Page 157 - Psychology of Wounds and Wound Care in Clinical Practice ( PDFDrive )

132 Chapter 5. Different Wound Type

Table 5.2 Sensory pain descriptors for chronic wounds
Pressure ulcer Venous ulcer Arterial ulcer Mixed ulcer
Tender Itchy Tender Tender
Sharp Tender Stinging Itchy

Throbbing Throbbing Sharp Sore
Aching Burning Hurting Throbbing
Hot burning Stinging
Stabbing
Heavy

Shooting
After Gorecki et al. ( 2011 )

Ulcers range in size and severity although the majority are
below the waist with particularly vulnerable areas being the
sacrum, buttocks and heels. These common wounds are wide-
spread in both hospital and community settings and can have
a significant impact on quality of life by compromising many
areas of functioning (Gorecki et al. 2010 ).
There are varying degrees of ulceration that can be classi-
fied accordingly (see Table 5.3 ). As can be seen from the brief
descriptions in Table 5.3 the physical consequences of pressure
ulcers can be severe and it is not surprising that the financial
and psychological costs are significant. Research has high-
lighted the cost such wounds has on both the UK health and
social care system (Bennett et al. 2004 ). As such, the clinical
guidelines published by the National Institute for Health and
Clinical Excellence (NICE 2003a , b , 2005 ) highlight the impor-
tance of the prevention and management of pressures ulcers,
making treatment, management and care key responsibilities
for wound clinicians. As discovered with other wounds, the
long-term suffering patient’s may experience due to pressure
ulcers can have fundamental and significant consequences on
their quality of life. Additionally, patients may experience a
number of psychological consequences in connection with their
ulcerations. However, due to the commonalty that patient’s
suffering with pressure ulcers are often presented with another
debilitating condition, it is somewhat difficult to consider the