How to prevent pressure ulcer

            Pressure ulcer refers to skin injuries and underlying tissue that result from prolonged pressure on the skin or a combination of pressure with shear. This condition develops when a large quantity pressure is applied to a given area of skin within a shortest period. This condition can be prevented in the following ways. One of the ways to prevent it is frequent change of body positions (Stonelake, 2015). When this is done frequently, less pressure will always be applied on the skin hence reducing on the risk to develop pressure ulcer. Repositioning of the body is a good idea and it should be done in every couple of hours for instance after lying on the back for some time, one may turn to the side. It is also important to keep one’s skin clean and dry. A clean and a dry skin is less likely to develop pressure ulcer. Another way to prevent it is through use of pillows between parts of the body. It is recommendable that people should use a pillow under tailbones, heels, shoulders and elbows (Stonelake, 2015). Physical exercise is also another way of preventing pressure ulcer. Performing a number of motion exercises can help the risk of pressure ulcer. Nutrition is also another factor that may help in the prevention of this disease. A healthy feeding with a balanced diet containing enough protein, variety of vitamins and minerals can help in preventing skin damage. Finally, it is important to check on one’s skin regularly for any signs of pressure ulcer for instance discoloured skin (Stonelake, 2015). Checking for such signs may also help one to deal with such a condition before getting the infection.

References

Stonelake, K. M. (2015). Skin Care Pocket Guide to Reduce the Incidence of Pressure Ulcers. MEDSURG Nursing, 1-8.