DailyDirt: Alternatives To Time For Healing All Wounds...

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

The days of barbers applying leeches as a healthy regime for bloodletting is long gone (thankfully). But there are still a lot of medical practices that haven't changed that much over time. The history of bandages stretches back thousands of years, so it's not too surprising that some improvements could be added to them. Here are just a few somewhat recent inventions for helping wounds heal. By the way, StumbleUpon can recommend some good Techdirt articles, too.
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Filed Under: bandages, healing, leeches, treatments, wounds
Companies: 3m


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  1. identicon
    Rossini, 22 Feb 2012 @ 5:20pm

    They still use leeches but the barbers are not usually applying them.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  2. icon
    Atkray (profile), 22 Feb 2012 @ 5:30pm

    Anyone that has ever had the 2 day itchies from fiberglass insulation is going to be resistive to the idea of glass fibers healing.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  3. icon
    Michael Ho (profile), 22 Feb 2012 @ 5:53pm

    Re:

    Yah.. I was wondering about the choice of glass, too. If researchers wanted to create "cotton-like fibers" for better bandages, why not modify cotton fibers (instead of using glass or some other materials)?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  4. icon
    orbitalinsertion (profile), 22 Feb 2012 @ 6:37pm

    Wound vacs are pretty good, in my experience. Never seen a little bellows pump version, though. That probably would be handy in field situations or for smaller wounds. The better 3M adhesive would go a long way to making this more comfortable when changing dressings. (Nothing like ripping off your skin around an open surgical wound for a bad experience.)

    link to this | view in thread ]

  5. identicon
    Pixelation, 22 Feb 2012 @ 7:16pm

    Re: Re:

    I suppose the might make great insulation when they pass away...

    link to this | view in thread ]

  6. identicon
    Rekrul, 22 Feb 2012 @ 7:39pm

    Re: Re:

    Yah.. I was wondering about the choice of glass, too. If researchers wanted to create "cotton-like fibers" for better bandages, why not modify cotton fibers (instead of using glass or some other materials)?

    I guess because cotton doesn't dissolve in the wound like this substance does.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  7. identicon
    Lawrence D'Oliveiro, 22 Feb 2012 @ 10:59pm

    “The days of barbers applying leeches as a healthy regime for bloodletting is long gone (thankfully).”

    No it isn’t.

    This might also be of interest.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  8. icon
    Michael Ho (profile), 22 Feb 2012 @ 11:18pm

    Re: “The days of barbers applying leeches as a healthy regime for bloodletting is long gone (thankfully).”

    sure, leeches are used in medical procedures.. but not by barbers! (Or remind me to avoid wherever you get your hair cut.)

    link to this | view in thread ]

  9. identicon
    Lawrence D'Oliveiro, 22 Feb 2012 @ 11:59pm

    Re: “The days of barbers applying leeches as a healthy regime for bloodletting is long gone (thankfully).”

    “Barbers” also did surgery, back in the day when “doctors” considered that beneath themselves.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  10. icon
    art guerrilla (profile), 23 Feb 2012 @ 4:24am

    Re: leeches

    beat me to it...
    not only still used, but used in 'merika; especially for cases where fingers/thumbs/etc are re-attached after getting severed, and the leeches are used on the appendages to stimulate blood flow...
    i think there are other reasons to use them, too...
    everything old becomes new again...
    art guerrilla
    aka ann archy
    art guerrilla at windstream dot net
    eof

    link to this | view in thread ]

  11. identicon
    Pixelation, 23 Feb 2012 @ 8:13am

    Re: Re: leeches

    Maggot therapy is another one for the squeamish...

    link to this | view in thread ]

  12. icon
    Brock Phillimore (profile), 23 Feb 2012 @ 9:39am

    HBOT (Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy) is one of the most effective methods of reducing the amount of time it takes to heal. It increases the body's natural ability to create stem cells by 800%. You seem to heal like someone less than half your age. It is one of the worst kept secrets for professional sports teams to speed up recovery time.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  13. identicon
    ShellMG, 23 Feb 2012 @ 10:36am

    My mom used to work for the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor and told me about the leeches. I would hope they use them on unconsious or heavily-sedated patients.

    link to this | view in thread ]


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