The following text informs about wounds, their causes, their diagnosis as well as following course, about their further treatment and preventive measures.
What is a wound?
A wound is generally described as a superficial injury to the skin (medically: tissue destruction or severance). A wound is generally described as a superficial injury to the skin (medical: tissue destruction or severance). The injury may involve tissue loss. If the wound is a result of psychological damage, it is called a traumatic wound. Due to the variety of different wounds, they can be classified by type or even by cause. There are the following types of wounds:
Mechanical wounds: are caused by force or violence. Mechanical wounds include, for example, abrasions, cuts, lacerations, gunshot wounds, bite wounds or crush wounds. Thermal wounds: are caused by burns, scalds, or frostbite to tissue. Chemical wounds: are caused by exposure to acids, alkalis, or poisons and cause chemical burns. Radiation wounds: are damage caused by X-rays or radioactive radiation.
Causes
Causes of the most common wounds are external violence or disease. Wounds caused by external force are:
- Accidental wounds, which are caused accidentally.
- Surgical and laser wounds that are necessary and unavoidable.
- Intentional violent wounds, such as those caused by cutting or firearms.
- Burn or scald wounds.
- Wounds caused by rough or sharp surfaces and objects.
Wounds caused by diseases are:
- Wounds that occur due to circulatory problems (injuries no longer heal).
- Wounds caused by impaired sensation or insensitivity to pain.
- Wounds caused by paralysis.
Diseases with this symptom
- Laceration
- Bite wound
- Hypothermia
- Ulcer cruris
- Scrape
- Contusion wound
- Chemical burns
- Blood poisoning
- Laceration
- Burn
- Circulatory problems
- Wound healing disorders
Diagnosis and course
The diagnosis and course of the wound depend on how large and severe it is and whether there is an infection, if any. A wound can be identified by the following symptoms: Redness, pain, warmth, swelling and, as a result, functional limitations. If it is a minor, non-infected wound, it does not require treatment. Healing can be expected in 6-8 days. However, if the wound turns blue or there is throbbing pain and a red streak (blood poisoning), a doctor should be consulted. If the wound is larger and also dirty, infected, bleeding profusely or contains foreign bodies, the wound must be treated medically. Such wounds are mostly animal bites, lacerations. Burn wounds or crush wounds.
Complications
A wound can have a wide variety of complications depending on where the wound is located on the body. For example, if it is an open flesh wound, such an injury must always be kept clean. Otherwise, complications such as severe inflammation and the formation of pus can occur. Even with medical care, various complications and undesirable healing processes can occur. If there is a blood coagulation disorder, the wound heals very poorly and bleeding occurs repeatedly. In such a case, the use of appropriate medication is mandatory. If the wound or injury is to the head, complications such as concussion, nausea or severe dizziness may occur. In the case of concussions to the head, there is also the risk of suffering from a cerebral hemorrhage, which can lead to death. In these cases, medical advice must be sought, otherwise there is a risk of suffering serious consequential damage. Only those who always keep a wound clean and pure will prevent possible complications. Inflammations can be treated with medications such as antibiotics. In this way, complications that frequently occur can be prevented or treated effectively.
When should you go to the doctor?
A wound is not an independent clinical picture. It is usually achieved by external force. Accordingly, a wound can exist in different degrees of severity, so that medical treatment is not always required directly. Deep flesh wounds are of the type that definitely require medical and drug treatment. This is because flesh wounds cannot grow together on their own. However, if you do not seek medical attention in such a case, you expose yourself to a great risk. If a wound does not grow together, bacteria and viruses can settle in it. Under certain circumstances, this can lead to inflammation, which can cause further complications. It is not uncommon for a collection of pus to develop in this context, which of course also requires urgent medical attention. If appropriate treatment is not given at this point as well, there is even a risk of dangerous blood poisoning. The following therefore applies: In the case of deep wounds, a doctor should be consulted immediately. In this way, inflammation and further complications can be avoided at an early stage. Smaller wounds should heal completely on their own, provided there is no blood clotting disorder. Treatment by a doctor or medication is not necessary.
Treatment and therapy
If smaller wounds are treated, they should first be bled, then cleaned with disinfectant, and then dressed with a sterile dressing that is changed every 2-3 days. If treatment of a larger wound occurs, the wound should first be disinfected and, if necessary, foreign bodies removed, the wound x-rayed or given antibiotic treatment, and possibly sutured promptly. During the healing phase, the wound should be kept still. During the treatment and optimal healing of the wounds 4 phases occur:
Phase 1: In days 1-3 the typical symptoms (redness, pain, swelling du warmth) appear. Phase 2: In days 4-7 the skin is slowly restored by so-called wound edges. Phase 3: In days 8-12, connective tissue fibers form and reattach the skin. The wound edges fuse together. Phase 4: From the 2-3 week the skin is able to bear weight again as before. However, the larger the wound, the longer this may take. If complications occur during treatment of the wound, healing takes longer. Causes of complications include infection from contamination of the wound, existing blood disorders, or diabetes.
Outlook and prognosis
Predicting the course of disease or healing of a wound is very difficult because a wound can occur in a wide variety of severities. A simple injury of the uppermost skin layers is absolutely no worrying clinical picture, which must be necessarily examined or treated by a doctor. Even without appropriate medication, the healing process is likely to be rapid. Nevertheless, the affected person should make sure that the wound remains protected from contamination. Otherwise, an infection can develop very quickly, which can cause inflammation. If such an inflammation remains without any medical and medicinal care, there is a risk of blood poisoning. Therefore, if you do not want to take this risk, you should always have an inflammation treated by a doctor. With appropriate care, the prognosis of complete healing within a short time looks very good. If a wound is very deep, it may even have to be stitched. A sutured wound usually heals completely within four to six weeks. However, those who forgo appropriate treatment at this point must also reckon with considerable complications and a significantly longer healing period in such a case. In general, therefore, wounds of all kinds should be kept clean and pure. Only in this way can a fast and smooth healing process be guaranteed.
Prevention
To prevent wounds, special attention should be paid to one’s surroundings and possible sources of danger should be avoided. These include, in particular, accidents. However, since wounds occur very quickly, care should be taken when self-treatment that no greasy products get into the wound. These prevent healing and can trigger an infection. Greasy ointments may only be used to make the edges of the wound crust more supple. For minor burns, the use of cod liver oil is recommended as a preventive measure. Superficial wounds can be treated with chamomile flowers/ marigold tinctures.
You can do it yourself
In the initial treatment of a wound, some home remedies and tricks can help. Smaller wounds should first be rinsed under cold water to prevent inflammation. Cuts can be stopped by placing a sterilized hot cloth on the wound. Acute bleeding can be stopped by elevating the injured body part. In case of heavy bleeding, a pressure bandage should be applied and the wound kept still. However, the wound should not be bandaged too tightly, as the skin needs fresh air in the healing process. Schnapps or other high-proof alcohol is also suitable for disinfecting the wound. Also, poultices with honey or aloe vera can be applied. To reduce scarring, the wound can then be rubbed daily with St. John’s wort oil. If possible, the scab should be protected with a plaster until it falls off on its own. If the wound heals poorly, Peru balm from the pharmacy can be applied. Chamomile tea, thyme and calendula ointment also promote healing. In addition, plenty of water should be drunk. Foods rich in vitamins and proteins support the formation of skin cells and thus accelerate the healing process. Larger wounds that hurt a lot or bleed should be treated immediately by a doctor.
