Wounds can be of different types. You may incur a wound from surgery or accidents, or more. However, when you have a surgical wound, it opens up space for infection. A wound infection occurs when bacteria break into your skin, interfering with the healing process. Additionally, the wound can also affect the tissues and other organs and bones around your wound.
Therefore, it is essential to take adequate care with the guidance of a specialist to avoid surgical wound complications in Dallas. This blog will help you understand everything you need to know about surgical wounds.
Factors that increase the risk of surgical wound infection:
Various factors decrease the healing process and put you at a higher risk of getting the infection. These include:
- Lack of proper nutrition.
- Chemotherapy and radiation.
- Older age (65 or above).
- Overweight.
- Smoking or excessive drinking.
- Medications that affect your immunity include steroids.
- Decreased blood flow.
- Diabetes, HIV, Cancer, or other medical conditions that weaken your immunity.
- Contact of foreign objects with the wound, including metal or glass.
Symptoms of Infection
The symptoms of wound infection can occur after a few days, weeks, or even months of getting the wound. These are the few symptoms you may notice at the wound site indicating the infection:
- Increase in pain instead of decreasing.
- High fever.
- Redness and swelling near the surgical wound site.
- Discharge of pus or blood from the wound.
- A foul smell coming from the wound.
- Heat or warmth in the surgical wound site.
Additionally, as the infections start to spread in your body, the symptoms will also increase. The patient may experience nausea, headaches, muscle aches, and more. If the patient experiences these symptoms, consult a doctor immediately.
Treatment for Infected Wounds
Treatment for the infected wound varies from the severity of the infection. The doctor will also examine how long you have had wounds, your health conditions, and more. Talk to your doctor about the proper treatment that will treat your infection.
Below are a few common treatments:
- Medications- The doctor will prescribe medications to reduce the swelling and pain. Antibiotics may also be prescribed to heal the infection.
- Adequate wound care- A thorough cleaning will be done to treat the infection.
- Hyperbaric oxygen therapy- Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) can be used to increase the oxygen supply to your tissues for a faster healing process.
- Surgery- In case all the other methods fail to cure the infection, the doctor may advise surgery to remove the dead tissue and heal the infection. Additionally, if there are any foreign objects, surgery may be essential.
Besides the doctor’s treatment, you also need to ensure that you take precautionary measures to take care of your wound. Proper diet and hydration are also important.
