Bed Sores

Dear Nurse Dave,
What are bed sores and is this something I need to worry about?
Mitchell, Winthrop, MA

Mitchell you probably don't need to worry about them but bed sores are very real. In the nursing industry we call them pressure ulcers. They come in four stages and happen to people that can't move themselves. People with spinal injuries commonly get pressure ulcers but pressure ulcers can happen in other ways too. For example patients on ventilators usually are given enough sedation that they don't actually move themselves so without constant repositioning they can develop sores. It is generally accepted practice to "turn" the patient every 2 hours. The worst ones that I've seen have happened outside the hospital and bone has been peaking through. These sores generally occur at points on the body where there is constant pressure. Like the coccyx.

Good luck Mitchell and stay off your backside!