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Managing Other Symptoms |
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 Bed
Sores
"What are bed sores and can I do anything to prevent them?"
When you are very sick, you are prone to have skin breakdown wherever
the weight of your body presses into the bed. You are at greatest
risk if you move very little or you are in bed or in a chair for a
long time, especially if you also have been losing weight. Ordinary
pressure on the skin as you sit or move across sheets may be enough
to tear or breakdown your skin. It is worth a great deal of effort
to keep skin well-protected; skin breakdown is uncomfortable, a major
indignity, and costly.
Protecting
Your Skin
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Change position at least every two hours. If you
are in bed and comfortable in most positions, it is good to
lie on one side, then your back, then the other side. Have a
skilled nurse show your family members how to help you shift
positions comfortably.
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Use pillows to protect the common pressure points,
which are under the heels and elbows and between the knees.
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Apply gentle massage with moisturizing lotion
or cream to the back, arms, ears, hands, legs, and feet.
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If you are at great risk for skin breakdown, you
may want to get a special "flotation" bed, which can be rented
for home use.
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If you or your family notices reddened or broken
skin on pressure points, call your doctor or nurse immediately.
You may need special medications, dressings, or bed accessories
(such as soft pads or heel protectors) to provide added skin
protection. |
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Adapted from The
Handbook for Mortals: Guidance for People Facing Serious Illness,
by Joanne Lynn and Joan Harrold, copyright by Joanne Lynn, used by
permission of Oxford University Press.
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