Causes of skin wounds that heal slowly. How to treat a non-healing wound on the leg

Any wounds on the body can cause the development infectious process. If wounds do not heal for a long time, then the risk of such a threat increases many times over. Diabetics often face the problem of non-healing cuts and cracks, especially often on the feet.

The lower extremities in diabetes suffer from poor blood supply and neuropathy, and therefore require constant care and health monitoring. What to do if a wound on your leg does not heal and how to avoid it, you will learn from this article.

Why leg wounds don't heal

Diabetes is an endocrine pathology in which the level of sugar in the bloodstream increases, causing various disorders in the activity of organs and the state of body systems. Small ones are especially affected blood vessels, which become more permeable and subject to destruction. Due to problems in the flow of blood to the tissues, the healing process is difficult and sometimes becomes impossible.

Due to impaired blood supply to the lower extremities, nerve endings are destroyed, so diabetic patients simply do not feel that they are injured. Even minor cuts or calluses not treated properly can eventually lead to a festering sore.

Purulent infections in diabetes represent dangerous situation, since the immunity of diabetics is significantly reduced. Festering tissue left unattended can lead to gangrene and amputation of a limb, so if a wound on the leg does not heal, every diabetic should know what to do and how to achieve recovery faster.

Cuts, abrasions or calluses do not heal for a long time due to swelling lower limbs, because excess fluid prevents the wound edges from healing. The legs are also constantly in motion, so the newly fused tissues crack again and again.

Diabetics have dry skin due to the death of nerve cells responsible for excretory function, so it is easily susceptible to cracking. In addition, the blood of diabetic patients is very thick, so delivery useful substances and vitamins to cells is difficult, and this, in turn, impairs the tissue healing process.

Thus, the main causes of non-healing wounds can be called:

  • infectious process;
  • weak immunity;
  • poor microcirculation of blood in the extremities;
  • destruction of nerve fiber endings;
  • swelling of tissues;
  • inability to fix (immobilize) the affected area;
  • cell starvation (not enough nutrients and vitamins).

The most susceptible to the formation of poorly healing wounds are the feet, and less often the ankles. Non-healing wounds eventually turn into ulcers and erosions that are difficult to treat. One of the most common complications of diabetes is trophic ulcer, syndrome diabetic foot and neuropathy. All these pathologies relate to the problem of non-healing wounds.

Stages of therapy according to the course of the wound process

Before deciding what to do if a leg wound does not heal, it is useful to know at what stage the wound process is, since treatment methods will vary:

  • The first stage is characterized by reflexive compression of blood vessels. In this case, a blood clot is formed from platelets, which clogs the vessel and stops bleeding. After this process, the vessel expands and liquid begins to seep through it into soft fabrics, as a result of which swelling forms and the wound begins to get wet. At this stage, it is important to clean the wound surface from dirt and disinfect it to prevent infection by pathogenic microorganisms.
  • The second stage begins with signs of inflammation- increased swelling, redness of the skin and increased temperature of the tissues in the area of ​​damage. To remove damaged cells, leukocytes begin to accumulate in the wound area and antibodies are formed. At the second stage antibacterial therapy ointments.
  • The third stage coincides in time of manifestation with the second, since after injury the proliferation of granulation tissue increases, which fills the wound. In diabetes, this process proceeds slowly, so it is at this stage that the main treatment of non-healing wounds is devoted - antibacterial, healing gels and ointments, vitamin-mineral complexes, diet, compresses from medicinal herbs, physiotherapeutic procedures.

Primary treatment of wounds in diabetes

If a person suffering from diabetes notices that a wound on his leg is not healing, the attending physician can best advise what to do in each specific case.

There are basics primary treatment wounds to know, in particular:

  • treatment of damaged tissues antiseptic solutions immediately after injury;
  • stop bleeding (if it does not stop) using saline or manganese solution;
  • eliminating swelling with a cold compress;
  • overlay antibacterial ointment on the wound surface;
  • covering the wound with a sterile bandage or plaster.

After initial treatment of the wound, you can think about further treatment. If the patient's limbs are numb, this may indicate the presence of neuropathy, which requires a special approach. Differences in treatment will also be present when diagnosed with diabetic foot, Charcot foot or gangrene.

