After a spinal cord injury, our skin is affected in many ways, so skin care turns critically essential.
Generally, the nerves send messages of pain or discomfort to our brain so that we can do something to make ourselves comfortable. Whereas, after an SCI, impaired sensation makes the messages hard to reach the brain. As a result, it’s hard for individuals with a spinal cord injury to receive warning signals to tell them that they have been in a fixed position for too long.
The long-time pressure in the same skin area collapses blood vessels, causing pressure sores or ulcers. Pressure ulcers, also called bedsores, range in severity from mild (minor skin reddening) to severe (deep craters that can infect muscle and bone). Unrelieved pressure on the skin squeezes tiny blood vessels, which supply the skin with nutrients and oxygen. When skin is starved of blood for too long, tissue dies and a pressure ulcer forms. Furthermore, if not treated, pressure scores can ulcerate, leading to a medical emergency and prolonged hospital stay.
Fortunately, pressure sores are preventable with some scientific techniques and methods.
Several skin care methods to prevent from pressure sores
- Skin stays healthy with a good diet, good hygiene and regular pressure relief.
- Keep the skin clean and dry: moist skin from sweat or bodily discharges is more likely to break down.
- A healing wound or sore can lose more than a quart of water daily. Drinking 8 to 12 cups of water daily is not too much. But notice beer and wine do not count; alcohol causes you to lose water or become dehydrated.
We listed several methods for proper skin care in the post. If interested, you can learn how to prevent and treat pressure sores from the complete, informative page. In addition, don’t hesitate to visit our services page. We will support you with a range of services.
