Decubitus bedsores, also known as pressure ulcers, are wounds that appear on the skin of people who remain in the same position for a long time, as in hospitalized patients or who are bedridden inside the home, being very common also in paraplegics, since they spend a lot of time sitting in the same position.
Bed sores can be classified according to their severity, and can be:
- Grade 1: Redness in the skin that, even after relieving the pressure, does not disappear; Grade 2: Bubble formation with water content; Grade 3: Appearance of subcutaneous tissue necrosis; Grade 4: Affection of deep structures, necrosis of muscles and tendons, appearance of bone structure.
The most frequent sites for the appearance of bedsores are the sacral region, just above the butt, the sides of the hips, the heels, the ears, the shoulders and the knees, as they are places on the body that are more easily on hard surfaces, making it difficult blood circulation.
The greatest danger is the infection that can occur in these wounds. Bacteria can easily enter the body through an open and poorly cared for eschar, bringing major complications to the state of health.
How to prevent bedsores
The prevention of bed sores can be done through the frequent change of decubitus, that is, by changing the position of the body every 2 hours. In addition, the use of pillows or a mattress popularly called eggshell can also help to greatly reduce the risk of having a pressure ulcer.
Check out in this video how to make the position changes in bedridden people:
Adequate nutrition and good hydration are also very important to keep your skin healthy and prevent bedsores. See a list of healing foods that help treat bedsores.
How to treat bedsores
Treatment for bedsores that are not yet open consists of improving the local blood circulation, through a gentle massage with sunflower oil or moisturizing cream, as well as regular changes in the position of the body.
However, in bedsores that are already open, it is advised that the treatment be done by a doctor or nurse, at the hospital or at the health center, since the use of wrong ointments or the realization of a dirty dressing can lead to the appearance of a infected eschar and much more difficult to treat, which can be life-threatening.
The ointments for bedsores vary according to the tissue present in the wound, as well as the possibility of infection or release of some type of liquid. Thus, the eschar must always be evaluated by a doctor or nurse, who will advise some type of cream or ointment more appropriate. If this product can be used at home to make dressings, the nurse will teach you how to do it, otherwise the dressing will always need to be done by the nurse.
Find out more about how the treatment is done and which ointments are used to heal bed sores.
