When Wounds Won’t Heal What YOU Need to Know

Minor injuries to the skin typically heal relatively quickly, sometimes taking just a few days to fully recover. Even larger wounds, like those that require stitches, can fully improve in a short amount of time. But some wounds are especially slow to heal or, worse yet, simply don’t heal at all. When that happens, the wound is considered chronic. Wounds like these are all too common. According to the National Institutes of Health, out of

Common Types of Chronic Wounds

A chronic wound is a wound that does not follow a normal or timely process of healing. If a wound does not improve after four weeks or heal within eight weeks, it is considered a nonhealing or chronic wound. Infection or a lack of supply of blood, oxygen, and nutrients can all be reasons for a chronic wound.

Signs and symptoms to look for can include: infection, swelling, bleeding, or pain; fever; darkened or black skin around the perimeter of the wound; and an increase in the wound’s size.

Wounds treated at the Wound Healing Center result from a every 100 people in the United States, one or two of them will likely experience a chronic wound in their lifetime. variety of causes, but the most common include:

If you have a wound that is not healing or is exhibiting concerning symptoms, like redness or painful swelling, the Wound Healing Center at South Texas Health System® Edinburg can help.

• Diabetic foot ulcers

• Arterial ulcers

• Venous ulcers

• Pressure sores

• Surgical wounds

• Trauma wounds

• Burns

Those at risk for developing non-healing wounds include people with chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol, vascular disease, and cancer. Age, weight, and blood circulation can also play a role in wound healing.

The Connection Between Diabetes and Hard-to-Heal Wounds

People with diabetes can be at increased risk for developing chronic wounds. They may suffer nerve damage and loss of sensation in their feet. This can be a problem because even a small cut can go unnoticed and become serious. Diabetes also interferes with the generation of new cells, and high blood sugar can put a person at increased risk for infection, blunting the response to bacteria. Diabetes can also cause decreased blood circulation in the feet and legs, which can lead to ulcers and slow healing.

Proper nutrition can play a major role in both managing diabetes and healing wounds. Be sure to follow the ADA diet guidelines and limit the amount of sugar and starchy carbohydrates in your diet. Make sure to incorporate protein in all your meals, such as meat, dairy products, and nuts. All new tissue is made from protein, and wounds can heal quicker when enough protein is consumed.

If you have diabetes, check your feet daily and avoid going barefoot or wearing shoes that rub. Be sure to talk to your doctor if you have concerns. Delaying treatment can lead to infection and, in severe cases, possible amputation.

Advanced Treatment Options for Non-Healing Wounds

The Wound Healing Center at South Texas Health System Edinburg offers a variety of treatment options that include advanced wound care technologies. Depending on the severity of the wound, treatments can include:

• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy

• Topical growth factor therapy

• Negative pressure therapy

• Bioengineered skin substitutes

• Total contact casing

• Compression therapy

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy may be considered a treatment for certain problem wounds. Patients are placed in a chamber at an increased atmospheric pressure filled with pure oxygen. Within this pressurized cylinder, patients breathe 100 percent oxygen. This process increases the concentration of oxygen in the patient’s bloodstream and wound, which can rapidly accelerate the healing process, help the body fightinfection, decrease swelling, and help in the growth of new blood vessels.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can be used to treat a wide range of additional conditions, including decompression sickness, carbon monoxide poisoning, traumatic crush injuries, air embolism, bone infections, and necrotizing soft-tissue infections.

Physicians on the staff of the Wound Healing Center use a comprehensive approach to wound care, including nutritional assessment and intervention, infection assessment and intervention, and pain assessment and medication. Each patient receives an individualized treatment plan, and the physicians will collaborate with other healthcare professionals, including physical therapists and podiatrists, to determine the best course of action.

The center also offers lifelong follow-up care to ensure recurrences are kept at a minimum

For more information about the Wound Healing Center at South Texas Health System Edinburg, call 956-388-2700 or visit www.southtexashealthsystemedinburg.com

South Texas Health System - Wound Healing Center

4302 S. Sugar Rd. | Suite 201 | McAllen, TX 78539

Physicians are independent practitioners who, with limited exceptions, are not employees or agents of South Texas Health System. The System shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians. For language assistance, disability accommodations, and the nondiscrimination notice, visit our website.