Bed Sores: Causes and Complications

Continuous pressure on skin often results in injuries to the underlying tissues, causing what are generally known as skin sores. Though they generally occur in areas that cover bony areas like hips, ankles and tail bones, the part below the waist is most susceptible to them.

There are multiple reasons that cause bed sores. Some common causes include: 

• Immobility
• Inactivity
• Poor nutrition
• Smoking

However there are other more important causes that contribute to this disease. They are:

1. Constant pressure: Continuous immobility often causes pressure on the skin that further damages it and the underlying tissues. Tail bone, hip bone, ankles and heels are more prone to bed sores due to lack of movement. However similar damage is also detected in elbows, spine and ribs.

2. Friction: The friction that is caused when the skin rubs against another surface or when two layers of skin rub against each other, those that were moving in two opposite directions also result in bedsores. Sudden sliding down the chair or being transferred from a bed to a stretcher are common reasons behind it. 

3. Excessive moisture: Bed sores are also caused by excessive moisture that softens the skin and also reduces its resistance. Profuse perspiration and unchecked urination are important causes. If untreated immediately there are plenty of complications that arise from this disease. Few of them are: 

• Infections: Skin sore causes multiple infections on the body like Cellulitis and Osteomyelitis. Cellulitis results in painful, red swelling of the skin that often oozes out fluid. On the other hand in Osteomyelitis, an infection is caused in the bone resulting in swelling over the affected area. Blood infection called Bacteremia is also caused due to skin sores. 
• Septic arthritis: In this there is severe pain and swelling of a joint making it hot, red and tender.
• Meningitis: Caused by the infection of the fluid around brain and spine, this disease causes severe headache with stiff neck and nausea. 
• Squamous Skin cancer: This occurs if the skin sores remain unchecked for a long period of time. In this, the skin feels patchy and often bleeds.