Healing wounds with diabetes at home

To make wounds easier to heal, they should be treated immediately after the injury occurs. Most diabetics do not feel the formation of calluses, cuts or punctures in the skin on their feet, so in order not to miss important point initial treatment of the wound, it is necessary to constantly examine the legs, especially if injuries are possible, for example, after walking barefoot on the ground.

Wound healing in diabetes mellitus will occur faster if, in addition to local treatment of the damaged surface, other measures are taken - normalize blood sugar levels, take vitamins, and use medicinal herbs in therapy. In some cases home treatment may not be enough.

Physiotherapeutic methods of treatment have a good effect in the treatment of non-healing wounds. IN medical institutions you can quickly fix the problem using a magnetic field, laser, electric current or ultrasound. At severe course diseases (gangrene, Charcot's foot) may require surgery.

Drugs

For wound healing in diabetes mellitus it is prescribed various ointments with antibacterial and wound-healing components.

Depending on the etiology and nature of the wound surface, they differ, in particular:

  • ointments Delaxin, Vulnostimulin, Trofodermin, Fusicutan, Solcoseri, Algofin are used to treat trophic ulcers;
  • open wounds treated with Levomekol, zinc ointment, Baneocin, Dioxyzol;
  • in therapy purulent wounds Vishnevsky ointments, streptocidal ointment, syntomycin ointment, ichthyol ointment, as well as Iruksol are used.

Vitamin and mineral complexes help heal wounds in diabetes mellitus. They stimulate the immune system and saturate cells with useful biologically active substances.

Folk remedies

Along with therapy medications You can use traditional treatment based on healing power herbs

To heal wounds in diabetes mellitus, compresses or baths are made from folk remedies that have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and healing properties, for example, the following:

  • Celandine. Fresh leaves of the plant are applied directly to the wound.
  • Fresh cucumbers . Soak gauze with vegetable juice and make compresses or lotions.
  • Calendula. For the bath, brew two tablespoons of medicinal dried flowers in 200 ml of water.
  • Curdled milk. From fermented milk product make compresses that perfectly relieve inflammation.

Prevention

Patients with diabetes in mandatory Non-healing wounds should be prevented, since the risk of encountering such a problem is very high.

What to do:

  • wash your feet every day;
  • inspect your legs daily, especially your feet for damage;
  • moisturize the skin with creams;
  • do not walk barefoot;
  • monitor indoor air humidity and drink more clean water, since the skin of diabetics is prone to excessive dryness;
  • choose the most convenient one, it’s better orthopedic shoes to prevent the formation of calluses;
  • You cannot take a bath for a long time or keep your feet in water, as dry skin quickly absorbs moisture and then becomes loose and cracks;
  • When treating wounds, avoid using iodine or hydrogen peroxide;
  • do not wear socks with tight elastic bands, as they impair blood supply to the lower extremities;
  • give up cigarettes and alcohol, which disrupt blood microcirculation.

In order for a wound to heal normally, certain conditions must be met: good indicators of the ability of the skin to regenerate, the proximity of healthy wound edges to each other, and absolute sterility of the wound surface. The patient has common diseases, worsening regeneration processes (vitaminosis, diabetes mellitus, cachexia with malignant tumors, syphilis, etc.), also often leads to secondary healing of not only accidental, but also surgical wounds.

