Wound Healing Stages And Factors Affecting Them
A person incurring in a wound should be familiar with the factors affecting wound healing process and time of recovery. Knowledge of the way a body heals its wounds is also necessary to identify how far along the healing process is and what can be done to enhance the process of recovery. There are three wound healing stages: the inflammatory stage, the proliferation stage, and the maturation stage.
Inflammatory Stage
The inflammatory stage occurs at the onset of the wound. As soon as a wound has occurred, the body begins to react. In the area of the wound, blood vessels contract and form a clot. Once a clot has been formed and the flow of blood exiting the body has been stopped, the blood vessels begin to dilate. This process allows the needed antibodies, enzymes, white blood cells, and nutrients to travel to the affected area. These materials cause an autolytic process, releasing dead and damaged tissue from the body’s support. Symptoms of an inflammatory stage include heat, swelling, pain, and a reduction or loss of normal function of the area. Factors such as the size of the wound, the deepness of the wound, and the use of medication may influence the time it takes to progress to the next stage of healing.
Proliferation Stage
After the primary threats of a wound have been neutralized during the inflammatory stage, the wound begin to be rebuilt. This process is known as the proliferation stage. New granulation tissue and blood vessels are constructed by the body using collagen and extracellular matrix. Scientifically, this is known as angiogenesis and requires the immediate availability of blood and oxygen. The new tissues do not bleed easily and healthy tissues are characterized by having a red or pinkish color. If the tissue has a darker color, it can be an indication of ischaemia, infection, or poor perfusion. An infection can cause poor wound healing.
Maturation Stage
The final stage in the healing of a wound is the maturation stage. The cellular activity on and around the wound area is lowered and the blood vessels that were used to rebuild the wound gradually regress. Also, the collagen used in the formation of new tissue is converted from type 3 collagen to type 1. At this point in the healing process a patient should have regained full function of the area affected, but factors such as possible infections or reopening of the wound could result in poor wound healing and delay completion of this stage.
Knowledge of the three wound healing stages can be a useful asset to those wishing to treat a wound. Serious infections of a wound should be reported to medical personnel. Additionally, a person who has been unfortunate enough to receive a wound and is unsure of how to proceed should consult a local physician to determine the best course of action to take to enable a speedy recovery and also to discuss the factors affecting wound healing process time.