It's safe to say that most people like sweet-tasting foods. In fact, sugar is highly addictive and is found in large quantities in daily diets, especially in the American diet. A recent study from the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics found that sugar accounts for 16.3% of the total diet for adults aged 18 to 34...
However, sugar has also been shown to be a source of many health problems, such as type 2 diabetes, increased inflammation in arthritis, and a weakened immune system. The information about sugar is interesting, but did you know that sugar is also a great remedy for wounds??
Sugar for wound healing is a natural process that has been used for thousands of years. It is easy to use and cost effective. When you are in a remote location or on a hiking trail, injuries can and will occur. Abrasions, cuts, cuts, scrapes, burns and other common injuries are not uncommon on a forest trail.
As the Boy Scout motto goes, it's always a good idea to come prepared with some first aid knowledge so you can handle situations that may arise. This not-so-common knowledge could be common sense for your future outdoor excursions.
In this article, we will see how sugar helps cleanse and heal wounds. We'll look at the how, why and when. We hope we answer any questions you may have about using sugar on wounds...
The Science of Sugar
This section will not be as scientific as it is informative. However, trust us; All this information is based on science.
Don't swallow too much sugar: just a spoonful of sugar
Along with possibly developing diabetes, consuming a lot of sugar in your daily diet also has a negative impact on your body. When blood sugar levels are too high, the immune system does not work properly. The Open Journal of Immunology states that excess sugar prevents bacteria and viruses from attacking white blood cells.
These white blood cells also work in the lymphatic system to remove fluid. If the cells are not working properly, you will notice swelling in your legs and arms. The swelling is called lymphedema, and if not treated correctly, it can cause large sores in these inflamed areas...
First, keep your blood sugar levels low to keep your system functioning properly and efficiently. Then the ingested sugar, which maintains abnormally high blood sugar levels, will contribute to joint inflammation. This type of chronic inflammation can lead to more serious medical problems...
Inflammation slows down the immune system. Long-term inflammation can also cause scar tissue to form in and around the joint, which is more painful. Therefore, keep your blood sugar levels low. Too much sugar in your body is bad for your health. Now let's look at the actual uses of sugar.
Topical use of sugar: please, enough with sugar on top
Sugar used directly on wounds has a very positive effect, so sugar is not that bad. When you are outdoors, there is a high chance that you may get a minor injury, such as a bush scratch, a slip and abrasion, and other minor cuts. Sugar works very well for these types of wounds.
Not only does it have this, but sugar works great on large wounds and injuries such as lacerations and punctures. US Army UU Field Manual. 3-05.70 mentions the use of sugar to treat wounds. Many doctors use sugar to treat surgical incisions. This practice is widely known and used by many in the medical and survival fields...
How Sugar Works: Give Me Some Sugar
With any open wound, there is a chance that bacteria can enter and cause an infection. Bacteria need moisture. Sugar draws moisture from the wound; bacteria cannot survive in a dry wound.
Sugar also attracts special cells, macrophages, to the wound. They fight bacteria. Sugar is a very powerful cleanser when it comes to wounds. Plus, it's common and very profitable.
Why do diabetics have trouble healing skin wounds?
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People with diabetes should be careful to avoid damaging the skin, especially on the legs. This is due to poor wound healing, which is a characteristic feature of this disease.
Purulent wounds pose a great danger in diabetes mellitus: their healing process is long and difficult to treat.
This is due to the fact that a diabetic’s immunity is reduced, and the body cannot resist the inflammatory process and drying out of the skin. The wound first begins to heal, then cracks again, becomes infected, and begins to fester.
The healing process is hampered by swelling of the legs, which is common with this disease. In addition, a wound located in another place can be immobilized, but this is very difficult to do with legs.
Causes
Diabetes is a disease characterized by a prolonged increase in blood sugar levels, which has a negative impact on the condition of the body as a whole, and on the condition of small vessels in particular, leading to an increase in their permeability and destroying them.
This causes deterioration in blood circulation (especially in the lower extremities) and problems in the supply of nutrients to skin cells.
