Managing wounds in the patient who injects drugs is complex for healthcare professionals. As with the non-drug taking population, the problems of mobility, odour from the wound, social limitation and pain still occur, but fears of discrimination may lead to reluctance to seek medical intervention, potentially leading to slower recovery and chronicity. This article focuses on the problems encountered by injecting drug users, a group that can suffer significant wound care issues, including infection, wound abscess and fistula formation, along with other management problems, such as a reciprocal mistrust of healthcare professionals.
