What is a bedsore (pressure sore, pressure ulcer, pressure sore, decubitus ulcer)?

A type of wound: A wound caused by unrelieved pressure on an area of the body. Contact with any surface (bed, chair, medical devices such as splints or wheelchair footrests) can cause a bedsore. Pressure from the surface restricts blood flow and causes local tissue to die. The skin opens up & a wound is visible as the body gets rid of the dead tissue.

Wound : Pressure sores or decubitus ulcers are wounds caused by unrelieved pressure. Pressure restricts blood flow and the tissue in the area can die. Places where the pressure is the highest are more likely to get these wounds (tailbone, buttocks, heels etc) people who are unable to move because of stroke or spinal cord injury are at risk. Frequent changes in position (each 2 hours) helps in prevention.

Wounds: Pressure sores can become complicated with infection, especially in diabetic patients. It is important to keep the wounds clean. Antibiotics can prevent spread of infection.

Skin wound over bone: It is an injury to skin and tissues underneath from prolonged continuous pressure on the skin. The heel, ankles, hips or buttocks are the areas most commonly affected because the skin covers the bone. Direct pressure to the skin over the bone will cause decreased blood supply and will initiate the bedsore process.

Chronic skin injury: Pressure ulcer is the description of the injury to the skin when pressure is applied to the skin over a protracted period of time. Patients in coma who do not get turned can get buttock, back or shoulder ulcers. Patients who are paralyzed can get pressure injury because they have no feeling in paralyzed area. Any bone deformity can cause pressure from bone pushing outward abnormally.

Bed sore: These terms are used to describe a wound that has as its primary cause pressure. They do not necessarily need to be caused by a bed.