Proper Wound Care And How It Affects The Healing Process
How you treat a wound, in the beginning, is the biggest factor in its healing in the end. There are different types of wounds and depending on the location, cause, and depth you will need to tend to them in different ways as they heal. Open lesions include ulcers, burns, cuts, abrasions, or lacerations. Regardless of the wound size proper care, in the beginning, is necessary to help it heal.
First Aid Wound Care
First aid is the help offered to an injured person before getting further medical attention. It helps prevent injuries from getting worse and relieves pain.
First aid wound care helps stop bleeding and control infection of the lesion. Make sure your hands are clean before handling the open wound to prevent the spread of bacteria.
You can help to stop the bleeding by applying pressure using clean gauze. If blood soaks through the first gauze, do not remove it, as it will worsen the bleeding. Instead, get another gauze and top it on top of the other. Also, do not remove any objects in the wound because that could accelerate bleeding. Treatment options vary depending on the size and cause of the injury.
Benefits Of Proper Wound Care
If you’re diabetic, the healing speed of your wounds will be delayed and require more attention than normal. On average, the wounds of a diabetic heal a week slower than a non-diabetic. This type of person may require additional wound care treatment by a nurse or physician.
Wounds heal either by scar formation or regeneration. During regeneration, the injured tissue is replaced by new tissues with the same properties, preserving the proper function and appearance of the area.
In scar formation, however, the tissue that replaces the damaged tissue does not have the same properties. It is usually a fibrous scar tissue that might change the appearance and function of the affected area.
Infection prevention
Open lesions are vulnerable to infections. Signs of infection include swelling, redness, excessive pain, drainage or pus, warmth around the injury, and unpleasant odors from the wound.
Rinse the wound with sterile water to remove dirt or debris from it. To prevent infection and create a good healing environment you may use an antibiotic ointment, change the dressing daily, use sterile dressing, and apply petroleum jelly. Preventing infection helps hasten the healing process.
Minimizing scarring
Many people believe that all wounds heal with scars, but that is a myth you can avoid with proper care. The first aid steps you take during the early stages of wound healing and keeping it soft throughout the treatment period helps prevent hard scabs and major scars from forming.