What Does it Mean When a Wound Drains?
Although some wounds are treated with surgical drains, other wounds drain on their own to help the body get rid of pus, blood and other fluids. When the fluids drain, some of the possibility of infection is removed.
Surgical Drain
Doctors sometimes put a drain in a wound following surgery to release pus or pressure. Although the drains do not prevent infection, they do sometimes drain fluids that might cause infection. Surgical drains do not cause wounds to heal faster.
Natural Drain
Exudate, or fluid from wounds, oozes out of blood vessels because of inflammation. It can contain debris and bacteria and can be clear, tinged with blood or even bloody. The amount of drainage, its color and consistency can indicate what the fluid means.
Amount of Drainage
A large amount of fluid, or exudates, can slow healing as It can be a symptom of infection or increased oedema, an increased amount of fluid under the skin.
Associated Problems
The decision to drain wounds is impacted by quality of life issues, how time consuming treatment might be, infection and pain.
Infection Symptoms
Symptoms of infection include redness or swelling in the wound area, throbbing pain or tenderness, red streaks in the skin around the wound, pus or watery discharge collected beneath the skin or draining from the wound, a foul odor or chills or fever.
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