Home Remedies for Bed Sores
Known to doctors as decubitus ulcers, bed sores (or pressure sores) are the result of skin being suffocated beneath the weight of the body. These lesions are caused by continuous extended pressure on the skin, usually in an area over a prominent bone or cartilage structure such as the hips or tailbone.
This pressure restricts the flow of blood, and therefore the supply of oxygen and nutrients, to that part of the skin. Ultimately, the smaller blood vessels clot and a sore red patch of skin appears. If not attended to, it can crack open and develop into a painful wound.
The first sign of a developing pressure sore is reddening of the skin. There may be local swelling or hardening of the tissue as well. Eventually, if the pressure is not relieved, the skin breaks down and ulcerates, and infection may take hold. Obviously, people who are confined to bed for long periods are most at risk for this problem. Wheelchair users also have an increased risk of developing pressure sores.
An individual who suffers from impaired wound healing, common in older adults and people with diabetes, can develop bed sores rather quickly.
When it comes to bed sores, prevention is better than treatment. It is also necessary to rule out the possibility that another disorder might be mimicking a bedsore, especially if the sore appears to be spreading at an unusually fast rate. Herpes lesions, bacterially induced ulcers, and even skin cancers can look like bed sores, but require different treatment.
Home remedies for Bed Sores
Bed Sores Remedies #1: Vitamin C is an anti-inflammatory and is vital for the health of the skin and blood vessels. A study reported in the British Medical Journal found that bedridden patients with bedsores had significantly lower levels of vitamin C in their blood than did similar patients who were free of bedsores. Take 500 milligrams of vitamin C and an equal amount of bioflavonoids three times daily.
Bed Sores Remedies #2: Zinc supports the immune system and promotes wound healing. Take 15 milligrams three times daily. Take zinc with food to prevent stomach upset. If you take over 30 milligrams of zinc on a daily basis for more than one or two months, you should also take 1 to 2 milligrams of copper each day to maintain a proper mineral balance.
HERBAL TREATMENT FOR BED SORES
The following suggestions should be used only if the wound is closed. Open wounds should be attended to by a health-care practitioner.
Bed Sores Remedies #3: Aloe vera, applied topically in ointment, gel, or cream form, is effective in healing sores.
Bed Sores Remedies #4: Topical calendula cream is very soothing and healing to wounds. Use it as directed on the product label.
Bed Sores Remedies #5: Goldenseal is a natural antiseptic; vitamin E is healing and soothing to the skin. Make a paste by combining the contents of three 500-milligram capsules of goldenseal (or 1 teaspoon of goldenseal powder) and 800 international units of vitamin E (pierce capsules and squeeze out the oil). If the resulting mixture is too dry, add a few drops of olive oil. Apply this to the affected area three times daily.
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