Causes of Long Healing Wounds

Long healing wounds are characterized by wounds that do not heal after more than 12 weeks. This condition is referred to as a chronic wound, and it can be caused by a variety of things.

Old wounds heal when the wound healing process is hampered. Several things contribute to the length of wound healing, ranging from a history of illnesses such as diabetes, to the application of an unhealthy lifestyle such as a lack of nutritional food intake and smoking habits.

Things That Cause Old Wounds to Heal

Here are some factors that can make wounds take a long time to heal:

• Impaired blood or oxygen supply

  Wounds that take a long time to heal can be caused by poor blood circulation and oxygen supply. When blood circulation and oxygen supply are not smooth, the wound healing process will be disrupted. Some conditions that cause poor blood flow include diabetes or peripheral artery disease.

• Infection

  Infection in the wound also causes the wound to take longer to heal. Infection can occur when germs enter an open wound. When a wound becomes infected, the body is trying to fight off the infection more than it does to heal the wound. This condition can hinder wound healing.

• Diabetes

  High blood sugar levels in diabetics can reduce immune function, making it easier for wounds to become infected, while also increasing the risk of inflammation in the injured area of ​​the body. In addition, other things that also make wounds difficult to heal in diabetics include circulatory disorders and nerve damage or neuropathy.

• Elderly

  Wound healing in the elderly (> 60 years) tends to run slower due to aging. Several other factors also contribute to the duration of wound healing in the elderly, such as the nutritional intake received, the disease suffered, to the health and hygiene of the skin.

Types of Old Wounds Heal

Some types of wounds are more difficult to heal, usually associated with certain disease conditions. Some types of wounds that are chronic include:

• Diabetic ulcer

  One type of wound that has a longer duration of healing is diabetic ulcers. Several factors such as blockage of peripheral blood vessels and damage to peripheral nerves that are often experienced by diabetics are the cause of diabetic ulcers that are difficult to heal.

• Decubitus ulcer

  These injuries generally occur in patients who require prolonged bedside care, such as patients with paralysis or in a coma. Both conditions make a person unable to feel or unable to change body position for a long time, thus creating pressure that causes wounds that do not heal.

Wounds that take a long time to heal require special care. For that, it is necessary to monitor the doctor during the healing process. The doctor will provide appropriate treatment and teach you how to treat the wound properly, so that complications can be prevented.