Pressure Ulcers

Pressure ulcers affect up to 3 million adults in the United States each year. At Midwest Wellness and Wound Care, their specialists offer advanced wound care solutions to treat pressure ulcers, easing pain and reducing the risk of complications, all from the comfort of a patient’s home. Schedule an evaluation by calling the office or booking online today.

What are pressure ulcers?

Pressure ulcers, also called bedsores, are open wounds appearing after prolonged pressure on the skin. They’re more common in people who have been immobilized for long periods of time, including those in wheelchairs and bedridden individuals. However, anyone can develop pressure ulcers. 

Pressure ulcers may become painful and increase in size and severity when left untreated. In some cases, they’re life-threatening.

Bedsores may appear anywhere on the body, but commonly develop in areas you lay or sit on. Examples include your back, hips, tailbone, buttocks, and elbows.

What are the symptoms of pressure ulcers?

The following are symptoms of pressure ulcers:

• Red or pink skin
• Abrasions 
• Blisters
• Open wounds
• Pain
• Foul-smelling wounds
• Swelling
• Pus

A pressure ulcer often begins as a shallow wound and progresses to a deeper or larger wound. It can become infected over time. 

What are the risk factors for pressure ulcers?

The risk of developing pressure ulcers increases if skin pressure is accompanied by urine, stool, sweat, or friction. Other risk factors include using a wheelchair, being bedridden, being in a coma or vegetative state, and wearing a cast or prosthetic device.

How are pressure ulcers diagnosed?

Diagnosing a pressure ulcer requires an examination, medical history and symptom review, and often a biopsy, blood culture, X-rays, or an MRI. Your Midwest Wellness and Wound Care provider tailors a wound care treatment that matches your individualized needs.

How are pressure ulcers treated?

Your customized pressure ulcer treatment may include one or more of the following:

• Caregiver education and training
• Chronic disease management and medication review
• Care coordination with physicians and facilities
• Intravenous (IV), oral, or topical medications
• Negative pressure wound therapy
• Compression therapy
• Edema management
• Infection management and antibiotics coordination
• Debridement and wound cleansing
• Advanced dressings and skin substitutes
• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy 
• Skin grafts
• Surgical procedures

Midwest Wellness and Wound Care offers in-home care for pressure ulcers.

Prevention measures include changing positions often when bedridden, checking your skin regularly for changes, eating nutritious foods, staying hydrated, and keeping your skin clean and dry. Avoid smoking, try foam to ease skin pressure, and wash bedsheets and clothing often. 

Schedule a pressure ulcer evaluation at Midwest Wellness and Wound Care by calling the office or requesting an appointment online today.