Doc Health Tips – Get health tips here!
Bleeding is usually the first sign when a wound starts to develop. Whether you run to your doctor or rush to the nearest health facility, your care provider will perform first-aid to minimize the bleeding. Once the bleeding ceases, your body starts the healing and cleaning process. You will feel swelling, with the wounded site appearing reddish and warm. Beneath the swollen skin, your blood will supply the wound with oxygen and nutrients to promote healing. A slow-healing wound could be painful, preventing you from enjoying your everyday life. Your leading Wound care specialist in Fort Worth, Dr. Hulen and his skilled team at Wound Evolution, use proactive measures to accelerate wound healing. The team offers their patients personalized care that comprises dressing, nutrition, and specialized treatments.
What should you expect on your first wound care appointment?
Your first appointment with a wound specialist is usually a referral from your physician. Once you contact a wound specialist, your doctor will take you through a thorough evaluation to identify your wound, complications you could be experiencing from the injury, and a possible underlying condition that could be your wound’s cause. The appointment will help the professional determine your wound size and type, general health, and ability to cope with specific treatment options. After the assessment, your doctor will develop a treatment plan to care for your wound effectively.
If your referral is from an external location, your doctor will expect you to carry or list the medications you are taking currently and state any allergies you could be having. The physician will also need you to bring along X-rays if any are available.
What are the possible wound treatments your doctor will recommend?
After your diagnostic examinations, your wound care specialist will put you on a personalized treatment plan. The various treatments your doctor will suggest for your wound include:
- Medication and special ointments
- Special bandages to enhance healing
- Tissue therapy
- Debridement (removal of dead tissues around your wound)
- Topical wound therapy
- Dressing selection
- Growth-factor therapy
If your wound is the open type that is severely bleeding, your doctor will suggest immediate attention. Typical open wound care entails steps like:
- Minimizing bleeding
- Wound cleaning
- Treating the wound with antibiotics
- Closing and dressing the wound
- Routinely changing the dressing
How long will your wound take to heal?
Your blood supply plays a primary role in wound healing. The blood is rich in everything your wound needs. If your wound fails to receive enough blood, it might fail to heal completely or take longer to heal. How long it will take your wound to heal significantly depends on its depth and extent completely. While some of your wounds will effectively heal after a few weeks, others might not heal well. Age is one of the reasons why your wound may poorly heal. Thus, your wounds will slowly heal if you are elderly. Other conditions that might affect your wound healing include:
- Obesity
- Hypertension
- Diabetes
- Vascular disease
Do not hesitate to contact your doctor if you suspect you have an infected wound, regardless of its size. When a specialist fails to treat your wound, the infection may spread, causing you adverse side effects. Contact the professionals if you are worried about your slow-healing wound.
