Here discuss about 30 Wound Care Facts : A wound is a break in the skin or tissue. Wound commonly occurs from accidents and sports.
If you have a wound, proper wound treatment and care is required to ensure timely wound healing.
We are going to look at facts about wound care that you may not know about.
Wound Care Facts
1. Acute wounds are wounds that heal in a short period of time.
2. Acute wounds usually occur from external physical forces. Acute wounds could be minor or more serious. Acute wounds can also occur as a result of an underlying medical condition such as diabetes.
3. Common types of acute wounds are abrasions, incisions, lacerations, punctures and avulsions.
4. Acute wounds are first treated with standard first aid to stop bleeding.
5.Chronic wounds are wounds that take a longer time to heal and usually involve complications.
6. Common examples of chronic wounds are venous ulcers, pressure ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers, and arterial ulcers.
7. Open wounds are wounds with exposed underlying tissue. Open wounds are opened to the outside environment.
8. Closed wounds are wounds with unexposed underlying tissue. The damage that occurs beneath the skin is not exposed to the outside environment.
9. Clean wounds are wounds that have no foreign materials, or dirt inside.
10. Contaminated or infected wounds are wounds that contain dirt, bacteria, or other foreign materials.
11. Wounds healing generally go through three stages. However, wound healing is not linear and wounds can progress both forward and backward as they go through the healing phases.
12. The first phase of wound healing is the Inflammation Phase. During the Inflammatory Phase, the body produces a natural inflammatory response and forms a clot to stop the bleeding.
13. The second phase is the Proliferation Phase. This phase is when the wound is rebuilt. During this phase, the wound contracts as a new network of blood vessels are built so that the tissue can receive sufficient oxygen and nutrients for healing.
14. The final phase is the Maturation Phase. This is when the wound fully heals and closes. The scar begins to fade away.
15. Aging affects everything in the body. Everything slows down during the aging process, including wound healing. The skin gets thinner and the body healing response reduces. The skin becomes more susceptible to injury and heals slowly when injured.
16. Individuals that surpass their ideal body weight by 20% or more have a greater risk of infection from wounds
17. Proper nutrition is important to optimal wound healing. If you lack essential nutrients for cell repair and growth, your wound may likely be unable to heal properly.
18. Your body’s defense mechanisms will be limited and slow wound repair if you have multiple wounds or severe trauma.
19. Chronic diseases such as diabetes directly impact the body’s natural ability to heal.
20. Certain prescription medications can have a negative effect on the healing of wounds. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can interfere with the inflammation stage of the healing process of wounds. Anticoagulants may disrupt blood clotting. immunosuppressants may weaken the immune system and make the wound prone to infection.
21. The history of a wound is important to understand the circumstances of the wound. The mechanism of a wound will directly affect the type of care provided. An animal bite will require more intensive medical care than just a fall.
22. The time frame from when a wound occurred, and when medical care is sought can affect the healing of a wound. The longer a wound is left open untreated, the higher the risk of infection.
23. There is often less need to prescribe antibiotics if a wound is cleaned and properly cared for.
24. Antibiotics may be prescribed if the wound is caused by animal bite or human bite, or if the wound is exposed to contaminations to prevent infection.
25. Antibiotics may be prescribed if underlying structures like tendons or bones are also injured.
26. The prognosis for wound healing varies depending on the individual and the type of wound.
27. Eating balanced diets during wound healing helps your wound to heal faster and also fight infection.
28. Your body needs more calories, protein, fluid, vitamin A, vitamin C, and zinc during wound healing.
29. You may need to take supplements to make up for lost nutrients if you are not eating enough healthy foods.
30. The goal for all wounds care is to completely heal to allow the injured part to return to normal function.
