Probably there is no person who can not imagine what Vishnevsky ointment is. You can ironize as much as you like about its pungent odor, but as soon as it starts to dig up somewhere, the first thing we remember is about this very popular ointment, the recipe for which belongs to the famous surgeon A.V. Vishnevsky.
Vishnevsky ointment: composition and properties
The main component of Vishnevsky's ointment is birch tar, it has long been used in villages as a means by which peasants treated all kinds of sores, both their own and their pets. Also in the composition of the ointment are xeroform and castor oil. All these 3 components, taken in the proportions proposed by Vishnevsky - namely, 3 parts of tar and xeroform and 94 parts of castor oil, prepared in the dosage form of the balsamic liniment, can improve blood circulation in the affected tissues, as well as disinfect and simultaneously dry and soften the affected areas.
During the Second World War, the ointment was widely used in the treatment of purulent wounds, trophic ulcers, pressure sores, burns and frostbite. More than half a century has passed since then, and medicine has stepped far forward, but almost everyone in the home medicine cabinet still has a jar or tube of the most famous ointment, since this cheap and effective drug has not lost its relevance today.
Indications for use
Vishnevsky ointment is applied externally in the form of compresses, dressings, as well as tampons for the treatment of abscesses, wounds and ulcers (including varicose) that are in the granulation stage, as well as for diseases of the vessels of the lower extremities (thrombophlebitis), lymphadenitis, lymphangitis.
Vishnevsky ointment is applied to a ripening abscess in the form of a gauze dressing with the drug applied to it for 8-10 hours. In some cases, an ointment compress is made, covering the place of the dressing with cellophane or waxed paper. After removing the dressing, the skin must first be wiped dry and then treated with alcohol, after which, if necessary, the ointment is applied again.
With thrombophlebitis, a piece of gauze is impregnated with ointment and a sick limb is wound around it. This dressing needs to be changed twice a day, while using one Vishnevsky ointment is not always recommended, it is best to alternate it with dressings soaked in heparin ointment.
Even the most miraculous means have contraindications. Vishnevsky ointment is no exception. Despite its miraculous properties, doctors warn that in some cases it is necessary to use this folk ointment with caution. In addition, that Vishnevsky ointment can cause allergies in people sensitive to any of its components, it must be borne in mind that this tool was invented to accelerate the spontaneous opening of abscesses, in conditions where it is not possible to provide surgical assistance on time.
The fact is that under the ointment, the processes of suppuration are accelerated, and if the abscess is located on the surface, then after an accelerated spontaneous opening, self-healing occurs quickly. And if the purulent focus is located deep in the subcutaneous tissue, then even larger volumes of nearby tissues may be involved in the suppuration area; moreover, in some cases, such a purulent process can also affect adjacent bone tissue (this situation is especially dangerous for barking fingers). Therefore, modern surgery insists that if it is possible to consult a doctor in a timely manner for assistance, then the abscess in dangerous areas must be opened without waiting for its spontaneous breakthrough.
Do not neglect turning to specialists for help; self-medication, even in simple, it would seem, cases is very dangerous!