Cancer Treatment Ended. Could Radiation Still Be Affecting Your Body?
Radiation therapy can be an important part of cancer treatment, but some side effects may appear months or even years later. If you are experiencing symptoms in an area that was previously treated with radiation, a Healogics Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine Center can help evaluate whether advanced treatment options, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy, may support healing.
Healogics Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine Centers help evaluate and treat certain delayed radiation-related conditions that may affect tissue, bone, bladder health, or wound healing. Use the resources below to learn more.
Soft Tissue Radionecrosis (STRN): Understanding Delayed Radiation Injury
Osteoradionecrosis of the Jaw: Understanding a Late Effect of Radiation Therapy
Radiation‑Induced Hemorrhagic Cystitis: Understanding Bladder Changes After Radiation
Radiation-related symptoms can sometimes appear long after treatment. These symptoms may be easy to dismiss at first, but they can be signs of tissue damage that needs specialized evaluation.
- Blood in the urine following pelvic radiation, which may be a sign of radiation cystitis affecting the bladder lining.
- Jaw, bone, or dental complications following head and neck radiation, including pain, exposed bone, or delayed healing.
- Wounds or tissue damage in previously irradiated areas, where reduced blood flow may make healing more difficult.
How Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Helps
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) is an advanced treatment that allows patients to breathe pure oxygen in a pressurized environment. This significantly increases the amount of oxygen delivered through the bloodstream, helping support the body’s natural healing process in tissues that have been damaged by radiation.
Radiation can affect healthy tissue long after cancer treatment ends, reducing blood flow and oxygen supply to the affected area. HBO therapy works by delivering increased oxygen to these tissues, helping to stimulate healing and improve the health of damaged blood vessels.
Potential Benefits of HBO Therapy for Radiation Injury
- Increases oxygen delivery to radiation-damaged tissue
- Encourages the growth of new blood vessels
- Supports the body’s natural healing process
- Helps improve tissue health and function
- May reduce symptoms associated with late radiation injury
- Non-invasive treatment administered under the supervision of trained specialists
Cancer treatment saved her life. Healing helped her get it back.
After radiation treatment left Leslie Maynor with a painful wound that would not heal, everyday joys and important milestones felt out of reach. With specialized wound care and hyperbaric oxygen therapy, Leslie was able to heal, attend her daughter’s wedding, and return to the life she loves. Her story is proof that if you’re experiencing symptoms in an area previously treated with radiation, help may be closer than you think.
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If you are experiencing symptoms in an area previously treated with radiation, a wound care and hyperbaric medicine specialist can help determine whether advanced treatment may support your healing.
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