It is precisely such processes that cause the appearance of wounds that do not heal for a long time. If timely treatment is not started, wounds on the legs may turn into foci of severe infectious inflammation.
Neglected wounds can lead to gangrene and subsequent amputation, as well as complications such as osteomyelitis and phlegmon.
It causes destruction of nerve endings, which leads to impaired skin sensitivity, especially on the legs. The nerve endings responsible for the excretory functions of the skin also die, as a result of which it becomes dry and heals very poorly. The skin often cracks, providing an easy way for infection to enter the body through cracks.
A person can injure his leg by accident and not even notice it without promptly treating the wound (for example, by rubbing a callus or getting injured while walking barefoot). The reason for this is a violation of pain sensitivity caused by damage to nerve endings.
It turns out that a diabetic does not notice the problems of his own legs, since he does not feel discomfort due to impaired sensitivity, does not see the wound due to decreased vision, and cannot examine it due to obesity, which is common in this disease.
If the wound does not heal within a few days, it may turn into an ulcer. Diabetes mellitus is characterized by diabetic foot syndrome, that is, non-healing wounds on the legs.
How to treat?
Every person suffering from diabetes should monitor the condition of their skin and consult a doctor if any defects appear, since an infected wound is very difficult to treat.
Proper nutrition containing sufficient amounts of vitamins contributes to rapid healing of the skin.
Doctors recommend including the following foods in your daily diet during wound treatment: fish, meat, liver, nuts, eggs, oatmeal, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables.
Any wound on a diabetic should be treated with an antiseptic.
If the patient has a fever, the injured area hurts, is swollen and red, the wound festers and does not heal, antibiotic ointments should be added to the treatment, which draw moisture from the wounds (Levomekol, Levosin and others).
A course of antibiotics and vitamins (groups B and C) is usually prescribed. To improve skin nutrition during the period of tissue healing, use methyluracil and solcoseryl ointments, as well as fat-based ointments (“Trofodermin”).
For contraction and epithelization (healing) of the wound, optimal conditions must be created. It must be cleaned of microorganisms, dead tissue and foreign bodies. Hydrogen peroxide and iodophors can only worsen healing.
The best cleaning method is to irrigate the wounds with a simple sterile saline solution. The use of local baths with turbulent water movement in them can be recommended for some patients with leg ulcers.
When the listed methods do not give the expected results, removing necrosis by excision may become the only method of cleaning long-term non-healing wounds.
Treatment with folk remedies
When treating injuries, a diabetic patient will benefit from traditional medicine.
Celandine leaves. It is better to use fresh ones, but dry ones are also suitable, but they must be steamed first. The leaves need to be bandaged to a wound or ulcer.
Burdock and celandine roots. You need to make a mixture of crushed celandine roots (20 grams), burdock (30 grams) and sunflower oil (100 milliliters). Boil for 15 minutes over low heat and strain. Lubricate wounds that do not heal well 2-3 times a day for a week.
Fresh cucumber juice. Cucumber juice has a very strong antimicrobial effect. They should lubricate purulent wounds, and also make compresses from it for several hours. When the wound is cleansed with juice, you should use the remedies prescribed by your doctor.
Steps to Using Sugar as a Wound Healer: Sugar Town
There are a few simple steps to follow when using sugar to heal a wound. If you or someone in your group of travelers knows some simple first aid, it will be enough to use sugar as a healer. Follow these steps and you will be on your way to healing your wound. Check out our article on how sugar heals our body by reading our previous article on this topic.
- Clean the wound . When an injury occurs, stop and take the time to get a proper bandage for the wound. The longer you wait, the greater the opportunity for infection. Pour clean water over the wound to remove debris and dirt. Then use soap and water to completely clean the wound. Remove any foreign matter from the wound and clean again. Make sure the bleeding has stopped. Dry the wound so that no moisture remains.
