Common treatments of bed sores include:

• removing pressure on the affected area

• protecting the wound with medicated gauze
• keeping the wound clean
• medication (antibiotics and pain relievers)
• antibiotic ointments
• surgical removal of dead tissue

Nutritional support

Upon admission, the patient should have a consultation with a dietitian to determine the
best diet to support healing, as a malnourished person does not have the ability to
synthesize enough protein to repair tissue. The dietitian should conduct a nutritional
assessment that includes a battery of questions and a physical examination

Proper care

The most important care for a patient with bedsores is the relief of pressure. Once a
bedsore is found, pressure should immediately be lifted from the area and the patient
turned at least every two hours to avoid aggravating the wound.

Can bed sores be prevented?

Yes. Some of the ways to prevent bed sores are:

• good nutrition
• clean and dry linens
• frequent turning and repositioning of immobilized individuals
• providing soft padding in wheelchairs and beds to reduce pressure
• keeping the skin clean and dry

What causes a bed sore?

A bed sore develops when blood supply to the skin is cut off for more than two to
three hours. As the skin dies, the bed sore first starts as a red, painful area, which
eventually turns purple.

SYMPTOMS
Symptoms of systemic infection include fever, pain, erythema, oedema, and warmth of
the area, not to mention purulent discharge. Additionally, infected wounds may have a
gangrenous smell, be discoloured, and may eventually exude even more pus
Bed sores can occur when a person is bedridden, unconscious, unable to sense pain, or
immobile. Bed sores are ulcers that occur on areas of the skin that are under pressure
from lying in bed, sitting in a wheelchair, and/or wearing a cast for a prolonged period of
time.

Bedsores, more properly known as pressure ulcers or decubitus ulcers, are lesions
caused by many factors such as: unrelieved pressure; friction; humidity; shearing forces;
temperature; age; continence and medication; to any part of the body, especially portions
over bony or cartilaginous areas such as sacrum, elbows, knees, ankles etc. Although
completely treatable if found early, without medical attention, bedsores can become life-
threatening, and indeed fatal.

Stage I The skin may be hotter or cooler than normal, have an odd texture, or perhaps be
painful to the patient. Although easy to identify on a light-skinned patient, ulcers on
darker-skinned individuals may show up as shades of purple or blue in comparison to
lighter skin tones

• Stage II is damage to the epidermis extending into, but no deeper than, the
dermis. In this stage, the ulcer may be referred to as a blister or abrasion.
• Stage III involves the full thickness of the skin and may extend into the
subcutaneous tissue layer. This layer has a relatively poor blood supply and can be
difficult to heal. At this stage, there may be undermining damage that makes the
wound much larger than it may seem on the surface.
 Stage IV pressure ulcer

• Stage IV is the deepest, extending into the muscle, tendon or even bone.