What is Bed Sores?

What is bed sores? What are the causes of bedsores? How to prevent bed sores? What are the risk factors for pressure sores? What are the stages of pressure sores?

What is Bed Sores, Why Does It Occur?

How and why do pressure sores occur? Bed sores, also known as pressure sores or pressure ulcers, are common in people who are bedridden or wheelchair bound for a long time. Lying on a certain part of the body for a long time can cause breakage of the skin and the formation of bedsores. The skin is thinner in places close to the bone or cartilage. Therefore, bedsores occur mostly on the skin covering the bony areas.

The areas of the body that are most vulnerable to bedsores are the buttocks, scapula, skin along the spine, the back of the arms and legs, the back of the head, the lower back, the heels, the ankles, and the skin covering the back of the knees. People with bedsores should definitely seek medical help.

What are the Risk Factors of Pressure Sores?

What are the causes of bedsores? One of the main causes of pressure ulcer formation is excessive pressure and friction on the skin. This condition can develop after lying down or sitting in a particular area for a long time. Pressure sores can also occur due to wearing dirty clothes or underwear for a long time. People who have difficulty moving due to poor health, weakness, paralysis, old age and coma are at higher risk of developing bedsores. In addition, risk factors of bed sores include staying wet for a long time, increased fragility of the skin due to age, diabetes, loss of sensation in the body, weight loss due to long-term diseases, inadequate nutrition, very dry skin and excessive smoking.

What are the Stages of Bed Sores?

Bed sores are divided into various stages according to the degree of tissue damage. Depending on the stage, in the patient; pain, burning, itching, skin discoloration, skin tears or lesions, skin that is softer or tighter than the surrounding skin, skin blisters containing clear liquid on the affected parts, foul odor, black tissue, deep or open wounds can be seen.

• Stage 1: The integrity of the skin is intact. The skin has a pink, red or mottled appearance. When the pressure is removed, the redness persists for more than an hour and resolves on its own. If the affected area is not pressed again, the wound will not open.
• Stage 2: Appears as a bubble or a superficial loss (peeling). It can be painful and visually swollen. If the pressure is removed, it can heal in a relatively short time.
• Stage 3: A deep crater develops in the skin. A foul-smelling yellow or green discharge is an indication of infection. The center is usually painless because the nerve fibers are dead. It can take months to heal.
• Stage 4: The skin is damaged from the surface to the bone. It takes a long time and care to heal.

How to Prevent Pressure Sores?

Despite excellent medical and nursing practices, bedridden patients are more likely to occur pressure ulcers. However, there are some things that can be done to reduce the chance of occuring bedsores.

• Air automatic beds can be used for the patient.
• The patient’s skin (especially around bony areas such as the spine, lower back, hips, tailbone, knees, and elbows) should be examined daily.
• The skin should be kept clean and dry; however, it should not be too dry or too moist.
• Since dry skin is more susceptible to damage, the skin should not be exposed to dry and cold weather.
• Even if the patient is bed-bound or wheelchair-bound, he/she should routinely do some exercises every day. These exercises should be learned from the doctor.
• Tight clothing, thickly stitched clothing and nylon underwear should not be used.
• Clothes and linen should be kept neat and wrinkle-free under the body.
• Tobacco products such as cigarettes and the like should be avoided. Because these products can reduce blood flow to the skin and dry the skin.
• The skin should always be kept dry because moisture can worsen the skin’s condition. But too dry skin is not good either. It is also extremely important to drink enough water to keep the skin moist.

You can also look: Diagnosis and Treatment of Bed Sores

You can also read this article: What is Good for Bed Sores?

You can also share your thoughts and suggestions on this subject in the comments section…

Last Edited: February 3, 2024