Bed Sore Management

Diagnosis

Your doctor will likely look closely at your skin to decide if you have a pressure ulcer and, if so, to assign a stage to the wound. Staging helps determine what treatment is best for you. You might need blood tests to assess your general health.

Treatments

Changing positions frequently helps promote healing and prevent the development of new sores.

People may be able to treat sores at home when they are still in the early stages. More serious ulcers require medical attention from an expert.

Various further actions depend on the severity of the sore. However, the following are useful general tactics:

• Relieve the pressure: This might involve using foam pads or pillows to prop up affected areas, changing the body’s position.
• Clean the wound: Gently wash very minor sores with water and mild soap. Clean open sores with a saline solution with each change of dressing.
• Apply dressings: These protect the wound and accelerate healing. Options that are antimicrobial or hydrocolloid, or that contain alginic acid, may be best. Dressings are available for purchase online.
• Use topical creams: Antibacterial creams can help combat an infection, while barrier creams can protect damaged or vulnerable skin.
• Address incontinence: Cleansers, barrier creams, incontinence pads, and faecal management systems might be used in this situation. Online shopping is possible for these goods.
• Have dead tissue removed: This can help a sore heal. A healthcare provider may use a high-pressure water jet or surgical instruments.
• Review the bedding: Some mattresses, such as those constructed of static foam or those that are dynamic, aid in pressure relief. A pump that maintains a continuous flow of air into the mattress is also included in some beds. A doctor can offer advice on the best kind. Online mattress retailers sell unique mattresses.
• Take any required antibiotics: The doctor may prescribe these to treat infections of the skin, bone, or blood.
• Adjust the diet: Although there is little proof that any particular diet will treat pressure sores, protein supplements may speed up wound healing and minimise wound size. Drinking plenty of water and consuming adequate critical nutrients can support maintaining overall health.
• Discuss surgical options: The removal of dead tissue, wound cleaning, and maximal edge closure are a few examples of these. To complete the repair, the surgeon could use tissue from healthy skin.

A person with bedsores may also benefit from:

• Vacuum-assisted wound closure
• Electrical stimulation
• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy

Prevention

Tips for reducing the risk of pressure sores include:

• Changing positions frequently, between every 15 minutes to every 2 hours, depending on a person’s needs
• Inspecting the skin every day
• Keeping the skin clean and dry
• Maintaining good nutrition
• Quitting smoking and avoiding secondhand smoke
• Doing exercises, even while in bed, to encourage circulation

Anyone who may have a pressure sore should notify their caregiver or a healthcare professional as soon as possible.

Causes

Anyone who stays in one position for a long time is at risk Trusted Source of developing pressure sores. They often form in people who need help changing positions.

A person who develops a pressure sore may:

• Spend a lot of time sitting in a chair or lying in bed
• Wear a prosthesis or surgical appliance
• Wear ill-fitting shoes or clothing with elastic

These sores develop as a result of the compression and distortion of tissues and blood vessels. This may result in inadequate circulation, which can cause infection and tissue death.

Sores can result from significant pressure over a short period or low pressure over a longer period.