How Bedsores Can Be Treated at Nursing Homes

New medical research being cited by the Mayo Clinic provides some insight into how bedsores can be prevented or treated at nursing homes in Virginia.

In a recently researched article entitled "Bedsores: Treatments and Drugs" that can be found at http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/bedsores/DS00570/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs (accessed on March 23, 2011), doctors and staff report that bedsores are patches of damaged skin, also known as "pressure sores" or sometimes "pressure ulcers."

These bedsores develop as a result of sustained pressure cutting off circulation to a patient's skin. Human tissue dies without adequate blood supply, and can become seriously infected.

Nursing home patients are the most vulnerable of patient populations, as they are often confined to beds or wheelchairs. Bedsores can develop and progress quickly, and often are difficult to heal.

Doctors say that bedsores can be prevented by frequently moving patients and keeping skin dry and clean.

Bedsores may be a sign that a patient is not receiving the necessary attention from nursing home staff, i.e. existing wounds are not being redressed properly or new sores are developing as a result of lack of bodily movement.

Doctors, including orthopedists and neurologists, and specialty staff, including physical therapists, may have to be called in to consult on nursing home bedsore cases, according to the Mayo Clinic brief.

Bedsores can be treated with topical and oral antibiotics. Non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs also can be helpful for patients suffering with these wounds, as well as a change of diet. Often, patients don't drink enough water, i.e. they are not fully hydrated, and, therefore, have exceedingly dry skin, according to the Mayo Clinic.

"Pressure sores that fail to heal may require surgical intervention," the Mayo Clinic brief added. "The goals of surgery include improving the hygiene and appearance of the sore, preventing or treating infection, reducing fluid loss through the wound, and lowering the risk of cancer."

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