Sustaining a serious injury that leaves a wound can come as quite a shock. If you have a wound that looks like it's not going to close anytime soon, you are going to need to learn proper wound care treatment. In fact, it may be a good idea to reach out to a professional who can provide in-home wound care service. But if you would like to attempt to treat the wound yourself, here are some tips to get you started.

Everything Must Be Clean

The first rule of proper wound care is making sure absolutely everything involved with the treatment is as clean as possible. First, make sure your hands are washed. Then, put sterile gloves over your hands. When the wound is exposed, make sure you use fresh bandages and do the actual bandaging in an area that is well-lit and clear of any debris or possible contaminants. It doesn't take much to cause a bad wound to become infected so it's incredibly important that you take this step seriously.

Change Your Dressing Often

You'll want to lean on your doctor's advice for exactly how often you should change your wound's dressing, but in general, the more frequently you can put a fresh bandage on, the better off you will be. If you start becoming lazy and leave a bandage on for too long, it can cause the area to become dried out which can help promote infection. Set a specific schedule so that you are changing your dressing or bandage at set times each day. Talk to your doctor if you want advice on setting up the most optimal schedule possible.

Get the Right Vitamins and Minerals

Again, your doctor's advice is critical here but in general, you'll want to watch your diet while treating a bad wound in order to ensure your body is getting the nutrients it needs to begin the work of repairing the wound. Foods with protein can help regenerate muscle tissue and certain vitamins like C or E or minerals like zinc can help promote skin health and help your body fight off bacteria that could lead to an infection. 

Get Professional Help

If treating the wound yourself is becoming too much of a daily strain, consider getting a professional to help you. It's possible to contact a wound care treatment service that can provide in-home care as often as you like. This will ensure you give your wound top-notch treatment and can help speed up the recovery process.