Prevention and treatment of bedsores
- By Team TDO
Prevention:
- Patient should be inspected regularly
- Should bathe or shower every day with warm water and mild soap, and he should avoid cold or dry air.
- The bedridden patient should be repositioned at least once every two hours while awake.
- Person using a wheelchair should shift his weight every 10 or 15 mins, or be helped to reposition himself at least once an hour.
- It is important to lift, rather than drag, a person being repositioned.
- Massage of bony parts of the body is essential. The slightest of friction can remove the top layer of skin and damage blood vessels beneath it.
Protection of sensitive body parts: The sensitive body parts of a bedridden patient can be protected by:
- Special cushions placed on top of a mattress
- Variable-pressure mattress whose sections can be individually inflated or deflated to redistribute pressure.
- Sheepskin pads
- Water-filled mattress
- Pillows or foam wedges - Pillows placed under the legs from mid-calf to ankle can raise the heels of the bed.
- Raising the head of the bed slightly and briefly can provide relief (Raise should not be more than 30 degrees)
Treatment of bedsores:
Immediate medical attention: This can prevent surface pressure sores from deepening into more serious infections.
Mild Bedsores: For mild bedsores lessen the pressure, cleaning the wound and one should keep the bedsore area clean and dry. A saline solution should be used to cleanse the wound whenever a fresh non-stick dressing is applied.
Notify a doctor: When the patient:
- Will be bedridden or immobilized for an extended time
- Is very weak or unable to move
- Develops bedsores.
Immediate medical attention: Immediate medical attention is required whenever:
- Skin turns black or becomes inflamed, tender, swollen, or warm to the touch
- The patient develops a fever during treatment
- The sore contains pus or has a foul-smelling discharge.
With proper treatment, bedsores should begin to heal two to four weeks after treatment begins.
