Bedsore, also known as pressure ulcer is a condition in which inflammation of the skip occurs due to the lack of proper blood circulation in an area of the body by staying in a single position for prolonged period of time. In simpler word, the skin of an area dies from the lack or poor circulation of the blood. The early sign of bedsore is the redness on the affected area. This sign is enough to take precautions before the condition get worst. These are the points that a caregiver must know about bedsore or pressure ulcer
The causing factors:
Following are the causing factors of bedsore.
- Pressure by sitting or lying in a single position for a long period of time.
- Then, the friction that is the result of sifting of the body, like dragging of the on the bed sheet
- Immobility due to spinal injury or some other spinal condition.
- And the medical conditions that cause the poor blood circulation.
The red flags:
Just like any other medical condition, it also has some symptoms which shouldn’t be ignored at all cost. These are:
- Abnormal color and texture changes in the skin. (pale colored people get reddish color or the other hand dark skinned people get bluish or purplish color in the area)
- The affected areas are often swollen.
- There will Pus-like draining.
- Affected area would feel warmer or colder than the normal temperature.
- Pain or itchiness in the affect area.
How dangerous it is?
There are 4 stages of bedsore. It may not seem much of the problem, if one is uneducated regarding this topic, but, poor nursing and carelessness may lead the not so severe condition to unbearable condition, as if left untreated, it will start to eat away the muscles and ligaments leaving the bones exposed, may lead to Infection, unbearable pain, renal catastrophe, sepsis and septic shock, Amyloidosis , and even death. It is estimated that nearly 60,000 people die from bedsore, just because of the ignorance. It is found that death in the case of bedsore is commonly causes when there is renal failure or amyloidosis.
People vulnerable to bedsore:
As it is caused by the immobility of the person, so, people who are bed ridden for quite a long time and are using wheelchair for their movements are quite vulnerable to pressure ulcer. Especially people who are in their old age like 70, are unable to walk and move a lot, so they tend to stay in a single place for long hours. This is also include people who have paralysis, or some sort of spinal injury or other spinal cord issue that is leaving them not to move like a normal person. People suffering from obesity and some other medical condition that is disturbing the blood circulation and have poor eating habits are also vulnerable to bedsore.
Precaution:
It is highly recommended that if the caregiver has the patient who immobility issues then it is his duty to take precautions that are recommended by the doctors to prevent bedsore or pressure ulcer. As the person who is vulnerable to pressure ulcer is surely going through some sort of immobility, then it is the duty of the caregiver to take these precautions for the patient.
- Regularly change the position of the patient to make sure the proper blood circulation in all parts of the body.
- Regularly check the areas that have higher chances of pressure ulcer, like tailbone, shoulders, lower back and etc.
- Keep the diet of the patient clean, healthy and nutritious. Even ask the expert, what should be included or excluded from the diet to make it balanced and fulfilling for the patient
- It your patient is a smoker, ask him to quit smoking as the smoking disturbs the blood circulation increasing the chances of pressure ulcer.
- Regularly use the medical sheepskin, lay it in the bed and the wheel chair of the patient. It is made for the comfort of the patient and helps to prevent the bedsore.
- Keep the skin and body of the patient clean dry all the time.
- If your patient is obese, help him lose weight.
- Use special medicated mattress to reduce friction and increase the comfort level.
- Consult the doctors to ask them light exercises that will help to improve the blood circulation and then assist your patient in doing them properly without causing further damage.
These are the things that a caregiver must be in complete knowledge about. Having this information stored in your mind you will be able to take better care of the patient and improve his health and life standards.
