An open laceration on the leg and arm does not heal. Treatment of a wound. What is a wound?

Probably, every person knows what a wound is: at least once in a lifetime, but everyone received it. Fortunately, in most cases the case is limited to minor damages, which, nevertheless, give a completely clear idea of the subject of our article. Even a person who is not a surgeon or at least a medical professional should have not only theoretical information, what is a wound, but also practical skills in the initial actions when receiving it. In serious situations, before the arrival of skilled health workers, they can save a life - not you, so someone who thanks to competent measures will live up to the arrival of the ambulance.

What is a wound from a medical point of view?

Despite the general awareness, we will give a more vague outline to some vague ideas. If we give a more or less scientific definition of what a wound is, then we can say that it is a gaping, visible damage to the skin (and often deeper tissues of the human body). It is accompanied by a number of symptoms. To the general it is possible to carry:

1. Bleeding of varying severity.
2. Obligatory painful sensations.
3. Visual observation of the source of blood flow.

Local or private are:

1. Acute anemia, that is, a severe loss of blood. It can not be called a general symptom, since it does not occur with minor injuries or quickly taken measures.
2. Shock. Also accompanies not all wounds. Accompanying mainly deep and / or extensive damage.
3. Infection - is typical for individual types of wounds, or for illiterately treated injuries.

There may be other, more rare, symptoms. Any open wound (except, perhaps, the most insignificant) can lead to extremely unpleasant consequences. Therefore, such damage requires increased attention and indispensable medical supervision.

Types of wounds for tissue disorders

The forthcoming treatment of the wound is fully determined by a number of its characteristics. The first is how much damage has been affected by the inner shells lining the peritoneum, the membranes of the brain, any joint or pleura. Here distinguish:

1. Penetrating wounds, in which the integrity of one of the mentioned shells is broken.
2. Non-penetrating, touching only the skin and the upper muscle layer.

The first type is more dangerous: an open wound of this type heals longer and requires an integrated approach to treatment. The most severe are penetrating wounds with damage to internal organs - one or more.

Types of wounds due to infection

Very important factor, which largely determines the course of further treatment. Any wound - on the foot, arm, head or trunk - can be attributed to one of the three groups:

1. Unclear leakage, the so-called contaminated. Symptoms of suppuration are absent, but the presence of infection is possible.
2. Purulent, they are also infected.
3. Aseptic, in which suppuration is impossible even theoretically. These include only damage resulting from surgical intervention.

Types of wounds by origin

The most extensive classification, relating to the mechanism of obtaining a wound and the type of object, which caused its appearance.

1. A stab wound. Its inlet is small in diameter, but the wound canal is long, although narrow. Usually it is applied with a sharpening, nail or an awl. The most dangerous is considered due to the high probability of damage to the internal organs and the development of infections due to poor access to oxygen.
2. Cut, on the contrary, shallow, with a rather large entrance. The tool of application is a knife or razor. If large vessels and internals are not affected, such wounds heal faster than the others.
3. Chopped is applied to sharp and heavy objects like an ax. Damage is extensive, severe, often accompanied by bone fractures and disintegrations.
4. It is very difficult to treat a lacerated wound caused by the sliding of an uneven blade along the body with simultaneous pressure. May be accompanied by a partial loss of the cover and underlying tissues.
5. Gunshot wounds have a number of features caused by a variety of weapons (shot, bullet, fragment), and the degree of damage. The most light include the tangents, in which the bullet does not enter inside, but only rips off the surface tissue layer. To the heaviest - the blind, in which the bullet remains inside the body.

The key to successful healing

The main treatment for a wound more serious than a scratch will be prescribed by a doctor. However, in order that it does not last too long, primary measures must be taken. These include:

1. Immediate stop of bleeding. If the wound is on the leg or arm, a tourniquet is applied; If on the body or head - pressing bandage.
2. Aseptic bandaging, which blocks the access of infection to the open tissues.
3. Immobilization of the affected part of the body: fixation of the limb, pressed to the trunk, if the wound is on the arm, overlapping with open fracture of the leg, etc.
4. Anesthesia (if possible). It will prevent the appearance of shock, which often results in cardiac arrest, especially in the elderly.

If all these measures are taken even minimally, then the treatment of the wound will be much more successful.

Why wounds do not heal

However, there are often cases when the wound does not heal, the forecasts about which were quite optimistic. In most cases, this is due to objective reasons, among which:

1. Diabetes. In people suffering from this disease, even small scratches are badly tightened. It is caused by the fact that a high sugar content gradually destroys the capillaries, which worsens blood circulation in the extremities and tissues, the situation with their nutrition is complicated, and it becomes more difficult to regenerate them.
2. A particular case of the previous case is obesity. Abundance of fatty layer makes it difficult to get to damaged tissues of nutrition, why their recovery is significantly delayed.
3. Anemia is a continuation of the same topic. "Weak" blood is not able to sufficiently absorb tissues with the necessary substances. This includes general weakening of the body, including - and caused by various diets.
4. Skin diseases like eczema, dermatitis of different origin and psoriasis prevent rapid wound healing.

A separate item is immunodeficiency and cancers. Here, wound healing should be carried out by the efforts of physicians of various specializations.

How to accelerate healing

In order to prevent a situation in which it is necessary to find out why the wound does not heal, in most cases it is enough to follow jealously the primitive hygienic rules.

1. Change bandages regularly (at least 2 times a day).
2. Periodically disinfect the skin around the lesion (as directed by the doctor).
3. Keep an eye on the sterility of the dressings and the tools used.
4. Competently choose (taking into account the recommendations of the doctor!) Wound healing preparations.

And so on: to keep sluggishness, if it is recommended, pedantically drink medicines (primarily antibiotics) and listen to the doctor in everything.

Features of torn wounds

Especially a lot of trouble and anxiety delivers any ragged wound. It heals badly, certainly requires medical intervention and a long time. The main problem of their treatment is the scars that remain for the rest of their lives. Therefore, if the wound is large and is in a conspicuous place, the surgical method is preferable to the conservative method (overgrowth by secondary tension). When using it, lacerated edges under anesthesia or anesthesia are excised before the beginning of healthy, undamaged tissues. Next, a seam is applied that is close to cosmetic; While the lacerated wound heals many times faster, and the scars remain almost imperceptible - provided that you do everything the way the surgeon ordered, do not lose heart and show patience, even experiencing nervous tension.