Meritus Wound and Primary Care

• Diabetic ulcers: Theses ulcers are more commonly found on the feet, however other locations and tissues can be affected when a patient has diabetes. Healing can be slow due to this underlying condition. Special treatments may be needed to help wounds heal.
• Infections of skin, soft tissue and bone
• Crush injuries: If soft tissue is damaged by a crushing injury.
• Burns: These injuries may be due to electrical, thermal, or chemical causes. The skin may be damaged at varying depths depending upon the intensity, exposure, and duration of the offending energy. For example, a first degree sunburn may only affect the surface of the skin and cause blistering, weeping, redness and tenderness. However, deeper third degree burns are usually white in color, and less painful due to nerve damage. Chemicals such as lye and erosive acids can cause similar damage. Treatment may include local wound care and/or surgical debridement.
• Atypical ulcers: These lesions manifest as areas that may blister, weep, and drain. They are usually associated with other medical conditions such as sickle cell anemia, vasculitis, pyoderma gangrenosum, or neuropathy. These lesions can be very tender. To diagnosis and better manage these wounds, a biopsy may be required to differentiate the causes and to eliminate the possibility of cancer.
• Abscess: This is a walled-off collection of pus that can reside under the skin, soft tissue, bone, or other spaces. Usually, the area is warm, red, tender, and swollen. You may have an associated fever. In some cases, there may be drainage from the area. Treatment may include antibiotics and drainage.
• Cellulitis: This is a superficial skin infection usually caused by bacteria. At times it may result from a scratch, insect bite, or some other break in the overlying skin. If there were an associated wound, treatment would include local wound care and antibiotics.
• Insect bites: Some bites may become infected or the toxin of a spider may cause the skin to die.
• Pressure ulcers: Skin loss typically occurs over bony prominences (for example elbows, ankles, heels) especially when a patient does not re-position him/herself every one to two hours. Sometimes, skin can breakdown from a boot or shoe that continually rubs against the skin.
• Venous ulcers: These are open wounds that occur commonly on the lower legs and ankles. The condition is usually related to a structural or functional problems with the veins in the legs. Arteries deliver blood away from the heart to the rest of the body, but the veins will bring the blood from the rest of the body back to the heart. If the veins are not able to sustain the load of blood, they may become weak and the blood flow can get “backed up” causing pressure within the leg.

When treating a wound, you need to monitor it closely to make sure it is healing as it should. When a wound shows signs of infection or an inability to heal, it can have serious impacts on your health if not treated.

Some symptoms of a non-healing or infected wound include:

• Pain gets worse over time
• The wound has a strange odor
• Ooze leaks out from the wound
• Discoloration and/or swelling around the wound
• The wound feels warm or hot to the touch
• The wound has made no sign of healing after 30 days

Patients with diabetes and circulatory disorders are at an increased risk of developing non-healing wounds. Consult with a doctor as soon as possible if you notice any of the above symptoms. Thankfully, non-healing wounds are treatable so long as you address them in a timely manner.