When it comes to recovering from any kind of wound, the right care is important. Without proper care and treatment, wounds won't heal properly, if at all. If you have found yourself with a wound that doesn't seem to be healing, you may wonder why it isn't recovering. Here are a few of the most common reasons why wounds aren't healing like you think they should:
Swelling Inhibiting Tissue Growth
In order for a wound to heal, your body needs to be able to grow new tissue. When the existing tissue is swollen, that means that there is excess fluid surrounding the cells. That fluid will keep blood flow and oxygen away from the area, which inhibits the growth of new tissue since it requires both oxygen and blood for tissue to grow.
You can keep swelling at bay by icing the affected area and ensuring that you move around as much as possible. Ice helps to moderate swelling, and since some swelling can be caused by sitting still for too long, moving when possible can help as well. You may also be able to get an anti-inflammatory from your doctor that will help.
Too Much Moisture Deteriorating New Tissue
Every wound has some degree of moisture that's naturally produced before it heals. However, when there's an excessive amount of moisture in or around the wound, that fluid can actually deteriorate the proteins required for new tissue growth. This can keep the wound from healing.
You'll want to talk with your doctor about a moisture barrier product that will help to dry out the wound. You may even be able to leave the wound uncovered so that the air can naturally help dry it out, but you should talk with your doctor first to make sure you're not at risk for infection.
Not Enough Moisture Creating Dead Tissue
Just as too much moisture is a problem for wounds, so too is insufficient moisture. If a wound gets too dry, it creates a bed of dead, dry tissue on the surface of the wound. This keeps the necessary blood flow and oxygen away from those exterior cells that need to grow to heal the wound.
You should work with your doctor to ensure that you have the right wound dressing for your injury to keep the wound from drying out excessively. You may need to keep the wound covered with an ointment to protect it from drying out.
These are a few of the reasons why your wound may not be healing. Talk with your doctor today about wound care.
