It is common to have a wound due to an injury. Many wounds heal gradually and are no more after a while. But if you realize your wound is taking longer to heal and has painful symptoms, all is not well, and you might need expert wound care in Fort Worth. You might be doing something wrong, or other factors could be delaying your wound healing. An expert will identify the cause of your chronic wound and act soon to prevent the worse, such as infections, bone damage, and amputations. But you also have a significant role in promoting your wound healing. See herein.
Dry Your Wound
You should maintain your wound dry and avoid wetting it through a bath or a shower. When the wound is too wet, it creates a suitable environment for bacterial growth. Also, you might spread the bacteria from other parts of your body to the wound through the shower or bath. Therefore, use a wound protector or a cast when taking a bath or a shower. But if you cannot protect your wound, consider a sponge bath until your wound is healed.
Restrain from Soap and Chemicals
Although you might have heard that alcohol and some chemicals are good for wounds, please do not use them on your wound. Also, do not clean the wound with soap. Such chemicals might damage the healing skin more than help since they will slow down the healing process. Use sterile water, saltwater, or distilled water when washing your wound.
Minimize Pressure on the Wound
Again, you might have heard that you need to pressure your wound to help it heal. But can you trust the source of information? Experts agree that pressuring the wound will only slow down the healing. When messaging, ensure you gently do it and limit your time on the wound. Also, you might need unique cushions, walkers, crutches, and shoes, depending on the location of your wound.
Quit Smoking
Smoking is detrimental to wound healing and will slow down the healing process. Remember that smoking affects your blood vessels and may cause cramping in the veins every time you smoke. This restricts adequate blood flow to the wound, limiting oxygen and growth factors reaching the wound. Since such factors are required for wound healing, your wound would only take longer to heal.
Manage Your Blood Sugar
If you realize your wound is taking longer to heal, it could be due to higher blood sugar levels in your body. Always have your glucose levels checked to ensure you maintain healthy levels. High glucose levels hurt wound healing, and you can consider talking to your doctor about medications and a special diet to lower your glucose levels.
Invest in More Proteins
Proteins are the most significant part of your diet when you have a wound. Remember that the protein will make the growth factors responsible for wound healing. Therefore, increase your protein intake to ensure your body produces more growth factors to heal itself faster. Severely low protein levels slow down healing.
Cover Your Wound
This is simple. Never leave your wound open, as it will delay healing. The wound does not breathe, so you better cover it.
If you have a wound, the best way to ensure it heals well is to talk to the experts. You can consult the wound care specialists at Wound Evolution- Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine to understand better. Prevent Chronic Wounds.