Wound healing at a slow pace can be observed due to certain processes outlined below: - Surgical actions to treat purulent wounds and not only purulent ones were carried out incorrectly. - Vitamin deficiencies, immunodeficiencies, malnutrition. - Malignant neoplasms, diabetes mellitus and some other severe diseases. - There is poor blood supply in the wound area. - The presence of an inflammatory-infectious process characterized by a sluggish course. Wound inflammation caused by infection prevents the synthesis of new skin cells. In this regard, until the inflammation is eliminated, the wound will open view. To eliminate inflammation, that is why an antiseptic is used, which must be used to treat every wound (even the most minor one). If a defect is large enough in size (more than 10 millimeters), then a sterile bandage should be used in the first stages to cover it. At the same time, it is undesirable to keep the wound under a bandage for a long period of time (increased humidity interferes with wound healing and delays this process). Such diseases significantly impair the blood supply to the wound area, and also inhibit the immune system, the normal functioning of which is the most important factor fighting infection that has entered the wound. In this regard, wound therapy in such situations should be accompanied by high-quality treatment of the main disease against which the wound progresses. The healing process is much longer if the above conditions do not exist. Without the formation of a skin scar, as a rule, healing of small wounds occurs. If the wound is large, then “growing” new tissue requires significantly greater efforts from the body aimed at replacing the defect that has formed. In this regard, the formation of a scar on the skin is observed. It is worth noting that the severity of scars directly depends on the activity of the healing process - the more intense the healing, the more pronounced the scar will be. Thus, it turns out that everything should be in moderation. A distinction is made between primary healing, when, with close, touching edges and walls of the wound, the healing processes proceed quickly, without complications, and secondary healing, when there is a large wound cavity, a lot of dead tissue, developed purulent infection and regeneration processes proceed slowly, through the formation of granulations. Healing of purulent wounds, as a rule, occurs by secondary intention. Unsutured wounds with divergence of edges and walls, wounds filled with blood clots, and the presence of foreign bodies or necrotic tissue, also heal by secondary intention. The healing processes of purulent wounds occur in the following sequence. First, the wound is cleaned of necrotic tissue, cells, blood clots, etc. Then, in certain areas of the walls purulent cavity cell proliferations appear in the form of red nodules, which, gradually increasing in number and size, cover all the walls and bottom of the wound. One of the types similar pathology there may be bedsores.

Surgery's View

Depending on the nature of the wound, the size of the wound, its infection, the characteristics of the body’s reactivity, etc., healing of the wound defect can occur primary intention, under a scab or secondary intention (through suppuration). If the wound defect is small (for example, with a linear tissue incision), the wound does not gape, its edges seem to stick together, the thin fibrin film that forms between them quickly grows with fibroblasts and blood vessels and heals with the formation of a narrow, often barely noticeable scar. In these cases, they talk about wound healing by primary intention. When healing under a scab, the scab formed on the surface of small wounds, abrasions and scratches is a dried protein mass of blood, lymph, and dead tissue. Epithelization of the wound surface occurs under the scab, which, upon completion, disappears. In some cases, large scabs form with extensive scalp wounds and burns. However, healing occurs under the scab by secondary intention - through suppuration and granulation. Preservation of a scab in such cases often leads to the accumulation of purulent discharge under it and the development of severe perifocal inflammation. Treatment of purulent wounds under the scab should be general principles supervision of purulent wounds. Healing by secondary intention is typical for wounds with a large area of ​​damage (if the edges of the wound are far apart), when there is non-viable tissue in the wound, a hematoma, or when an infection develops in it. In this case, wound cleansing through suppuration due to the proteolytic action of cellular and microbial enzymes, significant development of granulation tissue and its organization, subsequent scarring and epithelization with the formation of a rough scar are observed. The duration of the phases of the wound process during healing by secondary intention varies significantly depending on the size of the wound, the amount of dead tissue, the degree of its bacterial contamination, general condition body, etc.

What to do

For the speedy healing of a wound, certain vitamins are needed that are actively involved in regenerative processes. These vitamins are considered to be B vitamins (B5, B2, B1) and vitamin A. As you can see, the effectiveness of treating wounds that heal poorly depends on how well the skin stimulation is carried out, on how well the blood circulation in the wound area has improved and on whether appropriate sterile conditions have been created. Actively use wound healing agents. Therapeutic measures should improve regeneration processes and create unfavorable conditions for the development of microorganisms in the wound. To the complex therapeutic measures include agents that act locally on the wound, and general ones that act on the entire body. Both should help improve conditions natural course wound process. They should be different for fresh and treatment of purulent wounds, in different phases of the wound process, as well as with different severity of the process (hypoergic, normergic and hyperergic type of body response). The general objectives of wound care are: 1) the ability to anticipate and prevent wound hazards; 2) reducing the number and virulence of the infection; 3) removal of dead tissue; 4) strengthening of regeneration processes.

Features of wounds

A wound after radiation therapy is not uncommon. Needs processing medicinal ointments such as solcoseryl, iruksol for wound cleaning with subsequent use wound healing ointments(such as Actovegin). Wounds do not heal for a long time due to anemia or latent iron deficiency. To exclude them, you must pass general analysis blood, serum iron, THC, ferritin.

