What is a wound?
A wound is any break or tear in the skin resulting from an accident, surgery, a skin condition like eczema or psoriaris, or an underlying condition like diabetes. Wounds that occur suddenly and heal quickly are called acute. Chronic wounds are those that heal slowly or not at all, or reappear quickly.
Wounds are Australia's hidden epidemic, affecting more than 450,000 people every year. Is your wound chronic? If you spot the chronic wound warning signs, please seek medical advice.
The chronic wound warning signs
Pain & heat
Is your wound red, hot, swollen and painful?
Odour
Does the wound have a strange or unpleasant smell?
Excess fluid
Is your wound oozing a thick, yellowish fluid?
Slow healing
Is the wound taking longer than a month to heal?
Chronic wounds can heal with the right treatment.
If your wound displays any of the chronic wound warning signs, it's time to seek support from a healthcare professional. You will find more information about chronic wounds, treatment options and sources of professional support in our factsheets.