Seattle residents who have to spend an extended amount of time on bed rest may experience bed sores. However, despite the mentions that this issue gets, many people don’t actually know what having bed sores entails.
Mayo Clinic defines bed sores, also known as pressure ulcers, as being the result of extensive pressure on certain areas of the body. This pressure doesn’t have to be very strong. It simply has to be continuous, which is why it’s known as a “bed sore”. Generally speaking, when you’re on bed rest, you aren’t moving around much. Lying in one spot for so long will be enough pressure to cause these sores in some people. Extended friction or shear can also cause these sores.
Places that are more prone to bed sores are generally where the skin is thinnest over the bone. This includes:
- Heels
- Ankles
- Tailbone
- Hips
- Shoulders or elbows
These injuries can be severe enough to even impact the muscle and bone lying beneath the skin, though they can also be relatively mild at the start. Tissue damage risk can increase if you have problems with your circulatory system. Bed sores can also form very quickly, though the plus side is that you can also combat them by simply switching your position up to alleviate pain or pressure.
The sooner these sores are noticed, the better the prognosis is when it comes to recovery. As some bed sores may never fully heal, it’s important to be proactive with catching signs of sores and eliminating what allows them to occur.