Every wound, even ones that seem minor, should be taken seriously, especially if you have a compromised immune system or a chronic condition like diabetes. A seemingly innocent scrape can turn into a medical emergency if not cared for.
For patients already in a wound care program, much of the care goes on at home. As you’re living with a wound and trying to go about your daily activities, you may start to wonder if your wound is healing correctly. Whether you’re in a wound care program or you are curious about a wound you’ve only had for a few days, here are the signs that your wound isn’t healing properly.
Signs of Infection
Discharge: If discharge is thick, cloudy, green, or a deeper shade of yellow, your wound might be infected. The presence of discharge itself isn’t a bad thing. A clear or pale yellow draining is called serous drainage and it is part of the healing process. When you are wounded and start to bleed, blood proteins coagulate to stem the bleeding. Serous drainage is the liquid that is left over from that process. Check the color of the discharge before beginning to worry.
Bad odor: Wounds get infected by bacteria. As the microscopic bacteria break down the tissue around the wound, it begins to emit a foul odor. A wound that is healing normally should not smell bad.
Expanding redness: An area of redness around a wound is normal, but if the area of redness begins to expand, your body may be fighting infection. Even more serious than redness around the wound are red streaks spreading away from the wound. This is an indication that the infection has entered your lymphatic system. In this situation, seek immediate medical attention.
Swelling that won’t go down: Some inflammation is part of the healing process. When you receive a wound, your body floods the area with white blood cells to repair damaged tissue and fight off infection, causing swelling. But if inflammation lasts for more than 48 hours or starts getting worse rather than better, your wound may be infected.
Throbbing pain: A persistent, throbbing pain that keeps you up at night and won’t resolve with ibuprofen or acetaminophen is a sign of infection.
Area is warm to the touch: The wound might be warmer than the surrounding skin . If that warm feeling persists for more than 48 hours, you may be dealing with infection.
Tissue turning black: If the edges of your wound are turning black, the tissue around the wound is not healing but is dying. Dying (“necrotic”) tissue requires a process called debridement, which washes away the dying tissue so that healthy tissue can grow in its place.
Fever: An increase in body temperature indicates an immune system response to the presence of bacteria. A fever doesn’t have to be exceptionally high to indicate infection. Anything over normal body temperature (between 97° and 99° F) is cause for concern.
Don’t Take a Chance With Infection
You may notice that many of the signs can be signs of normal healing, but if they persist, they may signal infection. It can be hard to tell on your own whether a wound is at risk for infection or already infected. There’s only so much you can glean from an article. It takes a medical professional to diagnose and care for a serious wound. Our experienced staff stays current with the latest clinical practice guidelines, ensuring superior care and better outcomes for our patients. Learn more about our wound care specialists here.
Don’t take a chance with the possibility of infection. If you’re not sure if your wound is infected, contact the wound care specialists at Alertive right away.
