Treatment of Wound Infection and Managing Wound Odor

Wound care can be a tricky business sometimes. Treatment of wounds involves supervising the wound site thoroughly. The most common concern people have is the risk of local infections. More often than not, wounds can get infected by germs and bacteria. An infected wound can further hinder the healing process. Therefore, it is essential to watch out for a wound infection and treat it in time.

How to tell if a wound is infected?

The human body is fully equipped with its own healing mechanism. Interestingly enough, the body starts to heal within just a few minutes of getting injured. However, an infected wound may simmer the process down. Here are the five signs of wound infection

  1. Warmth - The wound site is warm while it heals as the white blood cells rush to combat the germs however, after the first two to five days of healing, the temperature of the wound site comes down to normal. A wound infection might keep the wound warm for longer durations.
  2. Swelling or redness - It is normal for the skin to get swollen or turn red after in the first few days howbeit, if it appears red or swollen for a longer duration, the wound may have gotten infected.
  3. Shooting Pain - Constant and long-lasting pangs of shooting pain may be an indication of a wound infection.
  4. Discharge or change in color - With wound healing a small amount of pus is normal but if the discharge continues and the wound starts to smell foul, it’s about time you start treating the infected wound.
  5. Fever - In graver cases, the wound infection may spread to the deeper tissues and hit the bloodstream that causes fever.

How to Treat an Infected Wound?

The treatment of wound infection largely depends on the depth of the wound. Your health provider will treat your wound accordingly, starting from cleansing the wound. Once the wound is thoroughly cleansed, the physician will then apply an adequate amount of antiseptic ointment and cover the wound properly with the use of a wound dressing.

Silver dressings are antiseptic wound care aid extensively used owing to its antibacterial and antimicrobial actions. The dressing is derived from ionic silver which helps in the management of bioburden. Many alginate dressings such as the Medline Maxorb Extra Ag Plus Silver Alginate Antimicrobial Sheet Wound Dressing are highly absorbent wound dressing known to act as an antibacterial barrier to combat the bacteria absorbed in the wound exudate. The CMC fiber present enhances vertical wicking, fluid-handling ability, and wet strength.

The first 24 hours are crucial thence, it is quintessential to keep the wound dry and clean. In order to avoid any further complications, wash your hands before and after wound care. If you are caring for somebody else, make sure you have medical gloves on. Change the dressing daily and follow the instructions of your physician for quicker healing.

Malodorous Wounds

Malodorous Wounds are the ones that smell extremely pungent. Although wound odor does not directly harm the person, the presence of strong smell may be indicative of perturbed healing. Malodor is a result of a necrotic wound. Accumulation of necrotic tissues i.e., dead cells, cellular and tissue debris, around the wound bed, which is removed either surgically or topically.

How to control Wound Odor?

Wound Odor management includes -

  1. Understanding the root cause of malodor and learn how to stop necrosis
  2. Removal of bed contaminants such as cellular debris, decayed tissues that lead to accumulation of necrotic tissues.
  3. Cleanse the periwound skin thoroughly. The cleansing will reduce the bacterial count, for excessive drainage or deep wounds, use of skin barrier and cleansing wipes is recommended.
  4. Use of an effective silver dressing. The encased nylon sleeve, Systagenix Actisorb 220 Activated Charcoal Dressing with Silver is designed specifically to manage wound odor. The Actisorb Charcoal Dressing entraps wound malodor whilst protecting the wound from infection.
  5. The activated charcoal dressing has encapsulated silver to reduce the bioburden. The lesser the bioburden, the lesser the wound odor.

 

Wound infection and odor are manageable; all you need to do is take quick and well-informed steps to curb the growth of bacteria in the initial stages. The best way to heal minor wounds or cuts is to keep your hands on the right kind of wound care products and lead a hygienic lifestyle. At Shop Wound Care you can choose from a premium range of wound care supplies for all your essential wound care needs.

 

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