How to Care for Pressure Wounds

Pressure wounds range in severity from a reddened portion of skin to a more serious open wound, which results in damaged skin, muscles and bones. These types of wounds can develop quickly and are caused by constant pressure that cuts off circulation to body parts. The lack of circulation causes tissue to die. Pressure wounds are more common on bony areas of the body that aren't cushioned by muscle or fat such as the spine, tailbone, shoulder blades, hips, heels and elbows. Treatment of pressure wounds is aimed at relieving pressure, keeping the wound clean, maintaining a moist wound environment, eating healthy, removing unhealthy tissue and resolving infection.

Things You'll Need

• Mattress overlay
• Cushion
• Pillow
• Foam wedge
• Wound dressing
• Antibiotic

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Instructions

• 1

  Reduce pressure on the wound by putting an overlay on your mattress or purchasing a cushion for your chair or wheelchair and changing your body's position frequently. Overlays and cushions are available in different materials such as foam, gel and air- or water-filled chambers. If you are bedridden, change your position or have someone else assist you to change your position at least every two hours. If you are sit in a chair or a wheelchair most of the day, change your position or shift your body weight every 15 minutes. You can use pillows or a foam wedge to help maintain your new position, but make sure there are no wrinkles or seams under your body, which can contribute to pressure wounds.

• 2

  Keep the wound clean, and perform wound care as directed by your physician. Pressure wounds that don't involve a break in the skin are cleaned with mild soap and water daily. Other pressure wounds are generally cleaned with a saline solution during each dressing change. Examples of dressings used to treat pressure wounds include moist gauze dressings and occlusive dressings, like hydrocolloid dressings or transparent dressings. The dressing your physician chooses depends on the amount of drainage produced by the wound, the presence of infection, as well as the size, location and depth of the wound. Moist gauze dressings are changed several times a day, and occlusive dressings are changed every three to seven days.

• 3

  Drink an adequate amount of water daily, and eat a healthy diet. The National Institutes of Health recommends a daily intake of six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water. Consume foods high in vitamin C, protein and zinc, which are substances needed by the body for healing. Foods containing protein include meat, fish, chicken, eggs, milk, yogurt, cheese and soybeans. Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits, green peppers, tomatoes, potatoes and cantaloupe. Foods that contain zinc include beef, pork, lamb, chicken and peanuts.

• 4

  Talk to your physician about wound debridement if your wound has dead or infected tissue, both of which are barriers to wound healing. Your physician removes the unhealthy tissue using surgical or non-surgical methods. The method of debridement depends on the amount and thickness of the unhealthy tissue and your health status. Your physician may also order an oral or topical antibiotic to treat any infection.

• 5

  Practice a healthy lifestyle. Exercise daily to improve circulation and strengthen your body. Your physician or physical therapist can recommend an exercise program that is appropriate for your situation. Talk to your physician about ways to stop smoking because the use of tobacco delays wound healing and damages the skin.