Pressure sores?
 

For somebody who is not in a wheelchair, I sit down at LOT. Probably the equivalent of someone with a full-time desk job. The trouble is, I also sleep in a recliner. I have for almost a year, I think. It's the only way I can sleep that I don't have pain and/or muscle spasms. I'm tilted at the right angle and it "holds" me in the right position.

Ah, there's the rub. (Literally, probably.) I just read that people who spend a lot of time in recliners are more apt to get pressure ulcers. No, no, no, I don't want that. Yes, I KNOW you're supposed to change positions every hour or two. Obviously I don't.

So what do I do to prevent pressure sores? And what can I do if I DO start to get one?

I'd suggest good nutrition and exercise if possible to help avoid pressure ulcers. Can you position pillows under different parts of your body when in the recliner for cushion?

Maybe check yourself with a mirror each day for reddened areas on pressure points like hips, buttocks?

I have a pillow under my lower legs, but it never occurred to me to SIT on a cushion. I mean, it's a recliner, right?

MY RLS probably keeps me from getting any...LOL

5 years in a chair, 24/7 Poise pad wear, but never a sore. Can't turn in bed either. Very alert to possibility, vary my Poise pad placement and vary chair seat (gel/air with a valve)and vary it up and down. Chair seat on with velcro so when on toilet move it a little. So far (knock wood) no problems. Try to keep clean and dry.

Can you afford a gel pad for underneath you? If not that, maybe one of those egg crate type cushions. The gel pads help greatly to relieve pressure on the body parts.

ROHO cushion. Low profile i've used since 1989. I'm a C7 complete paraplegic. $350. Lasts me 5yrs.
Move your weight as well. You'll live longer.

Dr. Leonard's is a catalog with less expensive stuff for non-WCers. I got egg-shell foam to use on my travel scooter but it moved too much during transfer. Good WC cushions can be expensive. (*&^% B@$^@%s) making money off us crips! :D

Google Dr. Leonard - choose online - enter subject Cushion.

I won't go into the reason here, but I sit much of the day, and my butt is sore from my clothes rubbing against the skin. I have tried different cushions, lotions. Laugh, if you wish, but it occurred to me today to try plastic wrap around my butt and see if that helps. What do I have to lose. Perhaps the laugh of the day.

To me lotion and bubble wrap being non-porous and causing heat and sweat sound dangerous to me. I stay away from heat and dampness.

You are correct. I appreciate your input.:)

I appreciate the suggestions so far. I see my PCP next month, and I'm going to see if there's any chance he would prescribe one of those $$$ cushions. First I'm going to see if my insurance even covers DME.

In doing a little research, I found one thing (at least) that I'm doing wrong, and hope it doesn't come back to bite me. I do a lot of sliding/dragging myself to get off my recliner, sofa, and bed. And because of the muscle problems I've been having with my legs, I also tend to slide forward in the chair. Sliding/dragging = bad.

I have one cheap ($20-30) cushion that does seem to help. I've ordered a couple similar ones (thank God for Amazon), and I think I'll get some kind of cushion for the car. I can't imagine squirming around on that hard car seat trying to keep my legs "comfortable" is a good idea either.

I get major pressure sores
 

Trust me you will know when you have one. You don't need to look with a mirror. They are painful buggers and take a long time to heal. As soon as you notice one get all pressure off that area immediately. Lay down, sit weird, don't wear any underwear- whatever it takes. Sit baths help. Do not try and squeeze it. Take it from me on that. Unless you want to be maimed for life. I got a topper for my bed at Costco that is made out of that squeeshy foam stuff (I can't remember the name right now). You know what I'm talking about the expensive, good mattress 's all have it now. It was only 120 bucks and has been a life saver. They sell pillows and cushions made out of it too. This helps a lot. Also I used to work for a company that sold sheepskins to people who were in wheelchairs. They all claimed this was a life saver for pressure sores. I bought one of the rugs and lay on it and it has helped a lot too. Company is called ruff tuff products.

Blessings2You, Good luck with your problem. It appears to me that you are very uncomfortable.

For me, the above posts will be of help. Thanks.:)

Something funny
 

Guess what the name of the squeeshy foam topper for the mattress is that I could not remember the name of? Per above post by me. Memory foam. Isn't that f-ing funny. I have to laugh or I would cry. Lord help me. Keep your head up people. Hope everyone is having a decent day. Try to keep a sense of humor. I find this to be crucial. Love to you all.

Yeah, shearing, not good. :(

Three major factors in the development of pressure ulcers are (1) prolonged pressure on a part due to the weight of the body or a limb; (2) a shearing force that exerts downward and forward pressure on tissues beneath the skin (this can occur when the patient slides downward while sitting in a bed or chair, or when bedclothes are forcibly pulled from under the patient); and (3) nutritional status: good nutrition is essential for preventing pressure ulcers and healing already existing ones; a dietary deficiency should be suspected with a loss of 5 per cent or more of body weight or a serum albumin level below 3.5 mg/dl.

http://medical-dictionary.thefreedic...pressure+ulcer

the best way to treat a pressure sore is to prevent it. they are caused by too much and continuous, pressure on an area of the body. usually the butt/coccyx.
they're seen a lot in hospitals and nursing homes because people don't get turned. they're also caused by folks not being cleaned and laying in dirt and wet.

they're very hard to heal and can go down to the bone. very, very painful.
that's the worst case scenario. any areas of reddness on the skin should be CAREFULLY and GENTLY massaged to try to improve circulation and blood flow to the area. i doubt it will come down to any of that for you. stay clean and dry, avoid friction and watch the pressure.