Pressure Sores

Hi All

I have been given a strange cushion to, hopefully, keep pressure sores away. However, I seem to be in Stage 1 of a pressure sore. The advice is to keep moving. Easier said than done when you cannot move/walk. I have tried wriggling but this lasts only for a few seconds.

Any advice and/or suggestions would be most welcome.

Hugs to you all

Anna

[Terry]

Not sure what stage one pressure sores are and I have never had anything other than hips feeling sores whilst in bed.

Your new mattress should help if it's one that moves. You can get air cushions for a chair that move as well. Who said about your sores and ask them for more help.

I have heard that once you've got proper sores they are a real problem to get rid of and getting someone to more you every couple of hours would probably be very good until the new mattress comes.

Hope they are not to bad Anna.

Love Terry

[Cookewitch]

There are special creams that you can get on prescription which help if you don't have them already. Proshield is one and this is better used as a preventative. If you have what could become a pressure sore you're better off with Cavilon.

[DaiTheDragon]

I had air mattress delivered Monday. Don't think I need it yet but I believe in getting something before I actually need it.
If you have sores try E45 or the same stuff as you put on babies bottom, or wherever the sore

[Candle]

The only solution to preventing a stage one developing further is to remove the pressure. Depending on where the sore is will depend on how much you can do for yourself without further assistance. If it hasn't got better in 2-3 days or has got worse don't wait to seek further advice as they can be difficult to get rid of the more immobile people are.

[Tikitiboo?]

Thank you so much for your helpful comments. Stage 1 pressure sore is when the area is a bit red and inflamed. Thanks to you I have been having Cavilon put on and Proshield is being collected from the doctors.

I am pleased to report the sore looks a lot better this morning. I have found that sitting and sleeping in my MND recliner has enabled me to move the chair in various positions, from sitting upright to lying down, and consequently takes the pressure off the sore.

I am going to start a thread about sleeping in my recliner versus bed.

Many thanks again.

Hugs
Anna

[willsandco]

yes, please start a thread. I am not there yet but I will be, I suppose. I am becoming persuaded by events that the days of my Rollator are decreasing. I was pushing it yesterday when my legs just buckled and I dropped to the ground. Wheelchairs in future, I suppose but it is a sad realisation! I have a recliner from MNDA too and it is useful to raise me up but I wouldn't fancy sleeping on it all night, to be truthful! So post that thread! Much love. Joycie. X

[Terry]

Hi Joycie;

Sorry to hear that you've hit the ground again. It might help to have a bit of weight in the rollator. I have a gallon of water in mine and it makes it very stable so that any LITTLE over balances can be held. Won't help if you have a total buckle much though.

Love Terry

[willsandco]

thanks Terry, that is really useful. I made the mistake of going to the farm shop, up a mud track to look at plants. It wasn't stable and I just fell , well I really don't know what happened, but I sank to the floor. I came home, hole in my knee but trousers not split at all (how does that happen?) Peter has put a plaster on it and it will be OK. Much love Joycie xx

[Wise owl]

Hi Joycie, hope the knee is on the mend.
Had a fall with my rollator too, with a very painful landing onto the wheel with my backside. Didn't need a plaster ( don't think they do them big enough though ) my fall was done outside, caused by the brakes not working well in the wet, so similar to your muddy track then Joycie? You have to see the funny side of the situations we get ourselves into don't you think? Wonky legs, can't swap them or trade them in for a new pair, can you?
Hugs to you both, Mick & Jayne.

[Cookewitch]

Glad you've got the creams Anna, Cavilon worked wonders on an area Dad had that was deemed stage 1.

[FlyingSoupDragon]

Sheepskin has wonderful properties. I use it beneath me in bed or chair. It provides a breathable surface which regulates temperature, relieves pressure points and helps prevent sores, Fingers crossed - I have never had a problem. Amazon do a range of them, try a double. Short pile 'medical' are probably best, but I use large rugs and feel like Genghis Khan in repose. LOL

Happy snoozing -Tikitiboo!

[Dude]

I have the starting of a pressure sore on my ankle bone. I put honey cream on from District nurse and a small square of silicon sheet held on with sock.

[Gillette]

I've been reading through some of the threads on the Tips & Experiences board and came across this one.

I have an area on the right cheek of my bottom (probably 1.5" x 1") which gets really painful. Just occasionally it gets a bit red but, most of the time, there is no discernible difference in colour.

I am not mobile, need to be hoisted to transfer and am now unable to shift about when seated. Obviously I am pretty high risk for developing pressure sores so I am very careful.

My MND consultant checked the area on my right cheek last time I saw him and wasn't concerned about it. However, I am very mindful of the problems that pressure sores can cause and don't want it to develop into one, so I have Proshield applied to the area.

It was useful to read that Proshield is best used as a preventive and Cavilon as treatment.

[Ellie]

Hi Dina,

I'm sorry you've a sore bottom and I don't want to sound alarmist, but you need to act fast to stop the pressure area developing further.

First off, your wheelchair cushion isn't good enough for you as you're at very high risk for pressure sores, so your OT needs to assess you and give you an appropriate cushion (most likely air or gel) Proper pressure relief cushions are expensive, but much, much cheaper than treating pressure sores, which are notoriously difficult to heal. You should use the tilt function on your wheelchair a few times during the day to redistrubite your weight on the seat.

If you use a riser-recliner armchair, you'll need pressure relief for it too, as you will for your bed - the OT will look at these too.

Both Proshield and Cavilon are barrier creams (Cavilon isn't a treatment cream) and do the same job but Cavilon is more durable with respect to moisture.

Secondly, I'd trust the opinion of a Community Nurse on pressure areas more than that of an MND Consultant, no disrespect intended! Pressure sores are those nurses' bread and butter. Or an MND Nurse, if you don't see a Community Nurse. (If you attend a hospice, their Nurses are the best for spotting pressure areas!!)

Pressure areas can be in tissue under the skin before they are visible as discoloured skin on the surface.

So, that's what I meant about not wanting to sound alarmist but prevention is absolutely better than cure in this case...

Best wishes.

Love Ellie.