A pressure relief mattress varies the pressure between the mattress and the patient. These mattresses use revolutionized air cells and foam to help in redistributing pressure and preventing the formation of ulcers and bedsores.
Patients who do not move for long periods suffer from bedsores caused by pressure and friction. By regularly adjusting and redistributing pressure, these mattresses are comfier than regular mattresses.
They help ulcer sufferers heal faster, and prevent ulcer formation.
A pressure relief mattress is ideal for:
Anybody who should stay in bed for a prolonged time for any reason needs to be using some kind of system for relieving pressure. This will help preclude pressure ulcer formation.
Additionally, the need is even bigger when the patient or user needs help to move, and are unable to adjust their position in bed by themselves.
Becoming confined to bed may lead to a medical or chronic physical disability. Or, it may be that you or a family member has experienced sickness or temporary injury that resolves itself ultimately.
Lately, the COVID-19 pandemic has created an increasing need for cushions and mattresses, pillows and bed toppers that relieve pressure. Hospital personnel are usually understaffed and stress-ridden.
To help in preventing skin irritation and bedsores, physicians are tasked with applying bandages to parts that popularly get pressure ulcers, moving the patient to a chair, turning them in bed, or offering skin analysis several times daily,
With the increase of people in hospitals, it has been hard for nurses to adhere to all the necessary precautions to prevent these injuries that can fast turn deadly. A pressure relief mattress has become important for preventing and treating these skin issues.
What issues can benefit most from pressure relief?
A pressure relief mattress will benefit any issue that causes prolonged periods in bed. Ulcers and bedsores are a popular and hazardous aftereffect of lots of conditions, which include:
- Very obese or bariatric patients
- Bed-ridden paraplegic and paralysis patients
- General skin breakdown and decubitus
Does a pressure relief mattress alleviate bedsores?
This type of mattress helps in reducing the risk of formation of bedsores and lets existing bedsores to heal faster. Bedsores, also called pressure ulcers, develop due to extended pressure against the skin.
Some popular skin ulcers and bedsore areas include:
- Heels and ankles
- Spinal column
- Skull sides and cranium
- Shoulder blades and shoulder
- Hips and tailbone
- Any other friction point around bony projections
Patients with disorders that restrict their ability to move and change positions are susceptible to bedsores. The reason being, the same body part is regularly in contact with a regular mattress.
A pressure relief mattress will make sure pressure is frequently redistributed. This will ensure that nobody part gets exposed to too much pressure for longer.
Which is the best pressure relief mattress purchase?
There are three main types of pressure relief mattresses:
- Alternating air mattresses
- Static foam mattress
- Hybrid mattresses
Alternating air mattress
Also referred to as ‘dynamic’ or ‘active’, these mattresses are often for those with higher pressure sore risk, like people with underlying issues, the aged or people with highly limited mobility.
Air mattresses are created with a series of air cells. They are also connected to a pump that pushes air through the cells. This causes the cells to alternate pressure spots around the body of a user.
This can make sure that pressure gets dispersed while assisting in promoting blood flow by imitating movement around the body of the user.
Static foam mattress
These are usually the most basic; however, will still offer lower-risk patients exceptional pressure relief. Usually created from viscoelastic memory foam, these mattresses can help in distributing your weight.
This makes sure that no area gets particularly high pressure. These mattresses might usually have castellated cuts, which let the surface move with your skin to reduce shear.
Hybrid mattresses
These types use a combination of the other two materials for relieving pressure to offer a unique combination of distributing pressure and support.
Hybrids mattresses are usually for people at extremely high-pressure sore threat. They will also have specialized foam or alternating parts under, particularly high-risk zones.
When shopping for a pressure relief mattress, you’ll certainly stumble upon a mattress being depicted as ideal for low, medium, high or very high-risk users. This description is based on several risk factors, and the outcome of a skin examination done by a doctor.
If skin shows signs of development of pressure sore, that person will need a high or very high-risk mattress. Choosing the best system for relieving pressure for a patient experiencing pressure ulcers is an essential health choice.
It would help if you got your physician’s advice and get well-versed. The number of options might look overpowering; however, it will also mean you will be able to get the ideal system to suit you and your family.
For less serious conditions, then a pressure relief mattress is usually created with memory foam. The reason being, it’s made to help posture and sleep. In addition, it might be beneficial for people suffering from pain in the joints or other similar illnesses.
Products that aid to relieve pressure are simply part of the process of making sure patients do not experience further complications. Having the best bed means patients can be moved comfortably.
This helps in alleviating pressure, and makes sure that the right measures of handling patients are practiced.
Conclusion
If you or a family member is suffering from pressure sores, you need to have a skin assessment done by a physician. The doctor can then advice you on the ideal pressure relief mattress to suit you.
The key to bedsore management is prevention by using a pressure relief mattress or bed topper, employing the right hygiene, and nutrition. If you’ve developed pressure sores already, it’s important to get treatment as soon as you can.
This will help prevent the advancement of the sore to the next level. Effective therapies usually include the addition of a pressure relief mattress. This will help bedsore improve, unlike various mattresses that can worsen it.
