What Are the Different Types of Wounds and How Are They Treated?

Some wounds will heal with home treatments or with stitches, staples, or glue. But what about chronic wounds that can't or won't heal? You'll be relieved to know that there are remedies for just those types of wounds. 

The Main Types of Wounds

A wound is a break or an opening in the skin caused by contact with sharp, rough, toxic, or other extremely harmful sources. The types and severity of a patient's wounds can affect how long they will take to heal and the level of care they should receive.   

Common Wound Categories and Stages of Healing

The severity of wounds can vary from superficial to deep. The types of wounds one can receive are:

• 
  Abrasions: The skin's surface is rubbed or scraped.
• Lacerations: Deep, jagged cuts to the skin.
• Punctures: Small, deep holes in the skin.
• Burns: Tissue damage caused by heat, electricity, chemicals, radiation, or even the sun.
• Incisions: Deep, smooth cuts to the skin.
• Avulsions: The complete removal of several layers of skin.

When each of these wounds occurs, the skin undergoes a recurring healing process that clots blood flow, fights infections, and strengthens the tissue. Understanding how wounds heal is important for those with underlying conditions, whose wounds can persist or worsen without proper care.

Stages of Wound Healing and The Necessity of Proper Care

Once the wound occurs, the healing process begins when blood vessels constrict to reduce blood flow, and clots form to stop the bleeding. The blood clots then dry to form a scab, protecting the tissue beneath from contamination.

Once the scabs form, the inflammatory process begins, helping to clean the area, fight infection, and provide the nutrients needed for healing. The body then begins rebuilding tissue with the use of red blood cell-generated collagen. Then, new skin forms over the tissue, and a scar forms. 

Factors That Can Affect Healing

Because there are conditions that can affect the patient's immune system or block the pathways responsible for effective wound repair, the stages of healing can be impeded, causing non-healing wounds or prolonged wound-healing, patients with diabetes, poor circulation, limited mobility, or those receiving anticancer therapies can all suffer from chronic wounds that are slow to heal, do not heal, or become progressively worse.

Basic and Advanced Treatment Options

Most types of wound care can be administered at home. The patient can help the healing process by applying pressure to the wounded area, cleaning the area, applying an antiseptic, and covering the wound with a sterile dressing. However, when confronted with chronic wounds, more advanced wound care is required to improve the patient's health. These treatments could include: 

• 
  Recommended adjustments to medication, diet, or lifestyle
• Specialized wound dressings containing gels
• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy: Exposing the body to 100% oxygen at a pressure that is greater than normal
• Negative pressure wound therapy: Applying continuous or intermittent suction to the wound.
• Vaporox: A wound care solution of hydrating vapor or mist and concentrated oxygen.

The dedicated team at Advanced Wound Care of Downriver provides comprehensive care for these types of wounds, offering treatment in a medical setting designed around each patient’s needs.

Knowing When to Seek Specialized Care and When Home Treatment Is Enough

If your wound hasn't shown improvement within seven to ten days or hasn't healed in two to three weeks, specialized wound care is required. Some other symptoms to look for when wounds aren't healing as they should:

• 
  Increasing pain or discomfort
• Foul odor or discharge
• Redness and swelling around the wound
• Uncontrolled bleeding
• Recurrent infections

These symptoms must be addressed to prevent further complications.

Schedule an Expert Wound Evaluation at Advanced Wound Care of Downriver

Don't wait to improve your health and quality of life if you’re experiencing issues with wound healing. Contact us to schedule an appointment to discuss the care that's needed for your specific wound complications.

Image credit: // Shutterstock // George Rudy