Skin
Bed Sores
Deep skin ulcers developing in bedridden, unconscious, or paralyzed individuals from prolonged pressure over bony prominences — preventable with position changes and protective care.
Also known as: Pressure Sores, Pressure Ulcers, Decubitus Ulcers
📝 At a glance
Likely root causes: Prolonged bed rest with constant pressure on bony prominences; Restricted circulation causing tissue death; Nutritional deficiencies: vitamins A, B2, C, E, and zinc.
First thing to try: Apply sugar or honey poulticeMashed plant material applied right on the skin. How to make a poultice → to the sore — draws out toxins and promotes healing
See a doctor if: For any stage 3 or 4 ulcer (deep tissue or bone involvement); if infection (foul odor, fever, spreading redness) develops.
🔎 Start with the cause
Lasting relief rarely comes from covering a symptom. First find what is feeding the problem, change what you can, and then help the body do what it was designed to do — heal.
Likely root causes
- Prolonged bed rest with constant pressure on bony prominences
- Restricted circulation causing tissue death
- Nutritional deficiencies: vitamins A, B2, C, E, and zinc
- Moisture on skin (especially urine) accelerates breakdown
- Bedridden elderly, unconscious patients, paraplegics are highest risk
Change what you can
- Apply sugar or honey poulticeMashed plant material applied right on the skin. How to make a poultice → to the sore — draws out toxins and promotes healing
- Comfrey leaves and slippery elm paste (equal parts, mixed with water): spread on cloth and tie over sore; can be left overnight
- Wash sores 3–4 times daily with witch hazel and myrrh or goldenseal teaA warm drink made by steeping herbs in hot water. How to make a tea →
- Sprinkle powdered goldenseal or echinacea over sores to disinfect; cover with cotton or wool
- Sprinkle granulated sugar over an open bedsore and cover with airtight dressing — healing within 2 weeks
- Raw honey on gauze pad and over the sore (equally effective)
- Vitamin E oil to the skin around and over sores; alternate with raw honey, vitamin E cream, and aloe vera
- Mix goldenseal powder, vitamin E oil, and a small amount of honey into a paste; apply whenever needed
- Correct the diet immediately: lower pH with acid foods (cranberries are ideal)
- Give vitamins A, B complex, C (1,000 mg), bioflavonoids, vitamin E (400 IU), copper (4 mg), zinc (20 mg) daily
🌿 Then assist nature: remedies & protocols
With the cause being addressed, these are the actual things people do for this — ranked by the community. Vote ▲ on what helped you and ▼ on what didn't, and open How to do it for the steps. Each shows two quick signals: Evidence (how much science backs it) and Gentleness (how safe and in keeping with whole, natural health).
★ Start here — our first-line pick, pinned for safety
This is the most foundational prevention and support step, used alongside medical wound care for any sore that has already formed.
How to do it ▾
Why it works: Constant pressure on one area cuts off blood flow to the skin and underlying tissue; moving position restores circulation before permanent damage sets in.
- Change the person's position at least every 2 hours if bed-bound, or every 15-20 minutes if seated in a chair.
- Use pillows to keep bony areas like heels, hips, and elbows from resting directly on the mattress.
- Check the skin at each position change for redness that does not fade within 15-20 minutes, a sign of early skin breakdown.
- Keep the head of the bed as low as medically allowed to reduce sliding and shearing forces on the skin.
Ongoing for as long as mobility is limited · Every 2 hours in bed; every 15-20 minutes in a chair
Caution: Any sore that looks deep, has a foul odor, or shows black or yellow tissue needs prompt professional wound care, not home treatment alone. Do not massage reddened areas over bony prominences, as this can worsen tissue damage.
When to get help: Seek medical care right away for fever, spreading redness, foul-smelling drainage, or a sore that exposes deep tissue or bone.
Source: General nursing wound-prevention guidance
Comments & experiences ▾
Also helps — ranked by the community (vote to reorder)
Good nutrition supports the body's own healing alongside repositioning, skin care, and any medical wound treatment.
How to do it ▾
Why it works: Wound healing requires protein for new tissue and vitamins such as C and zinc for collagen formation, so poor nutrition slows healing and increases sore risk.
- Offer protein-rich foods at each meal, such as beans, eggs, fish, or dairy, based on the person's dietary needs.
- Include a vitamin C-rich fruit or vegetable daily, such as citrus, berries, or bell peppers, to support collagen repair.
- Encourage regular fluid intake throughout the day to keep skin properly hydrated from within.
- Offer smaller, more frequent meals if appetite is poor, so nutrient intake stays steady.
Ongoing throughout recovery, often several weeks · 3 meals plus snacks daily
Caution: People with kidney disease or other conditions should have protein intake reviewed by a doctor or dietitian before increasing it. Poor appetite in bedridden or elderly patients should be discussed with a healthcare provider, as it can signal other problems.
When to get help: See a doctor if unintended weight loss, refusal to eat, or signs of dehydration accompany a healing wound.
Source: General wound-healing nutrition guidance
Comments & experiences ▾
A gentle daily habit that works alongside repositioning and any medical wound care already in place.
How to do it ▾
Why it works: Excess moisture from sweat or urine softens skin and makes it more prone to breaking down under pressure, so gentle cleansing and drying help skin stay resilient.
- Wash the skin gently with a mild, pH-balanced cleanser rather than harsh soap, especially after episodes of incontinence.
- Pat the skin completely dry rather than rubbing, paying close attention to skin folds and pressure points.
- Apply a gentle moisturizer to dry skin, but keep pressure-point areas dry rather than overly moist.
