Non-healing wounds need special care. Most of these wounds have complex underlying conditions that prohibit them from going through the typical healing process. The longer you wait before seeking treatment for your chronic wound, the higher your infection risk. Bakersfield wound care professional Ruben Nieto, DPM, and the wound care team at Diabetic Foot and Wound Center can help prevent an infected wound from leading to further complications. A chronic wound can lower your quality of life, preventing you from doing most of the things you enjoy.
How can wound care aid your healing process?
Wound care is crucial since chronic wounds have severe consequences. Unlike general wound care that only focuses on your wound, your doctor may diagnose and treat the wound’s underlying condition during specialized wound care. Additionally, the care provider can provide you with therapy during your recovery phase and beyond.
- Preventing infection. You can significantly decrease your infection risk when you regularly check your wound dressing and bandages. Schedule an appointment with your doctor for medically-assisted decisions and evaluation of the wound’s progress. The professional will look out for possible smell and discharge, observe bleeding, and check the wound’s temperature. The care provider might also advise you to clean the treatment area daily with wound care disinfectant or clean water and apply a clean dressing.
- Speed up your healing process. Covering your wound with clean dressings quickens your healing process. Additionally, proper maintenance of your bandages protects your wound against infections.
- Minimize scarring. You can help minimize scars and the formation of hard scabs when you keep your wound soft throughout your healing process. Applying prescription antibiotic ointments during your early healing stages can soften the skin around your wound, making it pliable.
What are the major causes of chronic wounds?
You will know you have a non-healing wound if it fails to show signs of healing within two weeks or has not shut completely after approximately six weeks. In such a case, you will need expert care from your doctor to check your blood flow, evaluate it, and devise a personalized care plan to enhance your healing process and prevent recurrence. Typical non-healing wound types include foot ulcers, radiation sores, pressure or bed sores, and surgical wounds.
There are various chronic wound causes and you could have it because of one or several of the following conditions:
- Weak immune system
- Diabetes
- Poor blood circulation
- Nerve damage
- Inactivity
- Poor nutrition
- Excessive alcohol use
What wound types are likely to benefit from wound care management?
You can benefit from wound care services when you have the following wound types:
- Pressure ulcer
- High-risk wound linked to an underlying condition
- Diabetic wounds with low extremity
- Neuropathic wounds
- Wounds of no specific etiology but is not showing signs of healing
Your treatment options may include:
- Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
- Compression bandages and stockings
- Negative pressure wound therapy
- Debridement
- Wound dressing
- Wound cleaning
- Antibiotics
- Skin grafts
A chronic wound can take an unusually long time to heal completely or may continually reopen. Therefore, you need special wound care to ensure it does not get infections that might slow down your healing process. Schedule an appointment today with your doctor to learn more about wound treatment options.
