Decubitus sores, also known as pressure ulcers, are sores that appear on the skin of people who remain in the same position for a long time, such as in patients admitted to hospitals or who are bedridden in the home, being also very common in paraplegics, since they spend a lot of time sitting in the same position.
The bedsores can be classified according to their severity, being able to be:
- Grade 1 : Redness in the skin that, even after relief from pressure, does not disappear;
- Grade 2 : Bubble formation with aqueous content;
- Grade 3 : Subcutaneous tissue necrosis;
- Grade 4 : involvement 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 buttock, the hip lateral, the heels, the ears, the shoulders and the knees, because they are places of the body that become more easily on hard surfaces, making difficult the circulation of blood.
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 scab, bringing greater complications to the state of health.
How to avoid the appearance of bedsores
The prevention of bedsores can be done by frequent change of decubitus, that is, by changing the position of the body every 2 hours. In addition, the use of cushions or a mattress popularly called egg shell, can also help greatly reduce the risk of having a pressure ulcer.
Check out this video how to make the changes of position in people in bed:
Proper nutrition and good hydration are also very important to keep skin healthy and prevent the onset of scarring. See a list of healing foods that help in the treatment of bedsores.
How to treat bedsores
The treatment for bedsores that are not yet open consists of improving local blood circulation, by gentle massage with sunflower oil or moisturizing cream, for example.
However, in bedsores that are already open it is advised that the treatment be done by a doctor or nurse, in the hospital or in the health center, since the use of wrong ointments or the performance of a dirty dressing can lead to the emergence of a infected and very difficult to treat, which can be life-threatening.
Learn more about how the treatment is done and which ointments are used to heal scars.
