10 Feb What is a chronic wound?

If you’re struggling to heal a wound that won’t seem to go away, you’re probably a bit frustrated. Maybe you’ve tried various treatments and wound care products that haven’t been as effective as you hoped, or you have complications that impact your recovery. If this describes your situation, you may have what’s called a “chronic wound,” which is something that affects as many as 4.5 million Americans. Here’s what you need to know about chronic wounds and how you can improve your chances of a better recovery. 

What is a chronic wound?

Whether due to surgery or an injury, most wounds will heal within a few days or weeks, depending on the severity of the issue. But, when a wound doesn’t heal as it should, the area gets injured again, or it becomes infected, the result can be a chronic wound. Chronic wounds are wounds that don’t progress through the normal rate of healing. When wounds take longer than four weeks to heal after the initial treatment, they may be considered chronic. 

You can end up with a chronic wound for a variety of reasons. The primary ones include infection, lack of blood supply, increased bacterial load, or the wrong type of wound treatment. Other common causes of chronic wounds include:

• Injuries to the wound site
• Poor circulation
• Pressure ulcers
• Comorbidities like diabetes

Normal wound healing happens in several stages. Hemostasis is the initial stage where clotting begins. The next stage is inflammation, where the body sends signals to its cells to help protect the wound site. In chronic wounds, the wound fails to move beyond this stage and can sometimes get even worse. 

Helpful tips for managing chronic wounds

To prevent chronic wounds are help a chronic wound heal properly, it’s important to pay close attention to wound care. Specifically, you should always wash your hands before managing the wound and keep a close eye on its physical appearance. 

Using the right wound care products is critical. SMARTKITS™ from FritzFinn is a customized wound care solution for post-surgical and chronic wounds that gets delivered directly to your doorstep. This easy-to-use daily wound care product includes everything you need for a single wound care dressing, including gloves, saline, gauze, customized bandage, and collagen dressing. Collagen is a vital component because it keeps the wound area moist to promote faster healing and reduce inflammation. 

Keeping your chronic wound clean is essential to the healing process. If you notice anything getting worse, discharging, emitting a foul odor, or changing color, you should contact your doctor immediately. 

Get help managing your chronic wound with SMARTKITS

If you or a loved one are struggling with a non-healing wound, you owe it to yourself to investigate a wound care solution that is convenient, safe, customized, and effective. FritzFinn is a leading value-added medical device distributor that offers wound care patients and their providers with practical solutions that improve outcomes and make life easier. Contact us today to learn more about how you can use our all-in-one package of high-quality wound care products for your at-home care.