Bedsores, also called pressure ulcers, are skin lesions that affect people with reduced mobility. They are frequent in those who use wheelchairs or spend a lot of time lying in bed or sitting in the same position. This is so because the friction and constant pressure in certain areas of the body prevent the blood from reaching them correctly. As a consequence, the skin in that area dies and injuries occur.
Bedsores are more common in areas closer to the bone, such as the neck, shoulders, elbows, hips, and ankles. They manifest as an area of ??cracked skin, sores, changes in the color and texture of the dermis, wounds, blood loss from the wound, inflammation and swelling. There are up to four levels of severity of the ulcer, on which the care and cures necessary to remedy it depend.
In Stage I, the affected area appears red, bluish, or purple. When you press, there is no change in key. Although there is no wound yet, it is painful and itchy. This is the mildest phase, the care of which only requires washing it with water and neutral soap, drying it very well and then applying a moisturizing cream.
At this time the scar already presents a wound, an open sore or a blister, a red and irritated area. It is necessary to clean it with a saline solution that helps to eliminate dead skin cells. However, we must avoid applying hydrogen peroxide or other products with iodine, since they are irritating. After cleaning and drying the wound well, it must be covered with a bandage to prevent infection and thus heal properly.
These are the most advanced and serious phases. In the third stage, the wound opens, giving rise to an opening known as a crater, with damage to the subcutaneous tissue. In the case of the fourth stage, the damage is deep and begins to affect muscles and bones. For both cases, the wounds must be treated by a doctor and, at home, we must apply the specific indications prescribed by the health professional.
