There are many different types and sizes when it comes to wounds, and wound care supplies. This article can hopefully shed light on some of the different types of wound drainage that you may experience.
When you have an open wound, It’s completely normal to leak fluids from the wound. This is a natural part of our body’s healing process. Inside the drainage or “pus”, there are white blood cells, proteins, and other microbiological entities that help to heal your wound.
Being able to identify whether a wound is healing properly is extremely important. By being able to identify the types of wound drainage, you will be able to properly treat the wound, resulting in a faster healing time. There are different kinds of exudate that can come out of a wound, and being able to properly identify will help you understand whether the wound is healing appropriately, too slowly, or if there’s infection present.
The first type of wound drainage is Sanguineous Wound Drainage
This is the blood exudate that appears after surgery, injury, or cut. It’s the first type of drainage that appears and It’s typically bright red, with the consistency of syrup. This type of drainage is completely normal and is part of the healing process during the inflammatory phase.
The second type of wound drainage is Serous Wound Drainage.
Typically, this type of drainage is clear or perhaps slightly yellow. Typically, Serous drainage appears in the first day or two of the healing process and is completely normal. It’s made up of mostly plasma. Although typical of the healing process, If there is a lot of drainage i.e. soaking through bandages, it may be cause for concern and is best to contact a health professional.
Purulent Wound Drainage is a sign of infection.
It’s usually yellow, white or brown. Due to bacteria, there may be a foul odour associated with all wound drainage, but the odours associated with Purulent Wound Drainage can be especially bad. Keep an eye out (or a nose out) for this as as well as other symptoms of infection such as additional swelling, pain, redness, or fever. If you suspect that your wound is infected, seek out medical treatment right away.
Serupulent Wound Drainage can have a milky consistency of varying colors, often yellow or tan.
It’s a combination of serous and purulent wound drainage. Often times, Serupulent drainage can be a warning sign of infection so it is always best to get examined by a Doctor or healthcare professional.
Wound Care Supplies
When treating a wound, always make sure that you thoroughly wash your hands. Touching a wound without clean hands can transfer bacteria which can lead to infection.
Depending on the type and severity of a wound, there are many different products that one can use.
Gauze sponges are usually used to absorb any fluids, and to protect the wound from dirt and bacteria underneath a bandage.
Bandages and dressings are used to cover a wound and promote healing. There are many different sizes to choose from depend on the size and type of your wound. Some bandages and dressings have healing properties, like those which contain silver. You can find many wound care products which are microbial and help to prevent the growth of unwanted bacteria and/or microorganisms.
For a full catalog of Payless Medical’s skin and wound care supplies, click here.