Wound infections occur when germs and bacteria get inside the wound and grow within the damaged skin. When a wound has become infected, you may experience symptoms such as pain, swelling, and redness. More severe infections can cause symptoms such as nausea, chills, and fever. If you have a wound that is becoming infected, it's important that you act fast to avoid any further damage.
While most wounds are able to be treated at home, and will heal nicely if properly taken care of, some wounds can become infected during at home treatment and worsen instead of heal. As the infection becomes worse, pain, redness, and swelling will increase with intensity. Additional warning signs that your wound has become infected include:
If you begin to experience any of these symptoms, or have noticed that your wound is not healing, contact your primary care provider to be seen. Stopping an infection early is key to having a wound that will heal.
If you have a deep, serious wound, you should seek attention from a medical provider. Deep or serious wounds may require a deep cleaning and sutures to heal properly and avoid infection.
If your wound is major enough for medical attention, but minor enough to not require an ER visit, you can be receive walk-in care from one of the providers at Logansport Memorial Hospital's Express Medical Center, located at 3400 E Market St in Logansport, IN 46947.
If you have a minor wound that can be treated at home, be sure to follow these steps to heal your wound and avoid infection.
Whether it be at home or by seeking medical attention. Never let an open wound go untreated. If you plan to let your wound "heal" on its own, it opens you up to risks of infection and a non-healing wound. Be sure to follow the above steps and keep an eye out on your wound. If you follow the steps of at-home treatment, and still see no progress after a few days, call your provider to be seen.
The Logansport Memorial Wound Care Center, managed by Healogics, Inc., provides specialized treatment for chronic or non-healing wounds, which are defined as sores or wounds that have not significantly improved from conventional treatments. When wounds persist, a specialized approach is required for healing.
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