Why Do Wounds Happen?

In any natural disaster the damaging forces must be identified and stopped before repair work can begin. So too in wound care the basic underlying causes and factors that affect healing must be identified and controlled as best we can before wound healing will begin. Following are some of the common underlying causes or factors, which may interfere with wound healing:

• Trauma (initial or repetitive)
• Scalds and burns both physical and chemical
• Animal bites or insect stings
• Pressure
• Vascular compromise, arterial, venous or mixed
• Immunodeficiency
• Malignancy
• Connective tissue disorders
• Metabolic disease, including diabetes
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Psychosocial disorders
• Adverse effects of medications

In many cases the underlying causes and factors interfering with wound healing may be mutlifactorial.
related to decreased mobility. The ulcer drains copious amounts of chronic wound drainage causing irritation to the surrounding skin. The patient sits most of the day in a dependent position which worsens the leg edema.

How can the wound fluid be controlled to enable healing?

The clinician working in wound care needs to be a good detective and needs to consider all possible factors influencing healing.