The human skin is an impressive organ, serving as a protective barrier against various forms of external insult to the body. Throughout life, the skin is constantly withstanding stress, from friction and heat, to blunt trauma and other sources of external threats to the body. But wounds, though can be life-threatening sometimes, are typically not the end of life. This is because the skin’s resilient nature ensures that wounds heal after some time. There is even a popular saying that “time heals all wounds”. However, this is not always the case. In this post, we discuss 6 possible reasons your wounds are not healing or taking too long to heal.
1. Infection
Infection is the most common cause of delayed wound healing. The skin is at the frontline of the body’s defense against infections. When it gets wounded, disease-causing entities like bacteria easily enter the body through the open wound. In an interesting turn of events, the body diverts its resources from healing the wound to fighting off the infections. When a wound is infected, you may notice signs like swelling, redness, pain around the site and foul-smelling wound discharge.
To avoid wound infection, it is important to clean the wound area properly and apply appropriate dressing.
2. Poor Circulation
Blood carries materials needed for the healing process, including new cells, to the wound site. Inadequate blood circulation (as seen in conditions such as hypertension or Diabetes) can slow down this process of transporting materials, thus making wound healing take longer than normal. One way to avoid this and improve circulation is to elevate the wound.
3. Poor Nutrition
Poor nutrition is mostly overlooked as a cause of delayed wound healing. But the fact is that the body needs a substantial amount of protein to rebuild body tissue — up to three times the normal daily requirement. Drinking enough water is also important for wound healing, as it enhances circulation and transport of tissue repair materials to the wound site.
4. Diabetes Mellitus
Diabetes is a common metabolic disorder, with non-healing wounds (common in the foot) as one of its complications. Slow wound repair in people living with diabetes can be as a result of poor circulation or nerve damage, which is another complication of the disease. If you have repeatedly noticed your wounds taking too long to heal, it is important to consult a healthcare professional as soon as possible for a diabetes screening. Apart from diabetes, other chronic conditions such as heart diseases and immunodeficiency states can also cause delayed wound healing.
5. Edema
Fluid accumulation under the skin, known as edema, can limit the flow of oxygen to a wound site, delaying wound healing. Untreated edema can further lead to the development of ulcers. Consequently, compression therapy can be employed to remove excessive fluid so that wound healing can take place.
6.Trauma
Repetitive trauma to a wound site can slow down wound healing. This trauma can range from rubbing against fabric to bumping into hard objects or continuous pressure on a part of the body due to lack of mobility. People with movement challenges and those on prolonged bed rest are particularly at a higher risk of delayed wound healing due to repetitive trauma.
