FAQs Related to Chronic Wounds and Wound Care
A wound is a kind of trauma to the body that occurs rather rapidly and tears the skin, leaves cut in the skin, or punctures the skin. Sometimes, blunt force trauma can cause a bruise or contusion and this type of injury is called a closed wound. However, the most sever form of wounds is the chronic or non-healing wound. These types of wounds not only have a negative impact on the physical health of a person, but they extremely disturb the emotional and mental health of the person as well. When a person develops a chronic wound, it is necessary that appropriate measures are taken to prevent the development and spread of infection to the wound that can further spread to other parts of the body as well. Chronic wound care is an essential step in preventing the situation from aggravating any further and hence, needs to be carried out in a proper manner. Until and unless proper care is given to the affected area, the risk of infections can increase and further cause major health problems other than the ones the person is already dealing with. Some of the common FAQs related to chronic, non-healing wound and wound care that people are often concerned about are:
• What is the chronic wound healing process?
There is no set process for the healing of the chronic wound. These wounds do not go through a proper sequence of repair and hence do not heal properly. Sometimes, although these wounds go through the healing process, they fail to restore normal functioning. There is also no set amount of time for these wounds to heal.
• How should the ideal chronic wound care at home be carried out?
For chronic wound care at home, the first and foremost step is to keep everything that comes in contact with the patient washed and disinfected to prevent the spread of infection. For arterial insufficiency ulcers, the restoration of blood flow is essential. The use of appropriate wound dressing is also important. For diabetic foot ulcers, it is important to address the health issues such as ischemia, neuropathy, and bony foot deformities.
• What are the types of chronic wounds?
There are four major types of chronic wounds and they can be classified on the basis of the etiology of the wound. Those four types include pressure ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers, venous ulcers, and arterial insufficiency ulcers. Pressure ulcers form when health issues such as neuropathy or ischemia prevent the patients from feeling pressure on their bodies and hence when the pressure isn’t removed, pressure ulcers form. Most of the diabetic foot ulcers are caused on the plantar surface by increased pressure during ambulation. In venous ulcers, the wounds are shallow and irregular and the skin around these wounds becomes eczematous along with showing crusting and scaling. Arterial insufficiency ulcers are usually the consequences of Peripheral Arterial Disease. These types of wounds can usually be found on the distal digits or the lateral region of the ankle.
• What is the chronic wound healing time?
A chronic wound is a type of wound that does not heal within three months. Generally, these wounds take more than three months to heal and often have to go through more than one phases of wound healing processes. Severe cases can also take up to a few years to repair and heal completely.
• What are the best antibiotics for wound infection?
Some of the best antibiotics for wound infection include Amoxicillin-clavulanate (Augmentin, Augmentin-Duo), Cephalexin (Keflex), Clindamycin (Cleocin), Dicloxacillin, Doxycycline (Doryx), and Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim, Septra). The use of these antibiotics can prove to be helpful in proper chronic wound care.
• What are the chronic wound care guidelines 2020?
The chronic wound care guidelines include cleaning the wound with the help of a saline solution, removal of damaged, hyperkeratotic, non-viable, and infected tissues, residual material and foreign debris from the wound, changing and using appropriate wound dressing, use of compression bandages and compression stocking, taking or applying anti-biotics to the wound, and going through therapies such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy, vacuum-assisted closure therapy, and ultrasound and electromagnetic therapy to treat the wound and aid in the repairing and healing process of the wound.
FAQs Related to Acute Wounds and Wound Care
A wound is a kind of trauma to the body that occurs rather rapidly and tears the skin, leaves cut in the skin, or punctures the skin. Sometimes, blunt force trauma can cause a bruise or contusion and this type of injury is called a closed wound. When a person develops a wound, it is necessary that appropriate measures are taken to prevent the development and spread of infection to the wound that can further spread to other parts of the body as well. Wound care is an essential step in preventing the situation from aggravating any further and hence, needs to be carried out in a proper manner. Until and unless proper care is given to the affected area, the risk of infections can increase and cause major health problems. Some of the common FAQs related to wound and wound care that people are often concerned about are:
• What is the open wound healing process?
There are usually four stages of the open wound healing process. These stages include the prevention of loss of blood that is also known as hemostasis, scabbing and cleaning of the damaged area, rebuilding and development, and maturation of the wound. If risk factors are not managed well, the open wound healing process can slow down and may lead to further infections and complications.
• How to heal deep wounds faster?
To heal deep wounds faster, using natural anti-inflammatory elements that contain phytochemical allantoin can prove to be very helpful as they enable the cells to grow at an exponential rate, improve the healing process, and mitigate scarring. Applying heat to the wound to increase blood flow can also help the wounds to heal faster.
• How should the ideal wound care at home be carried out?
For wound care at home, the first and foremost step is to wash and disinfect the wound to clean it off all the debris and dirt. Using direct pressure and elevation of wounds helps in controlling bleeding and swelling. Sterile bandage or dressing should be used to wrap the wound.
• What are the types of wounds?
There are four major types of open wounds and they can be classified on the basis of the etiology of the wound. Those four types include abrasion, laceration, puncture, and avulsion. Abrasion develops when a person falls and scrapes their skin against a hard and rough surface. A laceration is the tearing of the skin or a deep cut in the skin. A puncture wound is a hole made in the skin due to a sharp and pointy object. Last but not least, avulsion is the complete or partial tearing away of skin and tissues underneath.
• What is the open wound healing time?
The healing time of the open wound depends on the area affected and how deep the cut is. Severe cases can take up to a few years to heal completely while minor wounds can take a couple of weeks to repair and heal.
• What are the best antibiotics for wound infection?
Some of the best antibiotics for wound infection include Amoxicillin-clavulanate (Augmentin, Augmentin-Duo), Cephalexin (Keflex), Clindamycin (Cleocin), Dicloxacillin, Doxycycline (Doryx), and Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim, Septra). The use of these antibiotics can prove to be helpful in proper wound care.
• What are the wound care guidelines 2020?
Some of the basic wound care guidelines include washing hands before tending to the wound to prevent the spread of infection, applying gentle pressure to stop the bleeding, rinsing the wound with clean water to remove any dirt or debris, using an antibiotic ointment for better healing of the wound, and using sterile dressing or bandage to cover the wound.
• What are the types of closed wounds?
Major types of closed wounds include contusions, hematomas, and crush injuries. Contusions, commonly called bruises, are a common injury that is caused due to direct blunt trauma to the skin, damaged muscles and tissues underneath, capillaries and small blood vessels, and in some cases, bone and internal organs. Hematomas are the injuries that damage the capillaries and small blood vessels and result in lesions. Crush injuries are caused when high external pressure is put on the body and the body is crushed between heavy objects. Proper wound care is required to improve the healing process of closed wounds.
