Wound infections usually occur in individuals who have an incompetent immune system due to conditions such as diabetes, old age, HIV, malnutrition or prolonged hospitalization. The infections are characterized by redness, warmth and tenderness at...
An infection is the growth of a parasitic organism, also called a germ, within the body. The onset of an infection is sudden, causing pain and swelling around the wound. Those germs, more commonly bacteria, attach to the tissues preventing the...
There are bacteria in every open wound. These bacteria may have originated inside or outside the wound itself. Some of them may have entered the wound from the object that caused the injury. This is also true for animal bites. The first bacteria...
Intact skin serves as an effective barrier to bacteria and fungi. A break in the skin, however, provides an entry site for infectious organisms, possibly leading to a wound infection. The seriousness of a wound infection depends on the type of...
Most times, the body is able to fight off the bacteria naturally using white blood cells and antibodies. Sometimes, however, there are too many bacteria for the body to handle. If bacteria make their way into a wound on the body, serious infection...
When there is a break, laceration or incision in the skin, a large number of bacteria--especially the bacteria that normally colonize the skin--can enter the body and cause infection. These bacteria attach to tissue and stop the wound from...
Any time a break in the skin occurs, there is always the risk of infection. Most wounds heal in a matter of days without any complications if patients care for them correctly. If an open wound does not begin to show signs of healing or becomes...
Most open wounds heal spontaneously if kept clean and dry. Sometimes the use of topical medications such as peroxide or Bacitracin may aid in wound healing. However, an open wound may easily become infected. It's very important that you know what...
Any wound, whether a cut, abrasion, burn or puncture has the potential to become infected if you don't treat and care for it properly. Wound infection can lead to tissue and skin damage, which can then lead to serious complications, so you must...
The skin is a protective barrier that shields the body from contamination by viruses, bacteria and toxins. Small cuts and abrasions can lead to big problems once infection sets in. Damage to the skin compromises the body’s ability to fight...
Surgical-site wounds can become infected with a variety of bacteria. The most common organisms include: S. aureus, S. epidermidis, and gram-negative enteric bacteria, such as Serratia marcescens and anaerobes.These infections can cause many...
A surgical wound infection is an infection that occurs after a surgical or invasive procedure. According to The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, at least 5 percent of patients undergoing surgical operations develop surgical...
Surgical site infection occurs in 10 percent of individuals and is the most frequent complication after abdominal surgery, according to the "Journal of Hospital Infection." Abdominal wounds develop from surgical operations or from injury to the...
Wounds, whether from accidents or surgeries, often cause scars to form in the skin. Fortunately, many scars fade over time, minimizing the appearance of the irregularities on the surface of the skin. However, even with normal fading, the location...
Silvadene cream is a topical drug containing 1 percent of silver sulfadiazine. Once applied, the medication works to prevent and treat a bacterial infection in a skin wound, such as third-degree and second-degree burns. Using Silvadene cream...
Methicillian resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, is a highly contagious and infectious bacterium. MRSA can infect organs such as the heart and lungs and can also cause skin infections. MRSA can cause new skin wounds or infect existing...
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is used to treat a wide variety of health disorders. A hyperbaric oxygen pressure chamber has an air pressure that is elevated to about two and a half times the normal pressure in the air, notes MedlinePlus. This...
The combined properties of cinnamon and honey offer an abundance of benefits that exceed those found individually. Aside from the benefit of their complementary flavors, cinnamon and honey can play crucial roles in sugar metabolism for diabetic...
Scarring has many causes including cuts, scrapes, burns, acne and even small infected wounds. Scars occur when the outer layer of skin -- the epidermis -- becomes damaged. As the skin heals itself, a new layer of skin emerges to cover the wound...
Honey has been a staple of several civilizations and can be dated back to cave paintings in Spain from 7000 BC. It has been used as an offering to the gods by the Greek, Romans, Egyptians, and has long been known for its healing properties as well...
The degree of contamination at the time of an operation concludes how medical professionals determine the type of surgical wound for classification on medical charts. As determined by the American College of Surgeons, there are four classes of...
Honey has been part of both diet and medicine for centuries. Although honey is a natural product, it's not as healthy as many people make it out to be. Before you make honey part of your regular diet, take into consideration its good and bad...
Triphala is a combination of the native Indian plants Terminalia chebula, Terminalia belerica and Emblica officinalis, and is used as a traditional herbal medicine to support the immune system and fight infection. Triphala has been used by...
A hyperbaric chamber uses air pressure that is 2 ½ to 3 times higher than regular air pressure and pure oxygen to help heal and treat many medical conditions. Many hospitals now have hyperbaric chambers for use with patient care. There are...
Toxic shock syndrome, or TSS, is an uncommon, life-threatening illness that develops suddenly after a bacterial infection and can cause extensive damage to the lungs, kidneys and liver. Typically, women suffer from toxic shock syndrome more than...
Heat packs are used for relief from sports injuries, cramps, bursitis, shoulder and neck pain, joint pain, backaches, sprains, tendonitis, bursitis and other aches and pains. Heat packs work because the heat causes blood vessels near the skin to...
According to the Mayo Clinic, the majority of spider bites are not dangerous to humans. Brown recluse spiders, one of the few dangerous, common spiders in the United States, reside in the Southern states. While brown recluse spider bites often...
Diabetics typically have problems with wound healing. This can be due to a number of factors, including a weakened immune system, poor circulation and nerve damage which allows wounds to go undetected. Patients with diabetes often require special...
Sepsis is a bacterial infection that can start from almost any place in your body. It can manifest in a number of different ways, from pneumonia to urinary tract infections to cellulitis. The symptoms for sepsis are very common, however, and...
Botulism is a rare but very serious condition. It's caused by toxin produced by bacteria called clostridium botulinum. The toxins that this bacterium produces are among the most poisonous substances. Learn about the different causes, symptoms, and...
Bone infections are caused by bacteria and can be treated with antibiotics, get expert tips and advice on medical treatments in this video.
Foot ulcers are healing wounds that can develop on skin and mucous membranes. Get expert tips and advice on ulcer treatments in this video.
Dressing a wound is important for preventing infection and relieving pain. Learn how to treat a variety of wounds in this first aid video.
Gangrene is the end result of an infection marked by redness, pain, tenderness, and a puss discharge. Learn more about the causes, symptoms, and treatments of gangrene in this health video.
