Wound Care: A Conversation with Dr. Troy Pascoe
Dr. Troy Pascoe is a board certified internal medicine physician trained to treat patients with chronic wounds. See his online profile to learn more about Dr. Pascoe and the exceptional care he provides his patients.
What is considered a chronic wound and what causes them?
From a technical standpoint, a chronic wound is one that doesn’t heal on its own within four weeks. However, every wound is different based on factors like its cause or size. So, there are certainly times you should be seeking care for a chronic, non-healing wound prior to that four-week mark.
Of course, a variety of things can cause wounds – be that a fall, an accident, blunt trauma, etc. For most people, wounds heal on their own. However, some issues within the body may make it more difficult for some wounds to heal naturally. Some of the common reasons why a wound won’t heal include:
- Poor circulation: this can cause a lack of oxygen to the wound site
- Infection
- Certain medications
- Nutrition: without proper nutrition, the body may not be strong enough to heal the wound or fight off infection
Are non-healing wounds common? Who is most at risk?
You would be surprised how many people deal with chronic wounds. It is estimated that 6.7 million Americans deal with a wound that will not heal. And, 1 in 4 people have a family member with a chronic wound.
One of the most common risk factors for non-healing wounds is diabetes. This is because diabetes damages the body’s natural healing process and causes nerve damage. Additional reasons one may be at an increased risk for non-healing wounds include:
- Age: older individuals are more likely to have trouble healing wounds naturally
- Heart disease
- A history of smoking: smoking causes issues with circulation and oxygen delivery
- Past radiation treatment: years after radiation treatment, it may be difficult for wounds to heal at the spot radiation was delivered
What happens if you do not get the necessary care for a non-healing or chronic wound?
If your wound does not heal properly, it can cause an infection. This leads to quite a bit of pain, making it hard to go about your daily life, including doing things like going to work. In a worst-case scenario, an untreated wound may eventually lead to the need for amputation.
Because non-healing wounds can quickly cause infection and other negative side effects, it is very important to get the care you need – both right away and on an ongoing basis. This holiday season can be busy for people, but if you are currently receiving wound care, it is extremely important to keep up with your appointments. Your wound care team is here to help you relieve pain, heal and enjoy life to the fullest!
How can Bronson’s wound care team help?
Wound care has made major advancements over the past five to eight years. And, at Bronson we offer some amazing technology to treat certain, more extreme wound cases. For example, our hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) team is one of the most experienced teams in southwest and south central Michigan. With HBOT, patients enter a chamber where the air pressure is two to three times higher than normal – allowing the lungs to gather more oxygen than normally possible. This extra oxygen helps fight bacteria and triggers the release of growth factors and stem cells, which promote healing.
When we first meet with a patient, our wound care experts do a comprehensive evaluation of their overall health and nutrition. The goal is to figure out what exactly caused the wound in the first place and why it may not be healing. In fact, our offices in Battle Creek, Paw Paw and South Haven are all recognized as Centers of Distinction from Healogics. This means we have achieved outstanding clinical outcomes for 12 consecutive months.
