Penn Highlands Mon Valley is proud to join the Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) in recognizing May as Hyperbaric Awareness Month, a nationwide initiative to raise awareness of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy and its critical role in wound healing and numerous medical conditions.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized environment, allowing oxygen to dissolve more effectively in the blood and reach tissues that need healing. It is a well-established treatment for a variety of conditions including chronic wounds, radiation injuries, bone infections (osteomyelitis), and more.
“Hyperbaric Awareness Month gives us the opportunity to educate the public about this life and limb-saving treatment and the range of conditions it helps,” said Richard Young, DPM, a board-certified podiatrist at Penn Highlands Orthopedics and Sports Medicine and the Center for Wound Management. “I want my patients to know that HBOT can significantly improve outcomes for non-healing wounds and other complex conditions.”
Below are key questions patients ask about hyperbaric oxygen therapy:
- What is HBO?
Patients breathe 100% oxygen in a chamber with increased atmospheric pressure, which helps oxygen reach damaged tissues and promotes healing. The air pressure inside a hyperbaric oxygen chamber is about two and a half times higher than the normal pressure in the atmosphere.
- What Does It Treat?
HBOT is approved for conditions including wounds, diabetic foot ulcers, chronic bone infections, soft tissue radiation injuries, burns, carbon monoxide poisoning, decompression sickness, skin grafts and more.
- Is It Safe?
HBOT is a safe, evidence-based therapy when administered under medical supervision by trained professionals. There are guidelines and criteria that must be met prior to beginning HBO therapy. Some health issues, such as having a pacemaker, might preclude people from the therapy.
Penn Highlands Mon Valley provides hyperbaric oxygen treatment at the hospital located at 1163 Country Club Road.
For more information about hyperbaric oxygen therapy, visit www.phhealthcare.org/woundcare.
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Penn Highlands Healthcare was officially formed in 2011 and is comprised of nine hospitals. Penn Highlands Brookville, Penn Highlands Clearfield, Penn Highlands Connellsville, Penn Highlands DuBois, Penn Highlands Elk, Penn Highlands Huntingdon, Penn Highlands Mon Valley, Penn Highlands Tyrone have served area communities for the past 100+ years. Penn Highlands State College is a new state-of-the-art hospital that opened in 2024. The health system’s business continuum also includes a home care agency, long-term care facilities and residential senior living communities, as well as durable medical equipment companies and retail pharmacies.
Penn Highlands Healthcare has evolved into an organization with approximately 6,200 employees in 150+ locations throughout 26 counties in Pennsylvania that include community medical buildings, outpatient facilities, surgery centers and physician practices. The facilities have a total of 1,396 inpatient, skilled nursing and personal care beds. The system, which has 849 physicians and 427 advanced practice providers on staff, offers a wide range of care and treatments with specialty units for cancer, cardiovascular/thoracic, neurosurgery, pulmonology, neonatal and high-risk pregnancy patients. Being focused on what is important – patients and families – makes Penn Highlands Healthcare a great choice for healthcare in the region.
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