A clean ulcer does not heal

If the trophic ulcer is not inflamed and there is no pus or necrosis, exudation is weak or moderate, you should use products that have a stimulating wound healing effect and maintain an optimal level of moisture in the wound. Trophic wounds on the leg are especially dangerous. Wounds should not be dried out; the appearance of a crust on the surface of the wound should be avoided. For effective treatment use chitosan-based products, hydrocolloid or hydrogel binders.

The wound does not heal after tooth extraction

After tooth extraction, the process of normal wound healing lasts approximately 4 months. The edges of the gums come together, and at the same time a blood clot forms in the socket, which is replaced by granulation, then osteoid (bone) tissue. The process of normal healing of the hole is painless. On the 3rd day after removal, the first signs of wound epithelization appear. In the 4th month, a new bone, which over time acquires a normal spongy structure. With education bone tissue the edges of the socket and alveoli are absorbed by approximately 1/3 of the length of the root. Over time, the alveolar ridge in the area of ​​the extracted teeth becomes lower and thinner. Above the mouth of the hole it has a concave or wavy shape. In the absence of a blood clot, the socket heals as a result of the formation of granulation tissue from the bone walls of the socket. Gradually, the edges of the gum above it come closer together, the hole is filled with granulation, then osteoid tissue. Subsequently, the process of bone formation occurs in the same way as described above. In cases where the socket is infected or the bone or edge of the gum is injured during surgery, regenerative processes proceed more slowly. In these cases, an inflammatory process develops in the tissues surrounding the wound, so the onset of bone regeneration and epithelization of the wound is delayed. Very often, tooth extraction is resorted to when there is inflammation in the socket, so wound healing after the removal of such a tooth occurs at a later date than when removing non-inflamed teeth; instead of 3-5 days, the process takes 10-14 days. The first signs of bone formation appear on the 15th day. The resulting osteoid beams are layered on the walls of the socket. Epithelization of the wound is often completed only on the 30-50th day. As the wound is cleansed of dead tissue, granulation tissue grows from the walls and bottom of the hole. Only after 1.5-2 months. Most of the socket is filled with osteoid tissue, which will gradually turn into mature bone. A more significant delay in bone formation and wound epithelization occurs during traumatic tooth extraction with gum rupture and damage to the walls of the socket. In these cases, the edges of the gums do not come together for a long time.

Diabetes does not heal the wound

Trophic ulcers (long-term non-healing wounds) are the most common form diabetic foot syndrome. Of fundamental importance is that diabetic ulcers are divided into neuropathic (in patients with normal blood flow to the legs, and neuro-ischemic (or ischemic) - arising against the background of impaired blood flow. A small part of patients with diabetes mellitus suffers from leg ulcers - such ulcers are usually the result of venous diseases ( venous insufficiency). Correct local treatment. Treatment of the wound with the application of a new therapeutic dressing is carried out daily or once every 2-4 days (depending on the condition of the wound and the type of treatment used). The use of modern dressings (which do not stick to the wound, unlike gauze). Available today large number such materials belonging to various classes - alginates, hydrophilic fiber, atraumatic meshes, polyurethane foam dressings, hydrogels, hydrocolloids, etc. The choice of dressing is carried out medical worker(by a doctor or nurse in a specialized office) based on examination of the wound, X-ray data, etc. Washing the wound antimicrobial agents, which do not damage growing tissues - such as a solution of miramistin, chlorhexidine, etc. We remind you that iodine, alcohol, brilliant green and potassium permanganate are contraindicated for diabetes, because slow down healing Regular treatment of the wound by a doctor or nurse (removal of non-viable tissue, callus around the wound (often formed with neuropathic ulcers)). Usually carried out every 3-15 days. Protecting the ulcer from the stress of walking. As long as the patient steps on the wound, no matter what expensive medications or dressings are used, the wound will not heal.

Amputation wound

The fate of the limb, indeed, depends mainly on the possibility of restoring arterial blood flow. Roughly speaking, the blood flow in the vessels is sharply reduced, and if it is not increased, the amputation stump will not heal.

