The best way to fight bedsores is by taking the necessary precautions to prevent them from forming or at least reduce the risk – appropriate medical devices, preventative measures such as repositioning the bedridden patient routinely, and watching vulnerable locations for development are great methods to use that are proven to help with healing bed sores, but what else can you do?
Still, even with the most attentive care, bedsores can develop – mostly these are low-grade stage I and II bedsores that, while they can be dangerous, can generally be resolved without progression into life-threatening conditions with just some care, attention, and basic treatments.
Natural treatments are especially popular with helping to relieve pain, prevent infection, and reduce the intensity of bed sores. In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at three of the best natural remedies to help treat bed sores, and instruct you on the best ways to use each one.
Used together, these three treatments can help prevent infection, wash away dead tissue and clean the wound, and soothe irritated tissue, ensuring healthy development of new, healthy skin.
Natural Remedy #1 – TREAT THE WOUND WITH HONEY AND SUGAR
Believe it or not, honey and sugar are both great antibacterial agents. The high proportion of sucrose and other basic sugars that are present in both honey and cane sugar work to prevent infection and fight bacteria in several ways.
First, packing a wound with honey or sugar creates a highly concentrated, sugary medium that sucks moisture away from the wound. As you may know, bacteria require three things to thrive – food, water, and warmth. If any of these three “pillars” is taken away, the result is simple – they begin to die.
Sugar treatments remove so much moisture from the areas where bacteria congregate that harmful bacteria simply cannot survive. In fact, the efficacy of sugar as a wound treatment been proven by several medical studies, as the osmotic pressure caused by the sucrose taking in water robs harmful bacteria of the moisture that they need to grow.
So if you’re treating a low-grade bed sore, a sugar treatment is a great way to treat it naturally and without resorting to antibiotics or chemical treatments.
To prepare a honey-sugar solution, mix together equal parts granulated sugar and honey – you can heat it if you like, to further concentrate the solution and distribute the sugar evenly – but it works just as well at room temperature. Apply the mixture to a cleaned wound, and cover it with a clean bandage, repeating the process and replacing the bandage at least once a day.
To clean the wound between treatments, and in general, you may turn to our next treatment.
Natural Remedy #2 – SALINE WATER CLEANSES
Saline water cleanses may be a natural treatment, but they’re also what are used in professional clinical settings – a mildly saline solution is the ideal medium through which cleaning of wounds can be achieved with low patient impact and to ensure a sterile cleaning mechanism.
One of the primary issues with Stage II and higher bed sores is the presence of necrotized tissues – if this tissue is not removed, it can scab over, and it can impede further healing, and restoration of skin, leading potentially to progression and infection.
Because of this, it’s necessary to clean both bedsores and the areas around them often, and saline water cleanses are easy to make, easy to use, safe, and effective for removing dead tissue, removing fluid buildup, and cleaning skin, all while remaining mild and not harming the skin.
A simple recipe for an at-home saline cleanse is as follows – mix two tablespoons of salt into one cup of water, (you may multiply these ingredients appropriately for a larger batch) bring to a boil, and then stir the mixture until it’s clear and completely homogenized.
After letting it cool, use it immediately. You may use a sterile paper towel or clean rags to apply the rinse – alternatively, you may use a dropper or a sterile bottle to apply the solution, and then wipe it off. Once you have rinsed the wound, allow it to dry, and cover it with a clean bandage.
Repeat this several times a day to keep dead tissue from preventing healing, and to reduce fluid buildup.
After cleaning the wound, you may want to soothe the skin and moisturize it to speed healing and keep the skin healthy and whole. For this, you’ll want to try our next treatment.
Natural Remedy #3 – Moisturize With Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera has long been known for its skin-soothing, moisturizing properties, and it’s a great, safe moisturizer to use for the treatment of low-grade bedsores, and helps ensure that skin remains healthy, moisturized, and strong, which aids in prevention both of future bedsores and the formation of new bedsores.
There are plenty of aloe treatments available in drugstores – usually in gel form. However, the best aloe vera treatments contain only aloe vera and other natural ingredients.
You can also use fresh aloe leaves – simply slice the leaves apart and extract the gel, and spread it on the affected area.
Regardless of the type or brand of aloe ointment you choose, you’ll follow this basic procedure – Apply the gel to the affected area(s), and rub it in until it has dried. After it’s dry, wipe off any excess with a clean cloth, and reapply a wound dressing.
Find Which Natural Remedy Works for You!
Using these 3 methods, you can treat just about any low-grade bedsore – sugars help prevent infection and speed healing, and the saline rinse will help rinse away dead tissue and fluids, allowing the bed sore to heal naturally. Finally, the aloe gel helps soothe tender skin, and keeps it strong and healthy to prevent further sores from forming.
These methods are natural, inexpensive, and very effective. Of course, if you do notice further progression of bedsores, you should contact a medical professional – the mere presence of bed sores is cause for concern, so you should already be speaking with a professional about treatment options.
*Remember that improperly treated bed sores can progress into life-threatening conditions. Please always consult with your doctor on a proper treatment plan.
References:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC184812/pdf/aac00206-0138.pdf
- http://journals.lww.com/jwocnonline/Abstract/2003/07000/Nontraditional_Wound_Care__A_Review_of_the.4.aspx
About the Author: Jessica Hegg is the content manager at ViveHealth.com. Interested in all things related to a healthy lifestyle, she works to share valuable information that aims to improve the quality of life for others.
