Debunking Wound Care Myths
Itching can be a sign of proper wound healing.
Over the last several months, we’ve spent a great deal of time debunking the myriad of myths that permeate the wound care industry. These include harmful misconceptions like how plasters are just hives for germs, or that bleeding always means the wound is healing. Knowing what is true and what isn’t as it pertains to wound healing is important if you want to facilitate your own successful regimen. Since there are still volumes of myths that abound, here are three more worth jotting down:
Itching is always a good thing
Yes and no. There are several reasons someone might experience an itchy wound. According to the Clinical Advisor, itchiness can be an important sign that the wound is healing properly. Following an injury, your body releases special cells called inflammatory cytokines that remove debris and foreign materials from the wound site. These defenders can sometimes agitate tissue structures that leave you feeling itchy. Of course, it’s how you react to that itchiness that can greatly effect the wound site. As The Naked Scientists pointed out, itching leads to scratching, and that can disturb the healing process by removing scabs or causing bleeds. To avoid scratching away at your wounds, it’s best to use an anti-itch ointment.
All dressing types are the same
They might be somewhat similar in nature, but there is a reason why there are so many dressing types to choose from. That’s because the various chemical compositions are meant to have different effects. For instance, hydrogel dressings work most effectively when there is little surrounding fluid, like pressure ulcers and necrotic wounds, as they imbue injuries with vital moisture. Though they also are made for venous and high-stage pressure ulcers, alginate dressings are better suited for regulating moisture in wounds with moderate to severe drainage. Finally, collagen dressings have three primary purposes: assisting with debridement, growing new blood vessels and creating new tissue structures.
Antibiotics should be taken to treat any wound
For millions of patients each year, antibiotics are powerful medicines for treating infected wounds. However, they aren’t always used universally in wound care management. Rather, doctors will need to tailor the prescription to the patient, as Medscape explained. Physicians do this by weighing the patient’s unique medical background and the cause of the specific microbe. As the World Health Organization pointed out, antibiotics are only part of the solution, and should always be combined with regular debridement. There are times, though, when taking antibiotics can actually do more harm than good, as the Mayo Clinic mentioned. Not using antibiotics properly can lead to drug resistance, which means you lack protection if and when you ever develop a real infection.
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