An overview of integrative care options for patients with chronic wounds

Integrative care incorporates aspects of traditional and nontraditional medicine, also often referred to as holistic or complementary and alternative medicine. Providing integrative wound care involves addressing physical, psychosocial, and spiritual components of the whole person. Several care models, including the Seven Balance Point Model, include holistic considerations, as well as promotion of physical health recommendations involving nutrition, sleep, exercise, and emotional, social, and spiritual well-being. The quality of life of patients with chronic wounds may be negatively affected by chronic and procedural pain, sleep disturbance, social, and emotional concerns. Although research into the role of integrative medicine in wound care is limited, experiences from other disciplines suggest wound pain may be addressed using acupuncture, yoga, biofeedback, guided imagery, massage, healing touch and therapeutic touch, aromatherapy, and topical medical-grade honey. In addition, patients who are incontinent or have incontinence-related skin damage or peristomal complications may benefit from biofeedback to better control incontinence. Research to increase understanding about the role of holistic care for patients with wound, stoma, and continence-related problems in general, and its effect on the quality of life of palliative care patients in particular, will help clinicians provide evidence-based and patient-centered care.