Living with pressure sores is never an enjoyable experience. If you are at risk of developing them, or you are taking care of someone who might be at risk, get informed about pressure sores to avoid developing these unpleasant injuries. This guide will tell you the best ways to prevent and care for pressure sores. What are pressure sores and what causes them? Pressure sores are also described as bed sores, pressure ulcers or decubitus ulcers. They are formed when constant pressure on part of the skin causes the blood vessels feeding that part to shut down. At first, this causes a red or dark patch on the skin. As further pressure is applied, the skin continues to deteriorate, breaking down to form blisters and dead skin, and then going on to affect underlying tissues, bones and joints. Pressure sores can appear on any part of the body, but will usually develop on parts most susceptible to pressure when sitting or lying down, e.g., the lower back, buttocks, shoulders, hips, heels, knees and ankles. In general, people who are bed-bound or in wheelchairs are particularly susceptible to developing bed pressure sores. Other factors that increase the likelihood of developing these sores include old age, immobility, incontinence, malnutrition and dehydration, diseases that slow healing, mental disorders that result in a lack of awareness about the bodys condition and the taking of certain medications such as sedatives. How will I know if I have a pressure sore? There are four stages of severity in the development of a pressure sore. - Initially, you may find it appears as a red area of skin (or a darker area of skin than normal on darker skins). It is a mark that doesnÂt disappear after a few hours and may also feel tender. Sometimes, the initial appearance of a pressure sore may appear like a bruise  purple in color and painful to touch. - The second stage may include a partial loss of skin that may appear as a blister, shallow crater or abrasion. - The third stage of severity involves a full skin loss which extends to the underlying skin tissue. - The last stage involves a total skin loss and the sore extends to the underlying tissue, muscle and bone. How do I treat existing sores? Properly caring for your existing pressure sore is the best way to promote healing and prevent it from becoming more severe. You might be caring for your pressure sores yourself or have a caregiver who cares for them, but it is always best to be informed about the process. Here are four main steps that need to be followed: 1. Pressure relief Continuing to place pressure on an existing pressure sore will aggravate the sore and prevent it from healing. Instead, it is essential to relieve the area from any form of pressure. If possible invest in a pressure-reliving mattress or pressure relieving aids such as cushions to help you. 2. Cleaning Pressure sores will heal well if they are kept clean and it will also ensure the prevention of infection. This means they should be free of dead tissue, have excess fluid drained away from the sore and should also be clear of any other debris. A healthcare professional should show you how to clean or rinse the sore and also how to wipe away any loose material. The right equipment and methods should be used too. If too much force is used, it can aggravate the sore or if not enough force is used, the wound may not be cleansed properly. 3. Removing dead tissue Dead tissue which is present in the pressure sore can lead to infection and prevent the sore from healing. Your healthcare professional will usually carry out the process of removing the dead tissue. Since it may be painful, a pain-reliever may be taken beforehand. Procedures that may be used can range from simply rinsing the sore to applying enzyme medications to dissolve the dead tissue. In rare cases, surgery to remove deeply embedded dead tissue may be required. 4. Dressings It is important to choose the right dressings to care for your pressure sores. Speak to your healthcare professional about the different types available. You will require different types depending on the type that will best aid healing, how often the dressing needs to be changed and whether or not the sore is infected. Dressings are normally required to keep the sore moist and the surrounding skin dry. What else should I know? When cleaning your sores, it is a good time to check for signs that it is healing well. Ideally, you should see signs of a sore healing within 2 to 4 weeks. This includes seeing a decrease in the size and depth of a sore and a decrease in drainage. Also, you should look out for any signs that the sore has become infected as the infection can spread to the underlying tissues, bones and even to the rest of the body. Signs of infection include having think green or yellow drainage, a foul odor, redness, warmth or tenderness surrounding the sore and swelling. Watch out for signs of fever, chills, weakness, confusion, difficulty concentrating and rapid heart beat that can indicate the infection might have spread throughout the body. If you are concerned and experience any of these symptoms, contact your healthcare provider immediately. To manage the pain that pressure sores cause, changing your body position is often a factor that helps. In addition, some patients may choose to take an over-the-counter pain reliever or ask their doctor for a prescription. How can I avoid developing pressure sores? There are many ways to prevent pressure sores from occurring. Try to incorporate the following tips into your daily routine: - Examine yourself very carefully ever day for any signs of sores developing. Recognizing you have a sore developing at an early stage will help you take care of it and prevent it from becoming more severe. - Eat a nutritious and balanced diet, with extra protein to help keep your skin tissue healthy. A good diet will ensure your body has what it needs to heal itself well and cope with infection. - Use barrier creams or protective creams to protect areas that are susceptible to becoming moist. - Protect vulnerable areas of your body from pressure, fiction and moisture. If you are in a wheelchair or undertaking bed rest, it is essential that you change your body position every two hours (or it is recommended that those sitting down change positions every hour). Your caregiver or physician can give you guidance on which positions are best to use. - Keep you skin clean, dry and well-moisturized. Moisturize your skin thoroughly after washing as skin can be weakened when it dries out. Avoid using talcum powder which depletes the skinÂs natural oils. - Make sure any existing sores are cleaned, dressed and bandaged properly. - Drink at least 2 liters of fluid a day. - Make sure there are no wrinkles or crumbs on your bed sheets or chair. - Go to great lengths to avoid rubbing areas of your skin that could get sore. This includes avoiding dragging your heels or elbows when moving around in bed. - Invest in pressure-relieving aids such as pillows, sheepskins and foam pads. The best investment patients can make to prevent pressures sores is buying a good pressure mattress. These mattresses are designed to relieve any pressure that is exerted on a patient when lying down. Some designs even help reposition the patientÂs weight every few minutes, meaning there is no need to continually reposition them. Pressure-relieving mattresses are one of the best tools used to prevent the development of pressure sores. Rachel Clarkson is a bed sores specialist and a big fan and promoter of "The Volkner Turning Mattress": http://www.Volkner.com

