Bedsores

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Known to doctors as decubitus ulcers, bedsores are the result of skin being suffocated beneath the weight of the body. These lesions are caused by continuous extended pressure on the skin, usually in an area over a prominent bone or cartilage structure such as the hips or tailbone. This pressure restricts the flow of blood, and therefore the supply of oxygen and nutrients, to that part of the skin. Ultimately, the smaller blood vessels clot and a sore red patch of skin appears. If not attended to, it can crack open and develop into a painful wound.

The first sign of a developing pressure sore is reddening of the skin. There may be local swelling or hardening of the tissue as well. Eventually, if the pressure is not relieved, the skin breaks down and ulcerates, and infection may take hold. Obviously, people who are confined to bed for long periods are most at risk for this problem. Wheelchair users also have an increased risk of developing pressure sores. An individual who suffers from impaired wound healing, common in older adults and people with diabetes, can develop bedsores rather quickly.

When it comes to bedsores, prevention is better than treatment. It is also necessary to rule out the possibility that another disorder might be mimicking a bedsore, especially if the sore appears to be spreading at an unusually fast rate. Herpes lesions, bacterially induced ulcers, and even skin cancers can look like bedsores, but require different treatment.

General recommendations for bedsore

Preventive measures for bedsore

Prevention of pressure sores is based on limiting the amount of time any area of skin is subjected to pressure. Most doctors recommend moving every fifteen minutes. If this is impossible, as in the case of a bedridden person, he or she should be turned at least every hour, and both bed linens and skin should be kept clean and dry. Keeping the bedclothes as unwrinkled as possible is important. The softest bed surface possible is also desirable. If you use a wheelchair, a pressure-reducing pillow can help minimize pressure on susceptible areas. Even so, you should shift your position in the chair frequently. Wear loose, clean cotton clothing.

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