smoking or the use of any tobacco products over the entire course of therapy. Tobacco use prolongs, and can even prevent, wound healing due to its constricting effect on the blood vessels in your body.
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