R3 Hyperbarics and Wound care

  We are a wound care & hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) outpatient clinic that has two locations in San Antonio as well as two in the DFW area. Come see us for your wound care needs!  

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What is Skin Necrosis and Can I Prevent It?

Skin necrosis can be scary if you are experiencing it for the first time. What is skin necrosis? And how does it occur? Better yet, how can you prevent necrosis from happening in the first place?

WHAT IS SKIN NECROSIS?

When blood and oxygen are limited to a specific area of the body, the tissue often dies. Known as necrosis, tissue death can occur from an injury, trauma, radiation treatment, or toxin and chemical exposure. After necrosis occurs, DNA structure damage occurs within the cells, preventing mitosis–the process of healthy and normal cell duplication.

WHAT DOES SKIN NECROSIS LOOK LIKE?

There are two main types of necrotic tissue present in wounds. One is a dry, thick, leathery tissue usually a tan, brown, or black color. The other is often yellow, tan, green, or brown and might be moist, loose, and stringy in appearance. Necrotic tissue will eventually become black, hard, and leathery. When large areas of tissue become necrotic, this is known as gangrene.

WHAT TREATMENT DO I NEED FOR NECROSIS?

Necrosis can lead to increased pain and leave the affected skin vulnerable to further damage and recurring injury. Since necrotic tissue can also harbor pathogenic organisms, it can lead to infection if left unchecked. As a result, it is often necessary for the dead tissue to be removed before proper healing can begin. The process of removing necrotic (dead) tissue is known as debridement. Wound care specialists are trained in removing necrotic tissue. Once removed, advanced wound care treatments may be prescribed to continue the healing process for your road to recovery.

CAN I PREVENT SKIN NECROSIS?

Is there a way to prevent necrosis from occurring in the first place? Some basic first steps to helping include:

Nursing any wound carefully

Keeping the wound clean

Washing your hands frequently

Changing bandages regularly

Following your doctor or wound care specialists’ instructions in caring for the wound

Sometimes, though, necrosis happens despite using wound care treatments and following all doctor’s instructions. This is often due to underlying conditions and other health issues.

HOW HBOT THERAPY CAN HELP PREVENT NECROSIS

Fortunately, there are advanced wound care treatments to help if a wound is not healing. One such treatment is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT). Tissue prone to or affected by necrosis needs increased oxygen to heal correctly. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (or hyperbaric oxygen treatment) involves exposing the body to 100% oxygen at greater than normal pressure. This therapy helps to speed up the healing of surgical wounds and prevent complications such as necrosis. Studies have shown that by increasing oxygenation, oxygen-deficient tissue is given life again.

VISIT US TODAY

For more information regarding your specific wound, please contact us to schedule a visit to your R3 Wound Care & Hyperbarics nearest location. Our wound care specialists at the clinic will assess your condition and then recommend the right treatment plan for you.

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How Your Diet Affects Wound Healing

What you eat plays a significant role in how your body functions on a day-to-day basis. However, many people don’t think about how their diet management affects their body’s wound healing process.

HOW DOES DIET MANAGEMENT AFFECT WOUND HEALING?

A healthy diet is a necessary piece of the puzzle for wound healing and maintaining your overall health and well-being. That means you should be balancing your diet and including all dietary essentials, including:

Proteins

Carbs

Fats

Micronutrients (vitamins and minerals)

It’s important to understand that everyone is different—so that means each individual will want to consult with a registered nutritionist or dietician if they need help balancing their diet, especially when it comes to wound healing.

CARBOHYDRATES AND WOUND HEALING

When some people hear the word “carbohydrates”, they panic because they only think about how carbs break down into sugars, such as glucose. However, when part of a healthy, balanced diet, this glucose is put to good work.

When it comes to wound healing, glucose is converted into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a type of cellular energy, which is used in the healing process.

FATS ARE ALSO ESSENTIAL FOR WOUND HEALING

Healthy fats, such as fatty acids, lipids, phospholipids, linoleic and arachidonic acids, all play essential roles in maintaining the body and encouraging proper wound healing. While each plays their own roles, research has shown that these healthy fats are essential in tissue regrowth and cellular metabolism and help with inflammation.

