Prevention is preferable to treating bedsores

BOSTON, MA — It’s a good thing we toss and turn in bed. That movement continually redistributes the pressure between our bodies and the mattress. If illness or injury prevents you from moving around, pressure builds up on specific areas of the body. This can cause skin and other tissues to die, creating a bedsore. A few simple steps, however, can help prevent these painful, dangerous, and costly sores, reports the November 2006 issue of the Harvard Health Letter.

Bedsores, as with any other type of open wound, create a ready opportunity for infections that may spread to the surrounding skin, deeper tissue, bone, and the blood. They can also cause loss of fluid and protein, leaving patients dehydrated and malnourished. The cost of treating a bedsore is extremely high. According to one estimate, caring for a single, deep-tissue bedsore can cost upwards of $70,000.

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