Uncover the cause of slow wound healing. Minor injuries are the order of the day for almost everyone. Sometimes it is enough to be careless in the kitchen, other times a step or a pothole in the street gets in the way. But what if the injury does not heal? The cause may be, for example, a hidden disease.
The category of injuries also includes operations. In general, they can be defined as conscious injuries. If the patient’s condition is not complicated by anything, depending on the severity of the procedure, it usually heals within a few months; a scar develops at the site of the incision. This is because, when the lower layers of the skin are intervened in, the tissue is no longer able to regenerate to its original state. Several factors determine its severity, from the age of the patient to the incision site and care. However, various complications may accompany the treatment. Among the most common is the development of inflammation. Slow wound healing is also often the body’s response to deficiencies in lifestyle or as a result of (hidden) diagnoses. In which cases can recovery after injury or surgery be problematic?
Although vitamin C is better known as a reliable virus fighter, it has many more functions in the body. As a powerful antioxidant, it protects cells in the body, stimulates the production of white blood cells, keeps blood vessels strong, prevents infection, and last but not least, contributes to rapid wound healing.
Injuries after an accident or a post-operative wound are naturally susceptible to infection due to the disruption of the protective barrier – the skin. Recovery time is not only prolonged, but may also require concomitant antibiotic treatment.
Older people have problems with wound healing quite often. This is due not only to reduced immunity, but also to the ability to regenerate the cells and tissues that are needed for healing.
An insidious disease has a very negative effect on the body, not only when it comes to healing after an injury or surgery. Since elevated sugar levels don’t hurt, non-healing wounds can be one of the symptoms.
For a wound to heal, it also needs sufficient oxygenation of the blood and organs. Heart disease or hardening of the arteries can hinder this process.