Wound Care
Five million Americans suffer from chronic, non-healing wounds that linger despite conventional medical management. The non-healing wounds can be dangerous and in extreme situations, the consequence can be life-altering.
At UP Health System, our specially trained staff works with patients of all ages and backgrounds to assess the situation and create a customized plan that will create the right environment for wound healing. Our staff will work with you from beginning to end to help you get back on your feet.
Next Steps
Request an Appointment
Don't delay the care you need — give us a call and we can walk you through the process.
Find a Provider
Find a primary care provider to help you manage your health.
What is Wound Care?
Learn more about how specialists in Wound Care can help you heal.
What to Expect
Some things don’t get better with time. We can help. Our number one goal is to create the right environment for wound healing. During an evaluation, we will:
- Clean and irrigate the wound
- Remove dead tissue
- Determine the type of dressing to use
- Educate the patient on caring for the dressing
- Apply compression, if needed
- Set a schedule for continued care, if needed
Our team will continue to assess the patient’s needs and address them accordingly with ongoing care. We use a variety of dressing types and treatment techniques to find a solution that works for you.
Conditions Treated
There are a variety of circumstances in which a person needs wound care. They include, but are not limited to:
- Diabetic wounds that are slow to heal or not healing
- Surgical wounds that have opened (or “dehisced”)
- Wounds caused by poor circulation (arterial insufficiency)
- Skin damage or open sores caused by radiation treatment possibly even many years ago that is now causing the skin and tissue to “break down”
- Skin grafts or surgical flaps that are not healing post-surgery
- Even internal ‘injury’ where no open wound exists such as:
- Bone infection (osteomyelitis)
- Crush injuries from an accident
- Damage to internal tissue (soft tissue radionecrosis) or bone (osteoradionecrosis) that causes pain or discomfort which resulted from radiation (radiation cystitis, proctitis, or necrosis)
- Animal bites
- Infected wounds
- Cellulitis
Not all of these things happen in the same way for the same person. If your open sore isn’t healing, you should consult your primary care provider or our office.
At the 30-day mark, it is considered a chronic wound. This is especially common for diabetic patients, who often can’t even feel the pain that the open sore is causing. It is important to have these wounds looked at because an untreated wound can cause life-altering consequences.
In some cases, a wound may persist despite all interventions. In these cases, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy may be indicated and is available onsite at UP Health System - Marquette.
Dressing Types Include:
- Alginate
- Hydrocolloid
- Collagen
- Hydrogel and hydrogel sheets
- Composite
- Moisture barriers and skin sealants
- Foams
- Transparent films
- Impregnated gauze
- Wound fillers
- Bioengineered Skin Substitutes
Adjunctive Therapies Include:
- Negative Pressure Wound Therapy
Our staff will also do an assessment of support surfaces such as beds or wheelchairs in some situations.
Videos
Schedule an Appointment
To schedule or request an appointment for Wound Care services at UP Health System, please use the following phone numbers:
Bell
Phone: 906.485.2336
Wound clinic held Tuesdays from 8 am - 5 pm, in St. 108
Marquette
Phone: 906.449.1360
Fax: 906.449.1845
Portage
Phone: 906.483.1040
Fax: 833.654.0637
A referral is not required. However, some insurance plans do require that you have a referral from your Primary Care Provider. Please call the number on your insurance card to find out whether a referral is required for insurance coverage. We accept most insurance plans.