Why Your Diabetic Foot Ulcer Isn’t Healing

Living with diabetes comes with its own set of challenges, but one of the most frustrating and often painful complications is a diabetic foot ulcer. For many patients in Riverside, the wound seems to linger for weeks—or even months—despite consistent care. If you’re asking yourself, “Why won’t my diabetic foot ulcer heal?” you’re not alone. Millions of people face the same struggle worldwide.

But there’s good news. Advances in medical technology, particularly Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), are offering hope to patients who feel stuck in the cycle of slow healing and recurring infections. In this article, we’ll break down why diabetic foot ulcers often resist traditional treatment, what’s happening inside your body that slows recovery, and how HBOT may be the game-changer you’ve been searching for.

Why Diabetic Foot Ulcers Struggle to Heal

Before we talk solutions, let’s explore the “why.” Diabetic foot ulcers are notoriously stubborn because multiple factors work against the healing process at the same time.

1. Poor Circulation

Diabetes often damages blood vessels, making it harder for oxygen-rich blood to reach your extremities—especially your feet. With less oxygen delivered to the wound site, cells cannot repair tissue efficiently.

2. Nerve Damage (Neuropathy)

Diabetes can damage nerves, leading to peripheral neuropathy. This reduces your ability to feel pain or pressure, so minor injuries go unnoticed and untreated. A small blister can become a full-blown ulcer before you realize it.

3. Infection Risk

High blood sugar weakens your immune system, making wounds prone to bacterial infection. Once infected, wounds become even harder to manage.

4. Slow Cellular Repair

Healing requires your body to create new tissue and blood vessels. Diabetes interferes with these natural processes, slowing recovery dramatically.

5. Pressure and Reinjury

Everyday walking or poorly fitted shoes can continuously reopen or worsen the ulcer, especially when nerve damage prevents you from feeling the irritation.

Together, these factors create a “perfect storm” that prevents wounds from healing quickly—or at all. That’s where advanced therapies like HBOT come into play.

What Is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)?

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is a non-invasive medical treatment in which a patient breathes 100% pure oxygen inside a pressurized chamber. Under these conditions, your lungs absorb significantly more oxygen than they can at normal air pressure. This oxygen gets carried by your blood and delivered to tissues throughout your body—even to areas with poor circulation.

Think of HBOT as supercharging your body with oxygen, giving your cells the fuel they need to heal wounds that have been stalled for weeks or months.

How HBOT Helps Diabetic Foot Ulcers Heal

Here’s how HBOT directly addresses the barriers to healing we mentioned earlier:

1. Boosts Oxygen Supply to Wounds

In diabetes, poor circulation limits oxygen delivery to your extremities. HBOT increases the amount of dissolved oxygen in your bloodstream, allowing oxygen to reach even poorly perfused tissues.

2. Speeds Up New Tissue Growth

Oxygen is essential for collagen production, angiogenesis (new blood vessel formation), and tissue regeneration. By flooding your wound with oxygen, HBOT promotes faster repair.

3. Strengthens Your Immune Response

Infections are a major concern with diabetic ulcers. HBOT boosts the ability of white blood cells to kill bacteria and reduces swelling, creating a less hospitable environment for infection.

4. Reduces Swelling and Inflammation

Inflammation restricts blood flow and delays recovery. HBOT reduces swelling, allowing fresh oxygenated blood to reach the ulcer.

5. Helps Prevent Amputation

Research shows that HBOT, when combined with comprehensive wound care, can reduce the risk of amputation in patients with severe diabetic foot ulcers. For many, it provides a last line of defense when standard treatments fail.

What the Research Says

A landmark study published in Diabetes Care found that HBOT significantly improved healing rates in chronic diabetic foot ulcers compared to standard wound care alone.
According to the Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society, HBOT is FDA-approved for diabetic foot ulcers that are resistant to standard care.
Clinical trials consistently show that patients receiving HBOT are more likely to achieve complete wound closure and avoid limb loss.

For patients in Riverside and surrounding areas, this makes Mission Surgical’s hyperbaric therapy services not just helpful, but potentially life-saving.

What to Expect During HBOT

If you’re new to the idea of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, here’s a quick overview of what a typical session looks like:

Step into the Chamber – You’ll be asked to lie comfortably in a specialized chamber.
Pressurization Begins – The chamber gradually pressurizes, often to 2–3 times normal atmospheric pressure.
Breathe Pure Oxygen – You’ll breathe 100% oxygen for the duration of the session, typically lasting 60–90 minutes.
Relaxation Time – Many patients use this time to nap, listen to music, or watch TV inside the chamber.
Multiple Sessions – A full treatment plan often includes 20–40 sessions, depending on the severity of your ulcer.

The treatment is painless and safe, though some patients experience mild ear pressure, similar to what you feel on an airplane.

When to Consider HBOT for Your Diabetic Foot Ulcer

Not every wound requires hyperbaric therapy. However, you should talk to a wound care specialist if:

Your ulcer hasn’t improved after 30 days of standard treatment.
The wound is infected or spreading.
You’ve already tried antibiotics and advanced dressings without success.
You’ve been warned about potential amputation.

The sooner you explore HBOT, the better your chances of avoiding severe complications.

The Role of a Wound Care Specialist

While HBOT is powerful, it works best when combined with expert wound management. A wound care specialist in Riverside will evaluate your ulcer, manage infection, recommend proper footwear or offloading devices, and coordinate your HBOT treatments.

At Mission Surgical, patients benefit from a multidisciplinary approach—surgery, wound care, and hyperbaric therapy are all available under one roof, ensuring no part of your treatment falls through the cracks.

Lifestyle Tips to Support Healing

Even the best medical care works better when you take steps at home to support healing:

Control Blood Sugar – Keep your glucose levels stable to avoid further damage to blood vessels and nerves.
Wear Proper Footwear – Shoes designed for diabetic patients help prevent new wounds or pressure on ulcers.
Avoid Smoking – Smoking further reduces circulation and oxygen delivery.
Daily Foot Checks – Inspect your feet for cuts, blisters, or new sores you may not feel.
Follow Care Instructions – Keep dressings clean and dry, and attend every wound care appointment.

Why Choose Mission Surgical in Riverside for HBOT?

Not all clinics offering wound care provide comprehensive HBOT services. At Mission Surgical, patients gain access to:

Board-certified wound care specialists with years of experience treating diabetic ulcers.
State-of-the-art hyperbaric chambers designed for comfort and safety.
Personalized treatment plans that integrate HBOT with surgical and non-surgical wound care.
A local team in Riverside committed to helping patients avoid amputations and regain quality of life.

When your wound hasn’t healed despite your best efforts, having an expert team by your side makes all the difference.

Conclusion

Diabetic foot ulcers can feel like a battle you’re destined to lose, but you have more options than you may realize. If you’ve been asking, “Why won’t my ulcer heal?” the answer often lies in poor circulation, infection risk, and impaired tissue repair. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy addresses these obstacles directly, giving your body the oxygen boost it needs to finally move forward in healing.

For patients in Riverside, Mission Surgical offers hope, expertise, and proven therapies to help you avoid long-term complications. Don’t wait until your condition worsens—talk to a wound care specialist today and see if HBOT could be the game-changer you’ve been looking for.