- The key to applying sugar is that you have to go into the wound and stay there . For abrasions or superficial cuts, you can pour sugar directly onto the wound. Use a concentrated amount of sugar and cover the wound. For deeper wounds, you can mix sugar with honey and apply it to the lesion. The honey will make it stick and the sugar will continue to work its magic. Either way, make sure the sugar stays in place. Research into types of sugar and amounts has shown that with small amounts of sugar, bacteria can still grow. However, high concentrations of granulated sugar in the wound completely inhibit bacterial growth. The Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology confirmed the results of the first study.
- Place a bandage or bandage over the wound. . Seal the dressing with adhesive tape to keep foreign matter and contaminants out and to prevent bacteria from entering the wound. The bandage will also keep the sugar in place. The bandage should be secure, but not too tight to restrict blood flow.
- Change the bandage at least daily. . The bandage must be removed in a quick and heartbreaking action. Although briefly uncomfortable for those injured, this movement will eliminate dead cells around the wound. By cleaning the wound you will be ready for the next application of sugar.
- Apply another round of sugar as you did the first time . Place the sugar directly on or over the wound and leave it in place with a clean and fresh bandage...
- Repeat the process until it heals . Better yet, make an appointment with your doctor.
How to treat wounds in case of suppuration in diabetes?
What can you do at home?
| Treat the wound with an antiseptic. |
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| Apply an ointment containing an antibiotic and bandage it. |
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| Change dressings several times a day. |
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| When the purulent discharge disappears, you can use products with solcoseryl and methyluracil. The use of these drugs will speed up the healing of wounds in diabetes mellitus. |
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Self-treatment is possible only if the wound is small and the patient is in satisfactory condition. If, despite the treatment, there are no signs of improvement, urgent consultation with a doctor is necessary!
Help in the hospital
Sometimes you can't do without surgery
Treatment of non-healing wounds in diabetes mellitus includes the following measures:
- Urgent surgical intervention - opening and draining the purulent focus, excision of necrotic tissue. This prevents the absorption of microbial toxins and breakdown products into the blood that destroy insulin, which helps compensate for the disease.
- Antibacterial therapy. Drugs such as Tazocin and Ciprofloxacin are widely used.
- Infusion therapy – combating intoxication and restoring homeostasis.
- Insulin administration under control of blood glucose levels.
- The use of proteolytic enzymes (“Trypsin”, “Chymotrypsin”) is effective. These drugs can be used topically and help cleanse the wound of dead tissue.
- Postoperative dressings with vitamin B, chlorhexidine and insulin help promote rapid healing.
- Physiotherapy procedures (ultraviolet radiation, UHF, laser and ozone therapy).
Treatment of diabetic wounds in advanced cases is a difficult task even for an experienced surgeon. Often the defeat becomes destructive. Purulent exudate, melting the tissue, quickly spreads through the tendon sheaths. The lymphatic system is involved in the pathological process. The development of purulent lymphadenitis is possible.
Supplies to take with you: sugar on the side
When packing for an outing or camping trip, weight is critical. Each traveler can only carry so much, and the cliché “less is more” speaks volumes.
The good news is that everything you probably need is with you. Here is the list:
- sugar
- Pure water
- soap
- Bandages/gauze
- Medical paper tape
The list is very simple, but it will be a real lifesaver if you need to use it to bandage a wound.
Pros Cons of Sugar: Unrefined Sugar
Almost everything in life has two sides; Also sugar has benefits to use and against. You will see that in this case the pros will outweigh the cons.
PROS
- Sugar is what you can bring; so nothing extra to pack
- Sugar is flexible and can be packed into a ziplock bag and fits almost anywhere in your pack.
- Sugar is universal; use it on all types of wounds
- The method is simple.
- Sugar will also reduce swelling and pain.
- Less expensive than specialty creams and ointments
MINUSES
- This method requires bandages; so you should take them with you
- Sugar can attract flies, so be vigilant, especially in humid climates.
- Sugar is known to cause itching in some people.
- Removing the bandage can be difficult since you must use a breaking motion.
We've heard so much negative news about sugar that it's hard to believe there's a positive side. Most of us love to eat surgical candy, but we probably don't plan on using it as a cure for cuts, scrapes and abrasions. Of course, sugar is a great healer.
