Tips To Speed Up Slow Healing Wounds

When you get hurt or injured and incur a cut, burn, sore, or wound, your body works to heal itself immediately. Your wound will undergo a few steps in order to heal:

• Hemostasis – blood cells, called platelets, clot the wound to discourage further bleeding
• Inflammatory – due to an immune response, inflammation occurs to stem off any infection and the wound opens to receive oxygen and nutrients
• Proliferation – blood cells create collagen which forms and covers the wound to help it mend (your wound appears transformed with a scab or scar tissue)
• Remodeling – the wound is closed, collagen reduces itself and cells reduce blood vessels in the wounded area

If you have more invasive or chronic wounds (wounds that are not healing adequately), there are actions you should take to help speed up the healing process.

Steps toward healing

In order to help your slow healing wounds heal more quickly, the following steps should be considered when repairing your wound:

• Clean your wound thoroughly with water and soap to clear it of dirt or other germs.
• Apply a topical agent to help keep the wound moist and prevent infection.
• Cover your wound, as some moisture is important and helps to heal it.
• Remove dead or necrotic tissue around or on the wound that is impeding the healing process.
• Make sure you have a well-rounded and balanced diet – your body requires calories to work as it should, as well as protein and Vitamins A and C to help the healing process.
• Cease taking certain medications. Cytotoxic antineoplastic and immunosuppressive agents, corticosteroids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and anticoagulants are drugs that may hinder and delay healing.

Schedule an Appointment

If your wound does not seem to heal despite having taken the steps above or is inflamed, hot, causes pain, or secrets liquid, it may be infected or contaminated. Otherwise, slow healing may be an indicator of a more serious health condition. Call DFW Wound Care Center today at 972-665-6292 in Plano, 972-318-2383 in Lewisville or 972-607-9643 in Irving to schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider or for further consultation.