Your wound’s healing process is delicate and complex. Any interruption in your recovery might make your wound turn chronic. Dr. Hulen, a wound care specialist in Fort Worth, and his team take proactive steps to accelerate wound healing. Slow-healing wounds will prevent you from enjoying your everyday activities and may lead to severe health conditions like bone infections or even amputation. While acute wounds may heal without medical attention, deeper wounds may need professional care to prevent complications and loss of function due to damage to your nerves, bones, muscles, tendons, and blood vessels.
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What are the benefits of wound care during recovery?
Your wound is likely to heal in two primary ways, scar formation or regeneration. During regeneration, your body replaces the damaged tissue with a similar type. On the other hand, your body replaces your affected tissue with fibrous scar tissue without similar properties as your original tissue.
- Prevents infection. You may significantly decrease your infection risks when you care for your wound’s bandages and dressings. Your doctor will help with changing the dressings plus monitoring your wound for any progress. The health provider may also observe your wound’s temperature, discharge, bleeding, and smell.
- Speeds up your healing process. Covering your wound throughout your recovery phase helps protect your wound by preventing bacteria from getting in.
- Reduces scarring. You are likely to minimize scabs’ formation by keeping your wound soft throughout your healing process. The prescription ointments from your doctor may also help you maintain soft and pliable skin surrounding your wound.
Once your wound heals and your doctor ascertains that you are out of risk, your health professional may replace the ointment with Vitamin E oil or a different gel. Your physician may also massage the thick scar to soften it, helping you have a less noticeable scar.
How do you care for an open wound?
Unlike a closed wound where healing happens beneath your skin, an open wound breaks your skin, exposing your internal tissues to the external environment. Though acute open wounds might not need medical intervention, do not hesitate to contact your doctor when you have a severe open wound.
During your wound care, your doctor may:
- Stop your bleeding
- Clean your wound of debris and bacteria
- Treat it with antibiotics
- Close and dress your wound
What treatments might you receive for your chronic wound?
Prescription medication may be the first treatment option your doctor will recommend. They include anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics. Other treatments the professional might suggest include:
- Casts- to minimize damage and enhance healing
- Compression therapy- compression socks increase blood flow, enhancing circulation to your legs and ankles.
- Debridement- removal of dead tissues from your wound
- Negative pressure wound therapy- use of vacuum suction to sap fluids from your wound
- Skin graft- harvesting skin from one body part and transplanting it to areas around your wound to accelerate healing
- Ultrasound- accelerates healing using high-frequency vibrations
- Growth factor therapy
- Infrared therapy
An acute open wound can become chronic if you fail to contact your doctor for help. For more inquiries on wound care, schedule an appointment with your doctor.
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