Complications during wound healing

Usually manifested by divergence of the edges or its suppuration. Dehiscence of wound edges (R.) without signs of suppuration is rarely observed and develops as a result of disturbances in the general condition of the body (vitaminosis, dystrophy, cachexia, etc.) or defects in surgical technique. Suppuration of R. more often occurs with extensive trauma to surrounding tissues, the presence in R. of areas of necrosis, hematoma, foreign bodies, inadequate comparison of the edges of the wound, microbial contamination above critical level(105 microbial bodies per 1 g of tissue), general violation state of the body ( traumatic shock, large blood loss, etc.). The correct tactics are needed to treat purulent wounds. When purulent R. heals by secondary intention, purulent streaks, phlegmon, lymphadenitis, erysipelas, thrombophlebitis, and gangrene caused by a secondary anaerobic or putrefactive infection are possible.

Wound healing with folk remedies

  1. Boil three sprigs of comfrey (Symphytum officinale L.) in a liter of water until the water boils by half. Strain and rinse with this decoction.
  2. Take one sweet pomegranate, boil it with tart wine and apply a bandage from this mixture to the wound.
  3. Vanga believed that healing medicines are used first in liquid form, and then, as healing progresses, they move on to dry and bulk products. Healing agents include cypress tree bast with rose oil wax ointment, burnt aristocholia, alum, and fig leaves.
  4. To prepare a healing flax plaster, Vanga advised taking washed linen fabric, grind it until it turns into powder. Then add highly astringent olive oil or sea buckthorn oil and prepare a plaster.
  5. For older people, this plaster is good: burn barley and prepare a wax ointment from it with rose oil or myrtle oil and white lead.
  6. To prepare the powder, take equal quantities of rose flowers, white lead, and pomegranate flowers.
  7. The rapid maturation of abscesses is facilitated by the application of wheat or rye bread, soaked in hot milk, gruel from fresh leaves coltsfoot, bird cherry, fresh buckwheat leaves stacked on top of each other.
  8. Wounds are well cleaned of pus and healed by grating onions, carrots and freshly grated onions applied to the wound (treatment for 8 - 10 minutes).
  9. Vanga recommended using fresh juice aloe vera, soaking it gauze bandage and irrigating wounds, as well as fresh knotweed grass in the form of gruel or juice for lotions.
  10. 40 grams of dried celery root pour 120 milliliters olive oil. Apply to the wound.
  11. Infuse the flower tops of dead nettles in a warm place with linseed oil in a ratio of 1:5, and then apply to the wound.
  12. Pour 75 grams of chopped fresh burdock root into one glass of water. Infuse for a day in a warm place. Then boil for 15 minutes, strain. Use as compresses.
  13. Pour 10 grams of wormwood paniculata herb into one glass of boiling water. Infuse, strain. Use as compresses, lotions
  14. Pour one tablespoon of fresh or dry colza herb into one glass of boiling water. Leave for 2 - 3 hours, strain. Take one quarter glass four times a day for a month.
  15. In case of severe wounds and heavy blood loss, apply a very thick layer of clay directly to the damaged area. It is better to first sprinkle the wound with dry clay powder, and then apply clay, pressing it well, thus eliminating blood loss. If there is any concern that there is some foreign body left in the wound, then there is no need to take additional measures to remove it, because the clay will do that. You will see this for yourself when, after several procedures, you see a foreign body on the lotion.
  16. If it is difficult to apply a lotion (eyes, ears, etc.), you can do wraps. To do this, take a semi-liquid clay mass, thoroughly soak the fabric with it, apply it to the diseased part of the body and cover with a woolen blanket.
  17. Soaked clay mass change the fabric more often. Use such procedures when you need to expose a large surface of the skin to clay.
  18. You can use small dressings made from a mixture of glycerin and clay (2:1).
  19. In Bulgarian folk medicine, beeswax has long been used in combination with other components to treat poorly healing wounds. To prepare wound healing mixtures, you can use the following recipes. Take 100 g of olive oil, 13 g of wax, 20 g of pine resin (rosin) and one tablespoon of butter. Mix everything in an enamel pan, put on low heat and heat for 10 minutes, stirring constantly and removing the foam that appears on the surface. Transfer the prepared mixture into a glass jar. Apply the mixture to gauze and apply to the wound.
  20. Boil two parts olive oil and one part pure beeswax over low heat. Cool the resulting ointment and transfer it to a glass jar. After washing the wound with hydrogen peroxide, apply a bandage with the prepared preparation.
  21. Wash the wound and apply a compress of nettle leaves: fill the bottle to the top with fresh nettle leaves, then fill it to the top with grape vodka, plug it with a stopper and leave in the sun for two weeks.
  22. Take a tablespoon of goat or sheep fat and half a tablespoon of salt; add a tablespoon of well-chopped onion (the onion should be old), put everything in a strong bowl and grind almost into powder. Take this ointment for about walnut(this is for a fairly large wound) and put it inside and outside the wound. Then apply a bandage and keep it on for 24 hours. After the first use of this remedy, the patient will feel very severe pain, because the medicine will “eat” into the wound and draw out dirt. The pain will decrease after the second and third application, and with the fourth or fifth it will stop altogether.
  23. The wounds are simply smeared with honey and a light sterile bandage is applied on top.
  24. Infuse half a glass of fresh crushed flowers and leaves of St. John's wort with a glass of almond, sunflower, olive or flaxseed oil for three weeks. Squeeze, strain. Store in a cool place. Lubricate poorly healing wounds with this oil.
  25. The juice of fresh fern leaves heals wounds well.
  26. Prepare a decoction of fenugreek (Greek hay), and apply the remaining pulp to the wound.
  27. Apply the pulp of the puffball mushroom to the wound.
  28. Pour into bottle birch buds, pour in grape vodka and leave. Lubricate the wound with tincture.
  29. Dissolve cow butter over the fire, grind fresh birch buds in it, spread it on a cloth and apply.
  30. Boiled and mashed white beans are used to cleanse festering wounds.
  31. Honeycombs along with wax are used to treat non-healing wounds. The honeycomb is boiled and applied warm to the wound.

