Wounds: an overlooked burden (Part 2) – Wound treatment: a daunting decision

Various types of wounds are encountered daily in medical practice, and due to the numerous treatment options available on the market, making the most appropriate choice of treatment may be a rather daunting decision. The wound treatment should not inconvenience the patient to the point that the wound care becomes compromised. It is for this reason that a proper assessment of the wound status be conducted in order to select an appropriate treatment intervention or dressing type, as this will directly impact the way in which the wound heals. This article is based on the expertise of three active wound care practitioners and aims to provide guidance to clinicians when providing primary wound care. The downloadable tables can be printed and used as reference materials in daily practice.

When depression hurts

Depression is a disorder of the body as much as of the mind. The traditional understanding of pain and depression as separate conditions with overlapping symptoms has evolved through research into an understanding that pain and depression share pathophysiological mechanisms. These shared pathophysiological mechanisms include origins, mechanisms and neurotransmitters, resulting in shared treatments. In addition, pain and depression have a reciprocal relationship in that each heightens the severity of the other. Failure to eliminate the pain symptoms reduces the chances of full recovery from depression: it keeps depressed people from regaining full function in the personal and professional lives, and it raises the danger of suicide. Furthermore, the presence of a depressed mood increases the perception of the severity of, and contributes to distress associated with pain.