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Home remedies for Bed Sores include use of honey, aloe vera, papaya milk, comfrey leaves, elm, turmeric powder, witch hazel and myrrh, vitamin and fiber rich diet, water etc. Bed Sores are lesion or wounds, which in due course of time take shape of an ulcer resulting in itching and inflammation of surrounding area. If not treated at appropriate time, it may lead to life threatening situations. These can be avoided by keeping oneself clean and dry and changing posture regularly so as to avoid pressure to be built at a particular area.
Decubitous ulcer, which in common terms is referred to as bed sores, pressure sores or ulcers may simply be described as a lesion, break or swelling in the skin which fails to heal and the damaged area results in inflammation of the area surrounding it. Such sores occur mostly in bed ridden, disabled paralyzed, coma patients, many elderly and senior citizens of the world who aren’t able to alter their positions regularly, leading to increased pressure over abaxial portions of the body.
These specific areas include buttocks, pelvis, heels, lower side of legs and back. Resting patients who have underwent operations also suffer from bed sores at peculiar places like spine, head, shoulder balde and joints like ankle, elbow and knees due to their fixed position.
Small bed sores need to be dressed regularly, while excoriations require plastic surgery. There are other treatments also available which are expensive, time consuming and painful like ‘Electric Stimulation’, ‘Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy’, ‘Vacuum Assisted Closure’ etc. If not treated timely, bed sores can lead to cut off from rest of the body’s blood circulation ensuing in amputation or even life periling situations. This helps in maintenance of skin integrity and thus tiny cracks are reduced so that further spread of inflammation and entry of pathogens is prevented. Home remedies help in complete cure of ulcers at early stages of their appearance.
It is easy to detect the formation of bed sore at its earliest and as soon as they are observed, the treatment should begin. Main symptoms of bed sores:
- Itching in the areas which suffer excessive pressure
- Tearing or lesions on skin, especially over bony areas
- Reddened skin which on pressing does not turns white
- Affected area remains warm and tender
- Pus formation or swelling giving a bad smell
- Sore, blister or small crater begins to appear at later stages
- Pain in joints and muscles
Care of bed ridden individuals can prove advantageous in resolution of bed sores development in early stages. Some of the home remedies which need to be followed before the occurrence of sores and throughout the course of development of bed sores are underlined below:
- Vitamin Rich Diet: All essential vitamins like A, B, C, D and E should be consumed by bed-ridden, hospitalized and old age individuals in order to prevent the development of bed sores. Oils containing Vitamin E should be applied over the body.
- Fiber Rich Diet: Body needs to heal the sores by making up the wear and tear loss and deposition of protein fibers for quick healing. Consumption of beetroot, beans, lentil, rice bran and fruits can fill in the place. Moreover, meat and fat rich diet should be avoided.
- Honey: Dressing the bed sore area with bandage coated with a thick paste of sugar or honey causes detoxification of the wound as it kills the germs. But, the paste should not be dilute as it may enhance the growth of pathogens rather than destroying them. In Colombia, some doctors use thin slices of raw sugar for treating the sores.
- Aloe Vera: Wounds can be cleansed with saline spray containing Aloe vera gel to keep them clean and prevent them from being spread.
- Papaya Milk: Bandage soaked with papaya ‘milk’ from either trunk or green fruit can be applied at least thrice a day until the dead flesh is ward off.
- Comfrey Leaves and Elm: Equal parts of slippy elm and comfrey leaf powder are made into a paste. This paste is when places over a cloth and applied over the sore by leaving it overnight for healing does help in the healing process.
- Turmeric Powder: For disinfecting the pressure sore, turmeric powder can be sprinkled over the affected area.
- Witch Hazel and Myrrh: Sores may also be washed 2 to 4 times a day with a mixture of witch hazel that act as an astringent and myrrh resin.
- Water: Water keeps skin soft and removes dead tissues. So at least 8 to 10 glasses are a must.
Some Other House Hold Tricks
A bed ridden patient should remember to switch over his position at regular intervals. A change in posture at every 2 hours has been recommended by experts. It should also be born in mind by the individual suffering from bed sores that smoking causes dryness and reduced blood supply to the skin, leading to formation of bed sores as well as decelerating the healing process. Hence, smoking must be avoided at this point of time. Usage of caffeinated drinks like tea and coffee should also be brought down.
In routine life, ripple mattress or bed should be used to maintain proper blood circulation. To help guard the areas of the body which suffer lot of pressure, pillows, soft cushions and sheepskin or blankets should be brought into use. While doing sedentary work for long hours, one should remove shoes and braces. People using wheel chair should have seat cushions that can fit into the body as well as their wheel chair.
To sum up, massaging body regularly, avoiding friction, sliding or any kind of rubbing of the body parts, keeping oneself dry and clean all the time, and eating nutritive and fiber rich diet can prevent you suffer from bed sores. As is always said- ‘Prevention is better than cure.’
This article was contributed by Seema Adnani
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References: Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin and British Journal of Community Nursing
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