Scratches and wounds occur due to disruption of the anatomical integrity of the skin and mucous membranes as a result of mechanical stress. The most common occurrence of abrasions, scratches and wounds is careless handling of piercing and cutting objects at home and at work.


– the cause of long-term non-healing wounds

When the skin and underlying tissues are damaged, the blood vessels located there are affected, so wounds and scratches are usually accompanied by bleeding. It ceases to be released into the blood after 1 - 3 minutes under the influence of platelets - blood cells that have the ability to increase blood viscosity and “seal” the wound.

If it does not stop within 15 minutes, the cut is very deep or has ragged edges, you should immediately consult a doctor.
If the bleeding does not stop, this indicates a violation of the blood clotting function. The cause may be leukemia, hemophilia, insufficient platelets, or taking anticoagulants. Poor blood clotting means that any scratch or wound will take a very long time to heal.

The influence of infections and diseases of internal organs on wound healing

Often the danger is not the wound itself, but its infection with pathogens. Bacteria usually enter the wound due to non-compliance with the rules of the first medical care.

First aid for cuts is to remove foreign bodies, treat the wound surface with an antiseptic, and apply a sterile bandage.
Penetrated into subcutaneous tissue microbes provoke development inflammatory process: the wound begins, redness and swelling form around it, and the victim’s pain increases. Suppuration leads to the fact that the wound healing period is significantly increased.

Sometimes wounds and scratches do not heal for a long time despite correct treatment. The reason in this case can be determined by the therapist, focusing on the results of clinical studies. There are the following pathological conditions in which wounds and scratches do not heal well:
- diabetes mellitus;
- oncological processes;
- anemia;
- lack of vitamins and microelements;
- disturbances in the functioning of the immune system.

In a person with these diseases, metabolic processes in cells are disrupted, which impairs the ability of tissues to regenerate. Sometimes long healing damage is a temporary phenomenon that can be observed due to decreased immunity after ARVI and other infectious diseases. If the problem of recovery from injuries is systematic, you need to consult a doctor for a full examination and a correct diagnosis.

Abrasions, cuts, scratches, burns varying degrees or any other skin injuries - there is no person who has not personally, or through the example of his loved ones, encountered such wounds.

If serious injuries are treated by a doctor, then minor wounds are treated independently or simply ignored.

But the body does not always manage to cope and often the wounds do not heal or the healing process takes a long time.