- Change bedding or clothing promptly if it becomes damp or soiled.
A few minutes per cleansing session · 1-2 times daily and after any soiling
Caution: Avoid harsh or scented soaps, which can dry and irritate fragile skin. Do not scrub or rub skin that is already reddened or broken; use only gentle patting motions.
When to get help: Contact a healthcare provider if an existing sore develops odor, drainage, increasing pain, or surrounding warmth and redness.
Source: General nursing skin-care guidance
Comments & experiences ▾
How the numbers work: a weighted voting system — trusted published sources cast endorsement votes for each protocol, and your ▲/▼ adds to them. Not medical advice.
🩺 When to see a doctor
- For any stage 3 or 4 ulcer (deep tissue or bone involvement); if infection (foul odor, fever, spreading redness) develops.
🌿 The seven pathways to health
Seven pathways for your bed sores — tap the circle to check one off (saved on your device), or ask Remy for help.
“Disease is an effort of nature to free the system from conditions that result from a violation of the laws of health... In case of sickness 1cause should be ascertained, 2go to work intelligently to remove the disease. 3Unhealthful conditions should be changed, 4wrong habits corrected. 5Then nature is to be assisted in her effort 6to expel impurities and 7to re-establish right conditions in the system.”
🌿 Overview
Bed sores form when prolonged pressure over bony areas (heels, buttocks, hips, sacrum, shoulder blades, elbows) restricts circulation and causes underlying tissue death. The bedridden elderly, the unconscious, and paraplegics are most at risk. Those affected are typically deficient in vitamins A, B2, C, E, and zinc. Prevention is far easier than treatment.
Bed sores (pressure ulcers) develop when sustained pressure on the skin — over bony areas like the hips, tailbone, heels, and shoulder blades — cuts off blood flow, causing the tissue to break down. They affect people who are bedridden, immobile, or who use a wheelchair, beginning as a reddened patch and progressing to an open, sometimes deep wound if not relieved.
The overwhelming emphasis here is prevention, which is highly effective: regularly repositioning the person (typically every couple of hours), using cushioning, keeping skin clean and dry, ensuring good nutrition and hydrationGiving your body enough water to work well. More →, and inspecting at-risk areas daily so redness is caught before it breaks down. Once a sore opens it needs proper wound care, and any deep, blackened, foul-smelling, or spreading sore — or signs of infection or fever — requires prompt medical attention.
Common signs
- Deep skin ulcers on buttocks, hips, sacrum, shoulder blades, elbows, and heels
- Begins as redness over pressure points
- Progresses to open ulcers if circulation remains restricted
- Often associated with high skin pH (too alkaline) and nutritional deficiencies
🍃 Supporting foods & habits
The gentle, everyday foods and supports that help in the background — secondary to the active remedies above. Vote on what helped you.
Vitamin-C- and protein-rich foods are essential for the body to build new skin and heal sores — and reposition regularly to relieve pressure.920
Medical-grade honey is used on pressure sores for its antibacterial, healing action (deep or spreading sores need professional wound care).880
Honey's natural healing properties support skin recovery, alongside the key step of relieving pressure on the area.860
A soothing cornstarch-and-water paste used to calm sunburned or irritated skin.690
Short, sensible sun exposure that may calm scaling skin and support wound healing.610
An aromatic resin with antiseptic properties traditionally used in washes and pastes for sores and skin irritation.600
How the numbers work: this is a weighted voting system — every published book or article recommending a remedy counts as an endorsement vote, and your ▲/▼ counts too. Not medical advice. *Ties are broken by our editor score (sources, safety, simplicity, cost, lifestyle fit, eight-laws alignment).
🍽️ Eating to help
Food is one of the gentlest medicines — small, steady changes help most.
Favor these
- Cranberries (ideal for lowering skin pH)
- Fresh fruit, green and yellow vegetables
- Carrot juice
- High-fiber diet with oat bran
- Adequate fluids — drink even when not thirsty and at night
Go easy on
- Processed, fried, and junk food
- Meat
- Vinegar (never drink vinegar — raises pH)
- Sugar and refined carbohydrates
PREVENTION: Turn bedridden patient regularly; use sheepskin or air/water mattress; massage skin to stimulate circulation; keep skin dry and clean (avoid urine contact); give occasional sunlight to skin; use loose-fitting cotton clothing.
⚖️ Good to know
- Never drink vinegar — it worsens the alkaline pH that allows bed sores to form
- Do not use harsh soaps — use mild herbal soap
- Urine on skin dramatically accelerates breakdown — keep skin clean and dry
- Early intervention is critical — redness that is relieved by position change indicates stage 1; act immediately
⚕️ What a doctor may offerConventional treatments for this condition — for your information.Show ▾
RemedyRank's heart is natural healing — and honest information. Here is what conventional medical care commonly involves for this condition, listed to inform, never to promote. Decisions about treatment belong with you and your own physician.
Pressure sores are prevented and treated by relieving pressure and good wound care.
Commonly offered
- Frequent repositioning and pressure-relieving surfaces–
- Keeping skin clean, dry, and protected–
- Wound care and dressings; treating infection–
- Good nutrition to support healing–
Worth knowing
- Deep sores or signs of infection (pus, fever, foul smell) need medical care.
- Prevention by repositioning is far easier than treatment.
- Check at-risk skin daily.
👍/👎 shares whether a treatment helped you — community experience, not medical advice. For full professional details, see the sources under “Learn more” below.
📚 Learn more
Sources for further reading. These open in a new tab.
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