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DownloadWounds occur when the skin is broken or damaged through injury or surgical incision. The skin can be damaged in a variety of ways depending on the cause of the injury e.g. trauma (puncture wounds, scalds); pressure or friction (pressure ulcers, abrasions). The lower limbs in particular can be prone to diabetic and venous ulcers which may have started with trauma (e.g. stubbing a toe, stepping on a nail) or through repeated irritation (e.g. tight fitting shoes, hot water bathing) which combined with poor blood circulation results in skin damage.
Pressure ulcers are a type of wound caused by prolonged pressure being applied to an area of skin which starves the blood supply. This leads to damage of the skin and tissues below. Pressure ulcers commonly affect people that are bedbound or immobile and so are often called bed sores, pressure sores or pressure damage.
Wounds can occur in people who have poor nutrition, who are not consuming enough fluid, energy, protein, vitamins and minerals which can delay healing and increase the risk of complications. Sometimes wounds occur in people who are eating well. However, it might be that they still need extra nutrients to help the wounds to heal.
All people with wounds should aim to have a healthy, well balanced diet (as depicted on the plate overleaf) which provides all the nutrients we need.
This includes:
Protein:
Include a high protein food at each meal, such as:
Vitamins, minerals and trace elements:
Fruit and vegetables contain vitamins, minerals and trace elements that are required for wound healing. Aim for five portions of fruit and vegetables each day to help meet your daily needs.
Below are some ways in which you can incorporate fruit or vegetables into your meals:
If you find it hard to eat five portions of fruit or vegetables each day, a vitamin and mineral supplement may be beneficial, so discuss this with your doctor or ask to be referred to a dietitian.
Fluid:
Try to drink 6-8 glasses (1.5 to 2 litres) of fluid each day which will support wound healing and is important for your general health.
Energy:
You may struggle to eat enough energy (calories) if you have a poor appetite. Here are some tips which will help you improve your intake:
Fortified Milk:
This is higher in calories and protein than ordinary cows milk and can be used as a drink, in tea / coffee / hot chocolate / Ovaltine/ Horlicks, on breakfast cereals, or added to your recipes e.g. sauces and puddings.
Calorie and protein content:
1 pint full cream milk: 386kcal, 19g protein
1 pint fortified milk (using recipe below): 630kcal, 35g protein
How to Make Fortified Milk:
1 pint full cream milk
5 tablespoons (about 32g) milk powder
Mix the milk powder with a small quantity of milk to make a smooth runny paste, add this to the remainder of the milk and mix thoroughly.
To soups ADD Cream Beans or lentils Grated cheese Milk powder Evaporated milk Croutons Rice or pasta Dumplings Barley/Couscous |
To bread, toast, cracker, crumpets ADD Thickly spread butter or margarine Soft cheese Jam, honey, chocolate spread or lemon curd Mashed banana Peanut butter |
To breakfast cereals ADD Jam, honey or syrup Sugar Yoghurt (full fat) Fruit Nuts Cream Evaporated milk |
To vegetables and salads ADD Olive oil / olive oil based spread Salad cream Mayonnaise Chopped hard boiled egg Sauces e.g. cheese, white, gravy Grated cheese Margarine or butter Yoghurt |
To sauces ADD Cheese Margarine or butter Yoghurt (full fat) Cream Crème fraiche Evaporated milk Fortified milk |
To puddings also ADD Custard Ice cream Crème fraiche Sorbet Cream Jam, honey or syrup Sugar Fruit or nuts Evaporated milk |
To potato ADD Cream Crème fraiche Margarine or Butter Fortified milk Grated cheese Pesto Olive oil |
To sandwiches ADD Mayonnaise Butter Chutney Cheese Peanut Butter Jam |
To pasta and rice ADD Butter Oil Full fat margarine |
To casseroles ADD Double cream Oil (if a stock-based casserole) |
To potato-topped pies ADD Grated cheese Butter |
To baked dishes (e.g. pasta bake) ADD Cheese |
Breakfast
Mid-morning
Lunch
Mid-afternoon
Evening meal
Supper
Ideas for nourishing puddings
Ideas for nourishing snacks
Ideas for nourishing drinks
Breakfast
Mid-morning
Lunch
Mid-afternoon
Evening meal
Supper
Ideas for nourishing puddings
Ideas for nourishing snacks
Ideas for nourishing drinks
If you are still struggling with your appetite or if you are losing weight there are a variety of nutritional supplements available over the counter or on prescription that may be helpful. Please discuss this with your doctor or ask for a referral to a registered dietitian.
Being overweight puts more pressure on your body, especially if you are not able to move around very much. However, trying to lose weight whilst you have pressure ulcers may slow down healing so you may want to delay starting a low calorie dietary plan.
High blood sugars can make it harder for your wounds to heal and keeping blood sugars within a healthy range can also prevent wound complications, such as infection, occurring. It is therefore important to check your blood sugar levels regularly if you are diabetic or have a history of raised blood sugars. Please speak to your nurse or doctor if you are not currently checking your own blood sugar levels.
Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust
The Royal Sussex County Hospital
Eastern Road
Brighton
East Sussex
BN2 5BE
Telephone: 01273 696955
Extension: 64290
Renal Telephone extension: 64327
The Princess Royal Hospital
Lewes Road
Haywards Heath
West Sussex
RH16 4EX
Telephone: 01444 441881
Extension: 68313
Nevill Hospital Laburnum
Avenue Hove
East Sussex
BN3 7JW
Telephone: 01273 821680
This information is intended for patients receiving care in Brighton & Hove or Haywards Heath.
Disclaimer:
The information in this leaflet is for guidance purposes only and is in no way intended to replace professional clinical advice by a qualified practitioner.
Publication Date: May 2021
Review Date: February 2024