Radiation therapy saves lives, but it can leave a lasting mark on the healthy tissue caught in the treatment field. Months — sometimes years — later, that tissue can become fragile, poorly supplied with blood, and slow to heal. This is called delayed radiation injury, and for many patients on the Monterey Peninsula it responds remarkably well to hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT).
Why irradiated tissue struggles to heal
Radiation damages the small blood vessels that feed tissue. Over time those vessels narrow and die off, leaving the area chronically starved of oxygen. Wounds there cannot recruit the blood supply they need to close, and routine surgery or dental work in the region carries a higher risk of breakdown.
What HBOT does
Inside a medical-grade chamber at 2.0–2.4 ATA breathing 100% oxygen, plasma carries far more oxygen than usual — enough to reach tissue that compromised vessels can no longer supply. Repeated sessions stimulate angiogenesis, the growth of new permanent capillaries, gradually rebuilding the blood supply radiation destroyed.
Conditions we commonly treat
- Osteoradionecrosis of the jaw (often before or after dental extractions)
- Soft-tissue radionecrosis
- Radiation cystitis and proctitis
- Non-healing wounds in a previously irradiated field
These are Medicare- and insurance-recognized indications. We verify your coverage before your first visit, at no cost.
Coordinated with your cancer team
We work alongside your oncologist, surgeon, or dentist so HBOT fits your overall plan — and we keep them updated throughout. If you are a Monterey, Carmel, or Salinas-area patient dealing with a late effect of radiation, you no longer need to travel out of the region for this care.
Call or text (831) 555-0100 for a free benefits check and to find out whether HBOT is right for your situation.
