ALTERNATIVE DOCTOR, LLC
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ALTERNATIVE DOCTOR, LLC
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Wounds Everyone receives wounds over the course of their lifetime. A wound is a break in the structure of an organ or tissue caused by an external agent. Most wounds affect the skin the first line of defense against infection. Commonly recognized examples include bruises grazes tears cuts punctures (made by pointed objects) incisions (clean cuts) contusions (may not break the skin but can cause damage) lacerations (jagged irregular cuts) and burns. While some wounds heal easily approximately five million Americans suffer from chronic open sores that can become seriously infected. Signs and Symptoms Wounds are often accompanied by the following signs and symptoms.
What Causes It? Wounds can be caused by any of the following.
Who's Most At Risk? The following risk factors are associated with wounds.
What to Expect at Your Provider's Office If you receive a serious wound you should see your health care provider. Your provider will determine the extent and severity of the injury possible contamination and conditions that might complicate treatment. He or she may also order laboratory tests such as a blood test and urinalysis as well as a culture to check for bacteria in the wound. Your provider may also suggest you get a tetanus vaccine. Treatment Options Prevention Most wounds are accidental and often preventable. Once you've received a wound infection and other complications can be prevented by carefully cleaning the wound and using antibiotics as needed. Treatment Plan Treatment depends on the type and severity of the wound. Some wounds such as clean lacerations are relatively minor and can be treated at home. Clean the wound with a gentle cleanser and stop the bleeding then cover with an adhesive bandage. Other wounds particularly those where the bleeding will not stop or any wounds resulting from animal or human bites or fishhook injuries (do not remove the hook) can be serious and must be treated by a health care professional. Some wounds may involve a loss of tissue and require a skin graft where a piece of skin is cut from a healthy part of the body and used to heal the damaged area. Your health care provider will determine whether the wound can be closed immediately by suturing or grafting or whether it must be kept open because of contamination. Infected wounds are never closed until the wound has been successfully treated. Drug Therapies Your provider may prescribe the following medications:
Surgical and Other Procedures In the case of severe wounds surgery is sometimes needed. This may involve cutting out burned tissue and removing contaminated tissue skin grafting and draining wound abscesses (pus surrounded by inflamed tissue). Complementary and Alternative Therapies A comprehensive treatment plan for wounds may include a range of complementary and alternative therapies. Nutrition Potentially beneficial nutrient supplements include those listed below. These supplements can also be taken before surgery to reduce healing time. Lower dose or stop use when wound has healed.
Herbs Certain herbal remedies may offer relief from symptoms.
Herbs are generally available as dried extracts (pills capsules or tablets) teas or tinctures (alcohol extraction unless otherwise noted). Dose for teas is 1 heaping tsp./cup water steeped for 10 minutes (roots need 20 minutes). Homeopathy Some of the most common acute remedies for wounds are listed below.
Acute dose is three to five pellets of 12X to 30C every one to four hours until symptoms are relieved. Prognosis/Possible Complications Prognosis depends on the extent and severity of the initial wound as well as any subsequent infection. There are several complications associated with wounds: infection; keloid scar tissue formation (an overgrowth of scar tissue that can be deforming); gangrene (which may require amputation); wound hemorrhage; sepsis; and tetanus (a potentially fatal infection of the nervous system). Following Up Check for signs of bleeding discoloration or swelling in and around the wound. Inform your provider if you experience fever increasing pain and the development of drainage which may indicate an infection. Supporting Research Black JM Matassarin-Jacobs E. Medical-Surgical Nursing: Clinical Management for Continuity of Care. 5th ed. Philadelphia Pa: W.B. Saunders Co; 1997. Blumenthal M ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs. Boston Mass: Integrative Medicine Communications; 1998:432. Fauci AS Braunwald E Isselbacher KJ et al eds. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 14th ed. New York NY: McGraw-Hill; 1998:837 839 902-905 947 968. Hardy JD et al. Hardy's Textbook of Surgery. 2nd ed. Philadelphia Pa: J.B. Lippincott; 1988. Kruzel T. The Homeopathic Emergency Guide. Berkeley Calif: North Atlantic Books; 1992:312 314 316. Murray MT. The Healing Power of Herbs. Rocklin Calif: Prima Publishing; 1991:184 185 207. Nettina SM. The Lippincott Manual of Nursing Practice. 6th ed. Philadelphia PA: J.B. Lippincott; 1996:90-91. Reeves CJ et al. Medical-Surgical Nursing. New York NY: McGraw-Hill; 1999:535 542-546 551-553 567-568. Schwartz SI et al. Principles of Surgery. 5th ed. New York NY: McGraw-Hill; 1989:201-205 301-302 320-323 470-473. Thompson JM et al. Mosby's Clinical Nursing. 4th ed. St. Louis Mo: Mosby; 1997:461-462 1099-1100 1160 1441. |
