Bed Sores

Bed sores, also referred to as pressure sores, decubitus ulcers and pressure ulcers, usually occur because of lying or sitting too long in a single position. This results in putting too much pressure on certain parts of the body that bear the weight of the body. If the body’s position is not changed frequently enough, it leads to lowering the blood supply in the area, which can result in a sore forming.

Anybody who lies or sits without changing his or her position is susceptible to getting bed sores. For example, if you are bedridden or confined to a wheelchair, the chances are high that you will get pressure ulcers. However, people who are mobile can also get pressure ulcers if an injury or illness causes them to stay in bed for a prolonged period of time. A few chronic diseases, like arteriosclerosis and diabetes, which usually involves poor blood supply to the affected areas, make bed sores hard to heal.

Bed sores generally develop on areas of the body that are bony, which do not have a padding of fat as a cushion. Hence, bed sores usually form on the hips, the spine’s base, on the back, the shoulder blades, behind the head, on the sides of the knees, and even on the heels.

Bed sores can become a serious condition, depending on the extent to which the skin and the underlying tissues are affected. For instance, if it is just a mild case, it merely causes discoloration of the skin, without a full-blown sore forming. In people who have light colored skin, the affected area usually turns red or deep purple. In those who are dark-skinned, the area becomes darker in color than normal. The affected area may also feel warmer compared to the skin surrounding it.

Deep bed sores, however, can even affect the underlying muscle and even the bone. If bed sores are left untreated, there are high chances of them becoming infected, which can be a serious condition. Bed sores are also very painful, making it difficult for the affected person to move around.

When bed sores get infected, they heal far more slowly, and can even spread a serious infection throughout the body. Some of the signs of bed sore infection are: A foul smell emanating from the sore; Warmth or redness around the bed sore; Tenderness in the affected area; Swelling of the tissue around the bed sore; Thick green or yellow pus.

Some of the signs of the spread of infection are: Chills or fever; Difficulty in concentrating or mental confusion; Weakness; Increase in the rate of the heartbeat.

When bed sores become infected, the treatment depends on how serious the infection is. If the infection is only in the sore, an antibiotic ointment is usually applied over it. However, if the deeper tissues or bone are involved, antibiotics are usually given intravenously.

In order to aid the healing process, bed sores need to be kept free of dead tissue and clean. The sore can be cleaned by bathing the area with a solution made of salt and water. The salt water helps in removing loose matter and extra fluid. Your nurse or physician will show you how to cleanse your bed sore.

After cleaning it, the bed sore should be covered with a dressing or bandage. A gauze can also be used sometimes. If gauze is used, it must be kept moist and changed at least once in a day. Hydrocolloid dressing and see-through film are some of the newer types of dressing used these days. Hydrocolloid dressings are made of a gel which molds on the bed sore. These dressings can be kept on for several days without changing.

A scab, or dead tissue, in the sore can hamper the healing process, leading to infection. There are a number of ways dead tissue can be removed from the sore, one being rinsing the area every time the bandage is changed. Special dressings which help the body to dissolve the scab are also available. They need to be kept on the sore for a number of days.

Another method is to apply bandages made of wet gauze over the sore, allowing them to dry. The scab sticks to the dried gauze and comes off when it is removed. Sometimes surgery may be required to remove the dead tissue.

Keeping the sore clean and removing dead tissue can be quite painful; hence your physician may suggest taking a painkiller about 30-60 minutes prior to changing the dressing.

However, in order to avoid so much suffering and pain, it is best to prevent bed sores from occurring in the first place. The best way to do that is to avoid putting prolonged pressure on a single area of your body, especially on the pressure areas mentioned earlier.

Keeping your skin healthy is also very important. See that your skin is always dry and clean. Use warm water and a mild soap to bathe. Applying moisturizers is a good way to keep the skin from getting to dry. If you are forced to spend prolonged periods in a wheelchair or in bed, keep checking your entire body daily for changes in the color of the skin, spots, or any other symptoms of sores, paying particular attention to vulnerable areas.