Woundinfection.net

A chronic wound infection is a long term problem from bacterial growth in an injury. While there are many wounds that begin with an infection, most of the time an infection sets in after the initial injury. This could happen for several reasons and it is appropriate to take steps to attempt to cure the disease and recover from these types of injuries.

Chronic wounds are any type of skin, tissue, bone, or other injury that results in a lasting disruption of the skin. The skin provides a protective barrier against the outside world, preventing bacteria and other microbes from entering our bodies. When the skin is injured, it cannot protect adequately and the situation is set up for an infection or other problem to manifest. It is therefore important to not only treat the infection, but attempt to cure the root of the problem: the chronic wound.

Many times the cause of a chronic wound is an initial injury that is aggravated by an exacerbating condition. This injury could be a simple fall or scrape of the skin, which can easily occur in the elderly or people who are at high risk for falls. Then the second factor comes into play, poor healing of chronic wounds. Because the wound does not heal quickly, the problem gets worse and more drastic measures are required.

Therefore, multi-pronged chronic wound treatment is important. The doctor must analyze the tissue and ascertain if the tissue is viable, that is if it will recover. If it will never heal, it should be cut out in a procedure called a debridement. In other cases, the tissue is normal, but the blood flow is inadequate. This is very common in our elderly population since as we age our blood flow diminishes. With blood flow, the skin cannot heal and the wound is maintained, allowing for an infection to set in. In some cases, surgery may be required to restore blood flow to the affected area. These surgeries can be high risk, but are necessary in order to solve the underlying problem of the wound.

Treatment of the infection is also a priority. Antibiotics should be used that are effective against the organism that is present in the wound. This requires a proper culture of the wound to determine which bugs are there and what antibiotic will work best. In the cases of deep wounds, intravenous antibiotics may be required to completely get rid of the infection.

Proper care of the skin around the wound is key for healing. Without proper care, more of the tissue will succumb to infection and the problem will get worse. Seeking medical attention and getting appropriate procedures will help anyone with a chronic wound issue. There are many good treatments for a chronic wound infection and therefore it is important to get help so the recovery can be a fast and easy as possible.