Wound Care

Ron Schafer, PA-C, is certified in wound care and treats patients who suffer from chronic and difficult-to-treat wounds. A specialisted wound care clinic is available at Ringgold County Hospital once weekly. Whether you require treatment for surgical wounds, edema, diabetic ulcers, pressure ulcers, venous ulcers or other wounds, Ron Schafer, PA-C, and Alysha England, RN are available to assist in your healing process.

Why Some Wounds Are Difficult to Heal

The presence of dead skin tissue, foreign materials, infection, and persistent bleeding can all prevent a wound from healing properly, leading to potentially dangerous complications.

One of the biggest reasons that a wound can be difficult to heal is poor circulation. Your blood carries oxygen and nutrients throughout your body to help with the body’s natural cell-regeneration process. This is especially important should you have a wound – because good circulation to the injured area plays an important role in the growth of healthy new tissue and the control of infection.

For patients with chronic medical conditions like diabetes, vascular diseases like peripheral artery disease (PAD), or for the elderly and those whose mobility is restricted, good blood flow can be problem. Poor circulation can lead to wounds that are difficult to heal.

Factors that may increase the risk that your wounds will be difficult to heal include, but are not limited to:

• Older age
• Limited mobility
• Poor blood circulation
• Chronic health conditions, such as diabetes, anemia, vascular disease
• Inadequate nutrition and/or hydration
• Obesity
• Cigarette smoking
• Weakened immune system

Complications of Nonhealing Wounds

Nonhealing wounds can quickly become a serious medical problem, especially for patients with underlying health conditions. Should you fail to properly treat open wounds in your skin in a timely manner, it could develop into dangerous complications, such as:

• Skin tissue death (necrosis)
• Amputation
• Septic shock, a life-threatening condition

How to Tell If Your Wound Is Nonhealing

You should contact your medical provider if you notice an open sore on your body with the following characteristics:

• Warmth, redness, or swelling that appears to be spreading
• Pain that doesn’t seem to be getting any better
• Fluid leaking from the wound
• A foul or unpleasant smell at the site of the injury

RCH’s Wound Care Clinic

A specialized wound care clinic is available at Ringgold County Hospital once weekly.

Whether you require treatment for surgical wounds, edema, diabetic ulcers, pressure ulcers, venous ulcers, or other wounds, our dedicated team of wound care providers can help. In addition to cleaning and specialized dressings, some patients may require additional treatment, such as antibiotics, compression garments, debridement, and more.

Ron Schafer, PA-C, is certified in wound care and treats patients who suffer from chronic and difficult-to-treat wounds.