Post-operative wounds can be slow to heal, with swelling, redness, and oozing often reported for some time after surgery. While following a strict wound cleaning regime and finishing any prescribed antibiotics is essential, often some extra help is needed to…
Venous ulcers are leg ulcers caused by problems with blood flow (circulation) in your leg veins. Venous ulcers typically occur because of damage to the valves inside the leg veins. These valves control the blood pressure inside the veins. They…
There are various types of cardiac surgery, including coronary artery bypass grafting which is a procedure used to treat coronary artery disease. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the narrowing of the coronary arteries. One way to treat the blocked or…
For those who regularly shave their faces, or other visible parts, shaving rash or razor burn is one of those things that can cause concern. It can be annoying, itchy, and unpleasant to look at. While some people are more…
In most cases, an amputation wound closes and creates a scar within three to four weeks, but in some cases healing may be slower, with inflammation and oozing occurring. The full healing of the scar will take approximately 18 months.…
A spider bite, also known as arachnidism, is an injury resulting from the bite of a spider. The effects of most bites are not serious. Most bites result in mild symptoms around the area of the bite. Southern Africa has…
Mastitis is an inflammation of breast tissue that sometimes involves an infection. The inflammation results in breast pain, swelling, warmth and redness. You might also have fever and chills. Mastitis most commonly affects women who are breastfeeding (lactation mastitis). But…
A bruise is a common skin injury that results in a discolouration of the skin. Blood from damaged blood cells deep beneath the skin collects near the surface of the skin, resulting in what we think of as a black…
A laceration is defined as a tearing or rupturing of soft tissue, such as the skin. The term laceration implies a torn or jagged wound. Lacerations tend to be caused by sharp objects. The term ‘gash’ can be used for…
A puncture wound is caused by an object piercing the skin and creating a small hole. Some punctures are just on the surface. Others can be very deep, depending on the source and cause. In all cases, it is important…