There are also cases of suppuration.

So what is the reason for the long healing time? What to do if the wound does not heal?

Or what to do if the wound festers? When should you go to the surgeon? Let's try to figure it all out.

The wound does not heal - reasons

The healing process largely depends not only on the severity of the damage. There are many factors and reasons that directly influence this. In addition, not all wounds heal equally, and this depends on the specific type. Wounds are usually divided according to the nature of the damage:

1. Cut– such damage usually has smooth edges and insignificant depth. They are easy to apply by anyone sharp object. For example, with a razor, knife, glass, etc. The healing time of such a wound lasts no more than a week and depends on its depth.

2. Stabbed– arise as a result of exposure to a sharp piercing object (nail, awl, splinter, etc.). The healing of such wounds largely depends on its depth and is complicated by the lack of oxygen access inside the wound itself.

3. Chopped– can be applied with any sharp instrument (axe, scythe, rotating elements of production equipment, etc.). It is impossible to cure such wounds on your own, since they are very deep and are often accompanied by bone damage.

4. Torn- edges of the wound in in this case uneven “torn”. Such damage can easily occur when injured by a saw. They take a very long time to heal (up to a month). Usually complicated by necrosis and suppuration.

5. Scalped– when the skin hangs like a “rag”. If the wound is not infected and has an insignificant surface of damage, then its healing will take no more time than for an incised wound;

6. Bitten– wounds that do not heal for months. They are applied by both domestic and wild animals.

7. Bruised– such a wound can easily be obtained when hit with a stick or club. Healing is complicated by softening of the tissue and thrombosis of its vessels, and they can take up to several weeks to heal.

8. Burns can also be classified as wounds and their healing time depends not only on the type of damage (chemical or thermal), but also on their severity.

From the above, one can draw the incorrect conclusion that the healing time of wounds is stable. But in reality this is far from the case. The nature of the origin of the wound, incorrectly provided first aid, or infection due to poor-quality treatment can have a great influence on the duration of healing.

Age, concomitant diseases leading to violation metabolic processes and decreased immunity can also slow down this process. In people with diabetes, AIDS and HIV carriers, wounds may not heal for years.

Wound treatment or what to do if the wound does not heal - medications

Definitely best recommendation If the wound does not heal for a long time, seek qualified help in a timely manner. The treated wound will heal much faster. The specialist will give recommendations on proper care monitor her and, if necessary, prescribe medications for treatment. But if for some reason this is impossible to do, then try to follow the following mandatory rules:

1. If the wound is fresh, try to stop the bleeding - rinse the wound with 3% hydrogen peroxide. Do not cauterize the damaged area with iodine. It causes severe tissue burns, thereby complicating healing. They can only treat the skin around the injury.

2. After stopping the bleeding and in the future during care, treat before dressing skin around the wound to prevent infection. Best suited for these purposes medical alcohol. IN as a last resort anything containing alcohol, if possible not containing essential oils.

3. After this, treat the wound itself with peroxide and blot it with a bandage or gauze. Make sure that no threads remain on damaged fabrics. Carefully inspect the wound and remove foreign body, if any (splinters, remains of wood from splinters, etc.).

4. Then wash the wound with any aseptic solution - Chlorhexidine, Furacillin or a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

5. Accelerate the healing of abrasions and small wounds ARGOSULFAN® cream helps. The combination of the antibacterial component silver sulfathiazole and silver ions provides a broad spectrum antibacterial action cream. The drug can be applied not only to wounds located on open areas of the body, but also under bandages. The product has not only a wound healing, but also an antimicrobial effect, and in addition, promotes wound healing without a rough scar 1

You need to read the instructions or consult a specialist.

Until now, out of ignorance, wounds are sprinkled with Streptocide. But experts do not recommend doing this. When reacting with the released transparent serous exudate, its powder covers the wound with a “crust” that is difficult to wash off. Underneath, when wounds become wet, exudate accumulates, which can lead to long healing or suppuration.

What to do if the wound festers - possible consequences

The first sign of suppuration is the release of viscous, cloudy, slightly yellowish exudate (pus) from the wound. When it appears, the wound surface should be disinfected immediately. But before you wash it, you must first carefully remove the pus from the wound with a dry gauze cloth and only then treat the edges and the wound surface itself.

