Diagnosis

Your doctor may examine your skin carefully to determine if you have a pressure sore, and if so, assign a stage to the wound. Staging helps determine the best treatment for you. You may need a blood test to assess your overall health.

Question from doctor

Your doctor may ask the following questions:

1. When did the pressure ulcer first appear?
2. What is the pain level?
3. Have you had a pressure ulcer in the past?
4. How were they managed and what were the outcomes of treatment?
5. What care assistance can you get?
6. What are your routines for changing positions?
7. What diseases have you been diagnosed with and what is your current treatment?What is your daily diet and fluid intake?

Treatment

Treating pressure ulcers includes reducing pressure on the affected skin, caring for wounds, managing pain, preventing infections, and maintaining good nutrition.

Stress reliever

The first step in treating a pressure sore is to reduce the pressure and friction that cause the sore. Strategies include:

• Repositioning. If you have bedsores, turn and change positions frequently. How often you reposition depends on your condition and the quality of the surface you’re on.
• Use a support surface. Use mattresses, beds and special cushions to help you sit or lie down in a way that protects your delicate skin.

Cleaning and dressing wounds

• The care of a pressure ulcer depends on the depth of the wound. Typically, cleaning and dressing a wound includes the following:
• Cleaning. If the affected skin is not broken, wash with a mild cleanser and pat dry. Clean open sores with water or a saline (salt) solution each time the dressing is changed.
• Using Dermlin wound healing dressings.

Remove damaged tissue

To heal properly, wounds need tissue that is not damaged, dead, or infected. A doctor or nurse can remove damaged tissue (debridement) by gently irrigating the wound with water or by cutting away the damaged tissue.

Other interventions

Other interventions include:

• Medications to control pain. NSAIDs—such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, and others) and naproxen sodium (Aleve)—may reduce pain. These are very helpful before or after repositioning and wound care. During wound care, topical pain relievers can also help.
• Eat a healthy diet. Good nutrition promotes wound healing.

Operation

Large bedsores that do not heal may require surgery. One surgical repair method is to use a pad of muscle, skin, or other tissue to cover the wound and cushion the affected bone (flap surgery).