I just noted that I wrote I wasnt putting a essential oil recipe in there for cleaning wooden floors, but there is one in there. Note though, that I havent ever used that recipe as I dont have wood floors, so I cant 100% say it wont take the shine off. If you want to try it, just do a test spot in a hidden area. Also, I dont know if I can give people my e-mail address if they want a printable version of this? Or my environmental group on myspace? Can I? Will someone please tell me so that I can put this info down if someone wants me to send them out a printable copy? Oh, and sorry it took me so long to get this up online sylviatexas! Thanks, sammie

Well, I'd be more worried about finding a replacement I love than getting rid of one I didn't, lol. I did buy a really nice mail order pure natural organic latex mattress that is really comfy. Firm on one side and a bit softer on the other, but neither is really soft like a memory foam or gel one is. Let me see if I can figure out the brand and will let you know. The first one they sent was an undersized queen and they promptly replaced it. The second one is better but they are not generous in their measurements. It's in a guest room and everyone seems to like it. I'll come back and post the name when I find it. eta: that was easy, it is Zenhaven. They have the Zenhaven and the Saatva hybrid; I got the Zenhaven. It is flippable, so should last almost a lifetime. The last pure latex mattress I had lasted 40 years, lol. Zenhaven

I went out shopping again last night and only found one Serta Spring Free II style (all latex) and very firm to me and on sale for $1799 from $1999 so I assume maybe the lowest model in the line. It had no type of pillow or Euro top which added to the firm feel. Interesting that they had the expensive memory foam Temperpedic beds and the sales person was very honest and said she hardly shows them as they are hard to get, expensive and people say they are too hot. In that department store I liked a Simmons Beautyrest similar to what acla described, which has the indivual coils plus three foams layers on top of visco, latex and another. The mattress is also available in "firm or plush top" and a very good price of $1049 from $2099. It was the only one I tried that felt supportive when I moved with that "holding" feeling, which is what I need with this back of mine as it is so vulnerable and could "go out" just by turning too fast in bed. Second department store only had one latex bed by Therapedic (never heard of it) claiming to be all "natural" with a cover made from bamboo and cashmere. It was the Pure Touch Natural Sensations style but from reading the store display the cover was the most "natural" feature and only 2" of natural talalay latex the 3" of some sort of synthetic foam layered with "various other foams" so a bit of a disappointment. It was comfy though and a good price of $1599 for $1199 for a queen but edges not supportive at all and the quality was questionable in my eyes. Lynn, what is the cost of shipping back a Flo Bed, how do you package it and do you do a UPS pickup or have to take it to a shipping facility? I haven't ruled out the Flobed as find being able to switch out the inside very tempting so still is the running. Another new factor in the scenerio are the various return policies with the first store having a "30 day comfort" warranty and if you dislike the mattress you have two weeks after the 30 days to choose another and it will be delivered and switched at no charge. Unless I can find something I am 99% sure, or a store with a similar policy, of I will more than likely try to purchase from that store. (Sleepy's said no returns as did Dept. Store #2). The saga continues and today a rainy one so I am on another mission to find a store that hopefully carries more styles in the Sealy Spring Free.