If it is possible to immediately contact a surgeon, purulent discharge should not be removed. Their characteristic features will help the doctor determine the degree of neglect of the wound.

If the wound festers and is not treated correctly, there may be serious complications How local character, and general. In the best case, an abscess can form at the site of suppuration - when pus collects at the site of infection and does not disperse to other tissues (has clear boundaries). Such an abscess is opened, and it may take up to a month to heal. At worst - phlegmon. In this case, the pus can spread to other tissues and lead to more severe complications, including amputation of limbs, sepsis and fatal outcome.

What to do if the wound festers - folk remedies

There are many recipes traditional medicine, allowing to clean the wound from pus, and accelerating the healing process of purulent wounds.

The most common is the juice of the aloe plant. They should irrigate the purulent wound generously after washing, before applying a bandage.

The fastest resorption of infiltrates and abscesses is facilitated by lotions from the herb sweet clover.

A wonderful remedy for purulent wounds, especially cuts, is the juice of wormwood. They, like aloe juice, need to irrigate a washed purulent wound, and apply mint leaves along its edges.

A widely popular method is folk technique treatment of purulent wounds with nettle. Well-dried and ground nettle leaves are sprinkled on a wound that has been cleared of pus, and after half an hour, it is washed off with a decoction of the same nettle. To prepare such a decoction, you need to pour 100 grams of nettle with half a liter of boiled water and bring to a boil. Then add 50 grams of honey, stir well and cool. Before use, the decoction must be filtered.

We should not forget that not every remedy may be suitable for a particular person, and in some cases it may worsen the condition of the wound. Therefore, you should consult a specialist before using them.

What to do if the wound does not heal - when should you go to the surgeon?

If even a minor wound does not heal for a long time (more than a week). If after 2-3 days purulent discharge appears from it, and the edges become red and inflamed. If you experience throbbing pain in the area of ​​the injury, your body temperature rises sharply to 38 degrees, you need to immediately go to the surgeon. The specialist will do primary processing wounds, conduct an examination and prescribe appropriate treatment.

Also, if a long-term non-healing wound occurs against the background chronic diseases cardiovascular system, impeding blood circulation. If a person has diabetes, has cancer or chronic infectious diseases, he should not delay his visit to the doctor, he should immediately visit a specialist.

1 E.I. Tretyakova. Complex treatment long-term non-healing wounds of various etiologies. Clinical dermatology and venereology. — 2013.- No. 3

Scratches and abrasions usually heal well without causing concern. But there are times when the wound does not heal for too long, then measures must be taken to stop the inflammation.

If the wound does not heal, antiseptics and ointments will be required

Even if you have treated damaged skin, this does not guarantee quick healing.

If the wound does not heal, this may be due to:

  • Infection. It happens that an infection gets inside. This can happen during and after the injury. This is why special treatment and dressing are so necessary
  • Diabetes mellitus. With this disease, the skin recovers very slowly. First, the injury site dries out, creating the illusion of recovery. What to do if a diabetic’s wound does not heal for a long time? Here you need to treat the underlying disease, create the right diet, apply special ointments
  • Avitaminosis. Shortage necessary elements, especially vitamins A and group B, leads to long wound healing. In this case, you should consult a doctor so that he can select the necessary vitamin complex.
  • Age. The older the person, the longer it takes to recover damaged tissue. Older people need more thorough wound care
Frequent stress and syndrome do not contribute to rapid healing chronic fatigue, reduced immunity and bad habits

What to do if the wound does not heal for a long time

At extensive wounds you need to contact a specialist; minor injuries can be treated at home. What to do to speed up recovery?

To do this you need:

  • Immediately after an injury, treat the damaged area with any antiseptic. Iodine or brilliant green will do. It is advisable to do rinsing every day. You can use hydrogen peroxide or furatsilin solution
  • Distinguish between dry and wet wounds. They need to be treated differently. For wet varieties, products with a jelly-like consistency are suitable. This form allows you to go excess liquid, and the wound gradually dries out. Dry lesions, on the contrary, are treated with ointments that have a creamy consistency. The fats in their composition form a protective film and prevent microbes from penetrating inside. From medical supplies you should give preference to solcoseryl or actovegin