Another natural remedy comes from the Aloe Vera cactus plant. There are numerous species of Aloe plants, but it's the Aloe Vera plant that is best known for its medicinal properties. The gel from an Aloe plant can be taken internally and used externally. But the main purpose I'm focusing on here is its healing effects on wounds, burns, and damaged skin.
Growing up, my household always kept an Aloe Vera plant in the house. Whenever I got a scrape or skin injury, I'd apply it to the wound and it would help it heal quicker and with less scaring.
Recently I've tried using fresh Aloe Vera from a plant on my foot ulcers. As I mentioned before, there have been two especially stubborn wounds, and a third that finally healed. Until recently, the amount slough that existed on these wounds prevented the Aloe from reaching the actually damaged skin. However, on this third wound, the slough finally diminished enough that I could start applying Aloe to the ulcer. I was amazed at how quickly this particular wound healed once I started using the Aloe on it.
As of date, I still have two wounds that are taking their time to heal. Thanks to "Ultrasonic Mist Therapy," the slough on these two wounds is diminishing enough to allow me to use Aloe Vera on them. I'm hoping that by using the Aloe, I will see the same improvement on these ulcers as I did on the that recently healed.
If you struggle with ulcers, I would suggest you try using fresh Aloe vera from a plant, if possible. It certainly can't hurt, and it is a pain free method of treatment.
Hi, I worry about causing further infection from using an unsterilized plant. How did you use the plant? Did you simply open it up and apply the gel?
ReplyDeleteI'm not medical doctor by any means. So what I'm sharing is my personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice. You may wish to consult your wound doctor and ask his/her advice. Foot ulcers can go from bad to worse really fast and should be monitored by professionals.
DeleteMy experience is this: when there is a lot of slough on the wound, the aloe cannot penetrate it. I wait until the slough is gone and my wound is simply raw flesh taking its sweet time healing; then I use fresh aloe vera plant jel on it.
For instance, I presently have a wound that's been present since September of 2014. It finally has healed to the point that there is no slough, it's just raw. What I do is clip off a small leaf from my aloe plant. I then clean my wound with MicroKlenz. Then I squeeze a small amount of aloe out of the leaf and put it directly on my wound. After a while--whether bandaged or not--the aloe gel will dry up. So I leave the wound unbandaged until the aloe dries. Once it's dried up, I again clean the wound with MircroKlenz, remove the dried aloe residue and then dress the wound with Santyl. I then apply non-adherent gauze, and tape it up. I figure, by applying the aloe and letting it dry, it's giving the wound a chance to absorb the aloe. I've tried different ways of using fresh aloe on my wounds, but this works the best. I clean and dress my wounds twice a day.
The Manuka honey works well on my wounds too. But depending on where the wound is, it's condition, and several other factors determine if/when I can use honey.
Thanks for following my blog. How long have you struggled with foot/leg ulcers? How long do they generally take to heal? Do you have a wound clinic you go to? What treatment works best for you?
Hello, thanks for responding so quickly. I am actually responding for my boyfriend. He has suffered from the wound for about a year and he has tried many of the remedies you mentioned above. His wound healed somewhat, then returned. He heard about the aloe plant but is reluctant to try it for fear of further infection. We looked up aloe and sickle cell wounds and your blog popped up. Yes he goes to a clinic but you know how conventional doctors are about alternative care. He says the honey works best so far but he still has infection and wanted to try the aloe. We have a question for you, what is slough?
DeleteThat's all for now,
Yours in healing
Slough is a yellowish or whitish substance that builds up in the wound. The body produces it to protect the wound, but it really inhibits healing. Depending on the severity and condition of the wound, debridement medications, like Santyl, are applied on top of the wound to help break down this substance. Santyl is an ointment applied to the top of the wound either once or twice a day, depending on your doctor's instruction. I'm using it right now one one of my wounds. Twice a day I clean my wounds and remove as much as the slough as I can and redress my wounds.
DeleteSometimes the Manuka or Medi-Honey works better than the medications. My doctor got me using honey, but sometimes it's not what's best. If you look on my blog under "Leg Ulcers-Treatments, and the post titled "Medications", I talk about the prescriptions my doctors have prescribed.
If your boyfriend is dealing with infections, he should see his wound doctor as soon as possible so he can prescribe an antibiotic. Increased pain, increased redness, and increased drainage of the wounds are signs of infection. It's something we have to constantly watch for and work to prevent with leg ulcers. These wounds can go from bad to worse VERY quickly if not treated properly. If he can't get an appointment ASAP, have him call his wound doctor's nurse so they can talk to him and prescribe an antibiotic if needed.
Sometimes the wounds can take a long time to heal. I had two that hung on for well over a year. Ultra-sonic Mist Therapy treatment finally helped promote healing. Have your boyfriend ask his doctor about that. I also talk about that treatment on the Treatments section of my blog.
Poor circulation is the cause of these wounds and is one of the reasons why they are so slow healing. Keeping the feet warm and elevated as much as possible is important.
Tell your boyfriend not to be afraid to ask his doctors questions about his wounds. I often make a list of questions to ask my doctor and take it with me, and write down the answers to those questions.
Like I said before, I'm happy to share my experiences. I've been dealing with these wounds daily for four years. I've learned what works for me and what doesn't. I know what my wounds need and when. I trust my doctor's advice, but I also trust my intuition. I hope something I said helps. Please write with any more questions. I'm happy to give my unprofessional opinion.
As a way of FYI, on facebook there is a wonderful page called Sickle Cell Warriors. It's a good place to express concerns, ask questions, and read about other people's experiences. I read it frequently.