Healing Wound – Preventing Infection and Complications to Mend Wounds
Wound healing is a complex process where the skin heals or repairs itself after an injury by reforming cell structures and the tissue layers. The healing time varies from one day to even several weeks depending upon the seriousness and place of the injury.
Healing Wound – Nutritional Support
An intricate network of cell, blood cells, tissues, cytokines, and several growth factors play a role in healing wound. Nutrition plays a crucial role in the healing process. Any of their deficiencies can fully disrupt the process by affecting the healing time and wound outcome. Vitamins like vitamin A is required for epithelial tissue development. Vitamin C is an anti oxidant and is required for collagen formation. Bromeliad reduces edema, bruising pain and healing pain suffering, similarly, glucosamine is a limiting substrate for hyaluronic acid production. Several amino acids in proteins like arginine and glutamine, influence the immune function and hence the wound repair. Several botanical medicines like Aloevera, Centella asiatica etc. have been used since times early to healing wound. Several vegetables like beans, carrot etc and fruits have loads of these nutrients that would help the healing process.
Stages of Wound Healing
Stages of Wound healing can be slow or fast depending on the cause of wound, or type of injury or the physical fitness of the person. The whole healing process involves four stages. The inflammatory phase, proliferative phase, remodeling phase, and epithelialization phase. The first inflammatory phase begins with the injury where the blood vessels begin to contract with a clot formation. Chemical substances that are produced in the body aid in healing, and debris cleaning. Formation of cell lattice or matrix stack which involves the emergence of new blood vessels can be seen in the second phase. In the third remodeling step, the collagen collected in the last stage is organized properly which strengthens the tissues. About 70% of healing occurs in this stage. Finally, in the epithelialization stage of wound healing, a protective barrier or skin is formed covering the wound.
Dressing Wound – Art of Dressing
A proper way of dressing wound is critical to prevent infection that can further aggravate the condition. Immediately after a cut or a wound, it is vital to disinfect the area using a disinfectant solution or a mild soap. The first step to dressing wound is to stop bleeding. For this, firmly apply pressure over the wounded area, using sterilized gauze pads or dry paper towel or cloth. The wound has to be cleaned to remove any unwanted bacteria or infection followed by air drying. Applying antibacterial cream like butadiene, at this stage can help to bring the situation under control by letting the wound heal on its own. Ice packs can be applied in case of swelling and pain. If the injury condition remains the same even after 3 days, then medical attention is critical.