HEALTHWISE MAUI

Q: When should I seek professional wound care?

Jessica Acop, RN, Program Director,

Maui Memorial Medical Center Wound Care and Hyperbaric Therapy: With proper home care, most wounds heal on their own over time—except when they don’t. If you have a wound that is not healing properly, becoming infected, or if you have a medical condition that puts you at higher risk of non-healing wounds, talk to your doctor or seek professional wound care.

One of the most important reasons to go to a wound clinic is if your wound is not healing. A non-healing wound can increase the risk of infection and other complications, so if you’ve had a wound for several weeks and it hasn’t gotten better or never seems to heal completely, get it checked out.

Other signs that it’s time to call your doctor or go to a wound clinic include pain, redness, and swelling at the wound site that does not decrease over time, as well as fever over 101 degrees. While some fluid drainage is normal, especially for surgical wounds, if the fluid color changes or begins to have a foul order, have it checked for

infection. If you notice skin getting darker around the edges of the wound, it could be a sign the wound is not healing properly and needs professional care.

Finally, several medical conditions can affect your body’s ability to heal wounds, including diabetes, vascular disease, cardiovascular disease, and some immune disorders. If you have one of these conditions or you’ve had trouble healing from wounds in the past, be proactive and get professional care early in the healing process.

At a wound clinic, different providers and specialists will work together to ensure your wound is getting the proper care, take steps to prevent infection and address the underlying cause of your wound healing issues.

Maui Health’s comprehensive wound care clinic is fully equipped to quickly heal wounds, with specialized staff and advanced treatments all in one place. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (808) 986-4500 or visit mauihealth. org/woundcare.

Q: I know I need knee replacement surgery, but can I take opioids to manage my pain until then? Dr. Vic Ayers, Orthopedic Surgeon & Maui Memorial Chief of Staff, Pacific

Permanente Group: If you’re living with

arthritis in your knee, it’s understandable that you are looking for ways to relieve your pain. However, the risks of taking opioids outweigh the benefits. Fortunately, there are other medications and treatments that can help manage pain safely until you’re able to get surgery.

Opioids are powerful pain medications that include oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, Vicodin, Percocet, and others.

Studies have shown that taking opioids before joint replacement surgery increases the risk of complications after surgery. These include infection, needing additional surgery, and increased risk for readmission to the hospital. Because people build up a tolerance to opioids over time, taking them before surgery can also make it harder to control pain after surgery. People who don’t take opioids before surgery are less likely to need them for pain relief afterward. They also have better outcomes.

Importantly, if you take opioids for pain relief before surgery, you are more likely to develop a dependency on this highly addictive medication.

Fortunately, you have other options for controlling arthritis pain. These include non-opioid medications like NSAIDs and acetaminophen, injectable medications like corticosteroids and hyaluronic acid, and

physical therapy. Losing weight can also reduce stress on the joint and relieve pain.

After surgery, talk with your doctor about whether you can take non-opioid pain medication. If nothing else works and you have to take opioids, take the lowest dose possible and stop taking them as soon as possible.

If you are already taking opioids to manage joint pain, talk with your doctor about how to wean off them and find another way to manage your pain.

Maui Health’s Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) program is a free informative session that will help you understand what to expect before and after surgery, as well as learn effective pain management strategies. If you are interested in attending a free session, visit mauihealth.org/totaljoint or call (808) 442-5700 for more information.

■ Physicians, providers and administrative staff who practice at Maui Health hospitals and clinics answer questions from the public in Healthwise Maui, which appears on Thursdays. Maui Health operates Maui Memorial Medical Center, Maui Memorial Medical Center Outpatient Clinic, Kula Hospital & Clinic and Lana‘i Community Hospital and accepts all patients. To submit a question, go to the website at mauihealth. org/healthwise.