Bedsores are skin injuries on parts of your body exposed to constant pressure against a firm surface such as a mattress. You can treat bedsores at home once the wound has closed by using home remedies. The best way to address bedsores is to make sure they don't happen. Moving the patient frequently during the day to alleviate pressure on various areas of the body and padding the body with soft pillows and towels helps to restore the proper supply of blood to the affected area.
Good Diet
Maintain a good diet. Make sure you eat a minimum of two to three servings of protein every day, along with four servings of vegetables and two servings of fruits. Minerals and vitamins in foods like lean meats, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains help your body repair itself after injury and skin damage. Foods from these groups help to increase your skin's health and resistance to bedsores, according to Ayushveda.com.
The oil your food is cooked in is important as well: Oils and fats rich in omega-3 fatty acids benefit your body's circulation. When you have healthy circulation, your skin stays healthier and is more able to protect itself from damage caused by constant pressure. Make sure you eat foods that have been cooked in foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and avoid safflower and corn oils, says the Ayushveda website.
Petroleum Jelly
If you do get bedsores, keep the wound clean but moist. Rub a sterile bandage with petroleum jelly and put the bandage on the wound so the tissue surrounding your bedsore heals and regenerates more quickly.
While you are keeping the bedsore itself clean and moist, make sure the skin around your bedsore is dry so it can continue to stay healthy, according to the Ayushveda website.
Make sure bedsores are cleaned every day so the risk of infection is lower. Using warm water, a gentle skin cleanser and a soft cloth, remove any body fluid, perspiration and dirt that has gathered in or around the sore.
Zinc
Take 15 mg of zinc every day to help support your immune system and promote quick skin healing. Take the zinc with food to avoid the risk of an upset stomach.
If you take more than 30 mg of zinc every day for more than one to two months, you should supplement this with one to two mg of copper so you maintain the proper balance of minerals in your system, according to the Homemade Medicine website.
Herbs
Use herbal creams to help bedsores heal only if the sores are already closed. These include aloe vera gel or cream or ointment, applied to the sore to help promote healing.
Goldenseal is an herbal antiseptic. Mix the contents of three 500-mg capsules of goldenseal with 800 international units of vitamin E oil. If the mixture isn't moist enough, add just a few drops of olive oil. Massage this cream on the closed bedsore three times a day.
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