Living with Limited Mobility: Preventing and Caring for Pressure Sores

Living with Limited Mobility: Preventing and Caring for Pressure Sores

A pressure sore is an area of your skin that is dead or dying. Pressure sores are also called pressure ulcers, decubitus ulcers, or bed sores. Having a pressure sore is a serious problem that can lead to pain, sickness, or even death.

Pressure sores form when your skin is exposed to pressure for a long period of time. When you sit or lay in the same position for a long period of time, some of your skin can be squeezed between your bones and your bed or chair. When your skin is squeezed like this, blood cannot get through and part of your skin begins to die.

People who have trouble moving are at a greater risk of developing pressure sores. Anyone can get a pressure sore if they stay in one position for a long time. Most people who get pressure sores are those who cannot move well and who spend most of their time in wheelchairs or in bed.

You are at an even greater risk of developing a pressure sore if you have a poor sense of touch. If you cannot tell when your skin is hurting, you are more likely to stay in one position for too long. This puts you at a greater risk for developing a pressure sore.

A pressure sore will usually begin as a red area on your skin. Your skin may also feel hard or hot where the sore is starting to develop. As pressure sores get worse, they can develop scabs or blisters on top of the skin. If you have a pressure sore that becomes infected, you will probably develop a fever and notice puss coming from the sore.

If you have a pressure sore that is not treated, you could become very sick. If a pressure sore is not treated, the sore can develop an infection. You may need to have surgery to remove the infection and dead skin. If the infection is not treated, it could spread into your blood; this could make you very sick.

If you think you are developing a pressure sore, you can take action to prevent it from becoming worse. If you notice an area on your skin that looks like a pressure sore, you should clean the area with warm water and keep it dry. Ask a support provider to help you keep the sore clean and dry. You should also remove all pressure from the skin to allow it time to heal.

If the sore does not heal, call your doctor. If your sore has not healed after a few days or has gotten worse, you should tell your doctor. You should call your doctor right away if you notice that a pressure sore Has formed or blister or a scab, or Is letting out puss.

There are things you can do to prevent pressures sores. If you are in danger of developing pressure sores, you should check your skin every day for sores that are beginning to form. Ask a support provider to help you to check, especially parts of your skin you can t see. It is also important to make sure that your support surfaces (such as beds and wheelchairs) are in good condition.

You should also avoid staying in the same position for too long. If you use a wheelchair, you should change your position regularly. If you can use your arms, lift yourself off of the chair for a few seconds every 15 to 20 minutes to give your skin a break from the pressure. If you cannot use your arms, ask a support provider to help you. If you are in bed, ask someone to help you change positions every one to two hours.

There are other ways you can prevent pressure sores. Keep your skin clean and dry. Use pillows, blankets, or towels to support skin that is under pressure. Change your clothes and bed linen if they get wet. Drink 8-10 glasses of water a day. Avoid clothes with buttons or zippers in areas where they might put pressure on your skin.

You can keep your skin healthy and strong. If you check your skin and make sure to change positions, you can prevent pressure sores! If you have questions about pressure sores, ask your doctor.

For more information on healthy skin, check out these resources! DDS Safety Net articles: http://content.ddssafety.net/displayarticle.aspx? StoryID=771 http://content.ddssafety.net/displayarticle.aspx? StoryID=770 Other websites: Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Resource Center: www.paralysis.org Spinal Cord Injury Information Network: www.spinalcord.uab.edu