Pressure Sore Prevention and Care

[Hartley]

My mother had a stroke not too long ago and since then she has been suffering from pressure sores mostly on her backside and her heels. Can anyone provide any information about prevention or treatment? The nurses at her facility have told us that in certain cases pressure sores are inevitable but most of what I have seen online leads me to believe otherwise. Thank you for your time.

[myturnnow]

Pressure sores (commonly called bedsores) are an extremely serious and common problem for the elderly, bed-ridden patients, and paralytics. They come from too much pressure on certain parts of the body, especially those with little padding or which are frequently moist. Fortunately they are preventable. The Mayo Clinic website has a wonderful article talking about the causes, which can include smoking, incontinence, sharply titled beds, and poor nutrition. Prevention includes regular inspections, frequent position changes, the right kind of beds and pads. Check out this article on http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/bedsores/DS00570/DSECTION=preventionbedsores

[gdun]

Bedsores are preventable. The level of treatment that is necessary completely depends on the individual. My mother had a stroke and as a result spends much of her time in a bed or a wheelchair. She suffered from a relatively severe pressure sore on her lower back. Turning and other preventative measures often aren't enough. The nurses tried a lot of the other treatments but what finally seemed to work was a specialty air mattress that they provided. It alternates the air pressure constantly and it not only prevents other sores from forming but helped in her healing. I helplessly watched as the condition of her sore got worse for several weeks until they put her on this mattress. The brandname of the bed was Aircell XL. There might be others like it out there but I can speak first hand that this one works.