Pressure sores (also called decubiti, or bedsores) are blisters or breaks in the skin. They are caused when the body's weight presses blood out of a certain area. The best treatment of pressure sores is prevention. How much time they take to heal depends on advanced they are.

Facts

• The most common areas for sores are the bony areas—tailbone, hips, heels, and elbows.
• Sores can appear when the skin keeps rubbing on a sheet.
• The skin breakdown starts from the inside, works up to the surface, and can happen in just 15 minutes.
• Damage can range from a change in color in unbroken skin to deep wounds down to the muscle or bone.
• For people with light skin in the first stage of a bedsore, the skin color may change to dark purple or red that does not turn pale under fingertip pressure. For people with dark skin, this area may become darker than normal.
• The affected area may feel warmer than the skin around it.
• Pressure sores that are not treated can lead to hospitalization and can require skin grafts.

Prevention

• Check the skin daily. (Bath time is the ideal time to do this.)
• Provide a well-balanced diet, with enough vitamin C, zinc, and protein.
• Keep the skin dry and clean (urine left on the skin can cause sores and infection).
• Keep clothing loose.
• If splints or braces are used, make sure they are adjusted properly.
• Massage the body with light pressure, using equal parts surgical spirit and glycerin. (Ask a nurse or a pharmacist for advice.)
• Turn a person who is unable to get out of bed at least every 2 hours. Change the person's positions. Smooth wrinkles out of sheets.
• Lightly tape foam to bony sections of the body using paper tape, which will not hurt the skin when peeled off.
• Use flannel or 100% cotton sheets to absorb moisture.
• Provide an egg-crate or sheepskin mattress pad for added comfort.
• Rent an electrically operated ripple bed. These beds have sections that can be inflated separately and at different times.
• Avoid using a plastic sheet or a Chux if they cause sweating.
• When the person is sitting, encourage changing the body position every 15 minutes.
• Use foam pads on chair seats to cushion the buttocks.
• Change the type of chair the person sits in; try an open-back garden chair occasionally.
• Provide as much exercise as possible.