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Pressure Sores
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How
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Keywords bed sores, pressure sores, pressure ulcers, skin ulcers Glossary Pressure sore: A skin ulcer, also called a bed sore. Pressure sores or bed sores are painful skin ulcers that form when constant pressure on a part of the body shuts down the blood vessels feeding that area of skin. The resulting damage first appears on the skin surface as a red or dark patch. As the pressure sore progresses, the skin will break down to form blisters, dead skin, and ultimately infect underlying tissues, bones and joints. As little as two hours of sustained pressure will trigger skin damage. Skin damage can also be exacerbated by friction and moisture. The surface damage is just the tip of the iceberg; the real damage lies beneath the skin. In the early stages, pressure sores can be treated at home by
relieving the pressure, cleaning the sores and applying the appropriate
dressing. In the later stages of severity,
professional medical treatment, possibly, surgery, will be necessary.
Pressure sores are especially prevalent on the lower back and buttocks,
and on bony protruding areas, such as shoulders, hips, knees, heels
and ankles. People who are bed-bound or in wheelchairs are particularly
susceptible. Pressure sores
Risk
Factors for Pressure Sores
Warning signs of pressure sores
Four stages of severity of pressure sores
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