Hyperbaric therapy after breast cancer: managing late radiation side effects

Completing breast cancer treatment is a huge milestone - a moment to celebrate moving forward. But sometimes, months or even years later, side effects from radiotherapy can appear. These may include skin changes, pain, swelling, or wounds that are slow to heal. They can be frustrating and worrying, especially when you've already come through so much.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time not only to raise awareness of early detection, but also to highlight support for women living with the long-term effects of treatment.

One therapy now available in Galway that may help is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT ). At OxyGeneration, clients sit in a comfortable pressurised chamber and breathe high-concentration oxygen through a mask. This increases the amount of oxygen carried in the blood, helping to reduce inflammation, stimulate healing, and encourage new blood vessel growth in tissues damaged by radiation.