PROTEIN’S ROLE IN WOUND HEALING

Protein is arguably one of the most important aspects of any diet because it is used in nearly every function of your body. When it comes to wound healing, protein is used to repair tissues and help carry oxygen throughout the body and help fight off infections.

MICRONUTRIENTS AND WOUND HEALING

The micronutrients that are included in a healthy diet include your vitamins and minerals. While your body needs a wide range of micronutrients, research shows that zinc and vitamins A and C are among some of the most vital for wound healing. Each of these micronutrients is essential to the body’s innate healing processes, and when you don’t receive enough, you may notice that you start to feel more run down than usual. They also help with the body’s inflammatory response and have roles in the production of collagen.

Other notable micronutrients that are important to wound healing include:

Magnesium

Iron

Copper

Vitamin E

Vitamin B

HOW HYPERBARIC WOUND CARE CAN HELP HEAL WOUNDS

When it comes to diet management, it’s essential to understand that everything you consume will impact your body and its functions. Eating a well-balanced diet ensures that your body can function properly and keep creating the essential cells needed to help carry oxygen throughout the body.

Unfortunately, when someone must undergo strict diet restrictions, this can significantly impact their wound healing ability, requiring them to seek a wound clinic to help them devise a plan to get them back on track.

Here at Wound Care and Hyperbarics, we understand that some individuals may have difficulty balancing the necessary nutrients needed to help deliver oxygen where it needs to go. That’s why we offer a hyperbaric wound care treatment, which delivers 100% oxygen to the body through inhalation and absorption. This ensures your body is getting the oxygen it needs to help improve your body’s wound-healing abilities.

If you have questions about hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT)? Then contact us today to learn more.

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Can HBOT Treatment Help with Hearing Loss?

HOW CAN HBOT TREATMENT HELP WITH HEARING LOSS?

Hearing loss can be attributed to any number of causes. Research shows that incidences of sudden hearing loss range between 11 to 77 cases for every 100,000 individuals each year. However, before you start looking into treatment options, such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), it’s essential to take a moment to understand what may be causing the loss in hearing.

SUDDEN HEARING LOSS CAN BE SCARY

When it comes to your hearing, a sudden decrease or loss in hearing can be quite alarming. While some people experience hearing loss as a natural part of the aging process, the sudden onset of partial or total loss needs to be investigated before any sudden hearing loss treatment can be determined.

While many cases of sudden hearing loss can be attributed to the gradual buildup of earwax, ear infections, or abnormal growths within the outer or middle ear, many cases are due to injury to the inner ear or eardrum.

Injuries of the ear are more common than you may think and may be caused by:

Exposure to loud noises – includes both constant and sudden noises such as explosions from firearms

High fevers which can damage the cochlea

A cotton swab injury

Sudden trauma

If you experience sudden hearing loss due to an injury, you need to seek out sudden hearing loss treatment as soon as possible. Otherwise, your hearing loss can become permanent, requiring expensive hearing aids.

WHAT IS HBOT THERAPY?

HBOT therapy, also referred to as hyperbaric oxygen or hyperbaric wound care, is a treatment method utilized in chronic wounds. These are defined as wounds that don’t heal as they should or wounds that do not heal in an orderly and timely manner.

For those with these chronic wounds, HBOT can be beneficial as the process involves exposing patients to 100% oxygen – a vital supplement required for proper wound healing. This ensures that the oxygen needed for healing is delivered to where it’s needed most.

HOW CAN HBOT THERAPY HELP SUDDEN HEARING LOSS?

When utilized early on, research shows that HBOT therapy can significantly improve the likelihood of a patient regaining normal or only slightly impaired hearing. As oxygen is such a vital part of the body’s natural healing process, HBOT can prove beneficial when an ear injury/wound, such as a damaged or pierced eardrum, is caught early on. HBOT also provides benefits for those who experience acute hearing loss.

YOUR NEXT STEPS WITH R3 WOUND CARE AND HYPERBARICS

If you suspect that your sudden hearing loss may be due to an injury, your next step should be contacting your general practitioner or ears, nose, and throat doctor. Should they confirm that an injury has taken place, they may refer you to a specialist that offers various treatment options, including HBOT therapy.

If you have questions about HBOT therapy or think you may be an ideal candidate, contact us today for more information.