Bedsores and waterbeds
What Causes Bedsores ?
When a person is confined to a bed or wheelchair for a long period of time,
extra pressure is exerted on certain parts of the body. Sitting involves mainly the buttocks while reclining also includes the shoulder blades, 'elbows, leg calves, and heels. At these "pressure points" the tissue is pressed between the hard underlying bone and the surface of the bed. The blood vessels in this tissue cells. If this pressure is prolonged, the cells, deprived of their vital blood supply, begin to die, causing a "decubitus ulcer" or bedsore.
Normally a person shifts his position often enough to relieve these pressure points and maintain proper blood flow. However, people that are confined to a bed or wheelchair due to chronic illness have constant pressure exerted at these points, causing ulcers. These ulcers are difficult and expensive to treat and can sometimes even result in death.
Treatment
Treatment and prevention of ulcers depends upon reducing the pressure of these critical parts of the body. Methods such as use or air, silicone, and foam rubber mattresses, regular turning of patients, and surgical closure have been tried with much expense and difficulty, in attaining success. A satisfactory method of treatment and prevention is now avaliable through the use of a water-filled flotation mattress.
Common Patients
Any patient who is immobilized due to some illness such as spinal cord injuries, coma, hip fractures, diseases of the circulatory system, cancer or any medical problem which requires prolonged bed time, is susceptible to bed sores.
The most common sites involve the sacrum, the shins, elbows, heels, rib cage, both sides of the ankle joints and shoulder blades.
The incidence of bed sores in chronic illness varies from 10 - 30%. However, in the older population, late 60's to early 70's, it is a high as 60%
Patient Benefits
Through the use of a flotation system, a person can prevent the formation of decubitus ulcers. Patients who have already formed ulcers can expect more rapid healing when switched to a flotation mattress. This healing may be up to three times faster than without the use of the flotation surface.
The patient will also have the added benefits of the improvement in sleep and general circulation.
The Journal of Amercian Medical Association reports on a study done at the Easter seal Rehabilitation Centre of Eastern Fairfax County in Bridgeport that, five hundred patients slept on flotation mattreses over a three year period, and "not one developed an ulcer." Furthermore, ulcers already present in some patients healed more rapidly than expected.
A clinical trial conducted at the Jersey City Medical Centre as published in the American Family Physician, placed 48 patients on hospital flotation mattresses. Of the 24 patients who already had ulcers, 71% were completely healed after three weeks. None of the other 24 patients developed ulcers even after four weeks..
In Harlem Hospital centre, New York, 10 patients of which only one was ulcer free, were placed on flotation mattreresses. The American Journal of Nursing reports that "after at least one week all ulcers showed signs of healing. No new lesions were observed in any patient while on the water mattress."
Why use a Waterbed?
A waterbed can aid in the treatment of backache by enabling the backache sufferer to sleep in a more confortable and beneficial position. A unique distribution of support for the body assures that all parts of the body are evenly supported, and that the body weight is equally distributed. Flotation systems remove pressure from the spine and allow relaxation of the spinal musculature. Doctors have found that the addition of heat speeds up the relaxation process and increases circulation to rejuvenate problem areas.
Many hospitals and nursing homes are using heated waterbeds for disabled and chronically ill patients, who are confined to bed because of surgery, burns, stroke, and back problems. All derive benefits from using heated beds.
