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Bed Sore
Medical Questions » Bed Sore
| Name: Bed Sore |
| Also known as: Pressure Ulcer |
| Ulcer formation in skin on which the body rests. Most commonly affected areas are the heels, buttocks, back of the head and over the lower part of the backbone. |
Causes of Bed Sore
If blood supply to the skin is significantly reduced, the affected skin dies. When pressure is applied to the skin for many hours without relief, the area will break down into an ulcer. Elderly, infirm, paralyzed or unconscious patients who spend long periods in bed, or sitting, may not have the ability to move themselves or the sensation necessary to prompt movement, so that a particular area of skin may carry a great deal of the body' s weight for a prolonged period of time. |
Symptoms of Bed Sore
A deep punched out ulcer that may penetrate to muscle or bone. |
Tests for Bed Sore
None. |
Treatment for Bed Sore
Prevention involves moving patient regularly so that no area bears pressure for a prolonged period of time. Sheep skins, ripple mattresses, water beds and other devices are placed under affected patients to spread their weight as much as possible. Cured by avoidance of any further pressure to the area, antibiotic dressings, special absorbent bandages or dressings, and, in resistant cases, surgical treatment to cover the area with a skin graft.
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Complications of Bed Sore of its treatment
Sores may become infected very easily. Once affected, the same area is very susceptible to future damage, and extra precautions must be taken to avoid their recurrence. |
Likely Outcome of Bed Sore
Often difficult to heal, but persistence is usually effective. |
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