30/01/2025
🩹 Pressure injuries are no joke 🩺
If you’re looking for assessment or support, the Rose Life Care - Community Nurses & Allied health team is available for assistance.
✅ Home Care Package
✅ Private Care Options Available
☎️ 07 4184 9922
📧 info@roselifecare.com.au
Pressure, pushin' down on you... and your skin can cause pressure injuries. 😩
Pressure injuries, or pressure ulcers, develop when an area of skin is damaged due to constant pressure or friction. They're more likely to occur if you have thin skin or limited mobility, like when injured in a plaster cast, regularly using a wheelchair, or on bed rest.
There are four stages of pressure ulcers:
🤕 Stage one: a red, blue or purplish area that appears like a bruise.
🤕 Stage two: damaged skin, that looks like an abrasion or a blister and may be painful.
🤕 Stage three: a crater-like wound that deepens into the skin.
🤕 Stage four: further damage extending into the muscle, bone, or joints.
If left untreated, pressure injuries can cause permanent damage to the affected areas, sepsis, secondary infections and potentially even cancer.
The good news is that pressure injuries are preventable!
If you, or someone you care for, are at risk of developing pressure injuries, make sure to:
🩹 change body positions as frequently as possible to relieve constant pressure
🩹 use pressure-relieving products, like gel pads or air mattresses
🩹 stay hydrated and use moisturising products to prevent dry skin
🩹 frequently check your skin for redness or discolouration, particularly on bony areas or skin under and around casts, splints, braces or medical equipment.
Pressure injuries are best managed in the early stages. If you see signs of a pressure injury, on yourself or someone you care for, it's best to see your doctor or GP to treat it sooner rather than later.
ℹ Sources: Healthdirect. The Royal Children's Hospital. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Better Health Channel.