What are Non-healing Wounds?
A wound that doesn't heal after five to eight weeks, even after you've been taking care of it according to your doctor's directions is called a non-healing wound. This may be a serious condition because it could become infected and result in sickness or even loss of a limb.
What are the Causes of Non-healing Wounds?
Cardiovascular conditions and diabetes are the most common causes of non-healing wounds. Other causes include:
- Poor blood circulation
- Repetitive trauma to the wound
- Certain medications
- Old age
- Inadequate nutrition
- Having high cholesterol
- Radiation
What are the Symptoms of Non-healing Wounds?
Common signs and symptoms of non-healing wounds include:
- Yellow or green pus or excessive clear fluid at the wound site
- Redness or warmth around the wound
- Swelling
- Bleeding
- Bad odour
- Darkening skin
- Fever
What are the Common types of Non-healing wounds?
Common non-healing wounds include:
- Pressure Ulcers: Pressure ulcers are more commonly found in non-ambulatory patients. The coccyx or tailbone, buttocks, hips, and heels are among the bony regions commonly exposed to severe pressure and is where pressure ulcers are most frequently found. These wounds develop when there is insufficient blood flow to the area, which causes skin cells to die and the formation of an ulcer.
- Diabetic Foot Ulcers: Diabetes damages nerves in the feet, which can result in a total lack of feeling, which makes even minor foot injuries more likely to result in ulcers, infections, and even gangrene. Diabetes sufferers' foot issues are referred to as diabetic foot.
- Venous Leg Ulcers: These types of wounds develop as a result of valve dysfunction in the large leg veins, which harms the veins and causes blood to leak out and gather beneath the skin. These ulcers are commonly seen above the ankle.
Treatment for Non-healing Wounds
Cleaning and dressing wounds are two methods of treating non-healing injuries. In addition, the following procedures and therapies are used to treat wounds that do not heal:
- Debridement: Debridement is the process of removing dead tissue with tools like tweezers, scalpels, or curettes. An enzyme-based gel is then placed on the incision once the dead tissue has been removed.
- Antibiotics: Diabetic foot ulcers are treated with antibiotic ointments, which hasten the healing process.
- Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: To receive this therapy, the patient is placed in a dedicated room where they will breathe oxygen at high pressure. It raises the amount of oxygen in the blood, which improves the blood flow to the injured area and helps healing.
- Ultrasound and Electromagnetic Therapy: In ultrasound therapy, sound waves are directed to the tissues to treat the wounds. Using pillows with magnets, weak electromagnetic waves are applied to the wound during electromagnetic therapy to stimulate healing.
- Negative Pressure Wound Therapy: This therapy is also called vacuum-assisted closure or VAC therapy. In this form of treatment, a dressing that is airtight is placed over the wound and a thin tube is used to connect it to a pump. A negative pressure is created across the wound as a result of the pump sucking the fluid out. In turn, this aids in boosting blood flow and oxygen to the wound. By keeping the wound moist throughout this therapy, the healing process is accelerated.
