What is the difference between a bedsore and a pressure ulcer?

There is no difference. Pressure ulcer, bedsore and decubitus ulcer are different names for the same thing: an area of skin that breaks down when something keeps rubbing or pressing against it.

There is no difference. They are different names for the same thing: pressure ulcer, bedsore, and decubitus ulcer all describe one kind of wound.

The definition is simple. A pressure sore is an area of the skin that breaks down when something keeps rubbing or pressing against the skin.

A fourth term, pressure injury, is used in the staging language. It’s used for a deep tissue pressure injury, and when talking about a pressure ulcer forming. Patients will meet all four, often in the same conversation.

Knowing they are one thing matters for a practical reason. Searching for one term will miss information written under another, and a note that says decubitus ulcer and a leaflet that says bedsore are describing the same wound.

What matters more than the name is the cause. Pressure sores occur when there is too much pressure on the skin for too long. This reduces blood flow to the area, and without enough blood to nourish the skin, the skin can die and a sore may form.

The word bedsore is the one that misleads most, because it suggests a bed. Using a wheelchair, as well as staying in bed for a long time, makes a pressure sore more likely. Each has its own repositioning guide: about every 2 hours in bed, and every 15 minutes in a wheelchair.

What to watch for

Stage I is a reddened, painful area on the skin that does not turn white when pressed. It’s a sign that a pressure ulcer may be forming.

If your pressure sore changes or a new one forms, tell your provider.

Contact your provider right away if you develop blisters, an open sore, or any signs of infection: a foul odor from the sore, pus coming out of the sore, redness and tenderness around the sore, skin close to the sore that is warm or swollen, or fever.

Wound Wizard is general education and can’t assess a wound. Your own clinician is the right person to ask.

What we look at

  • Examining the skin over bony areas
  • Identifying the type of wound and what caused it
  • Staging the wound if it is a pressure injury
  • Building a treatment plan based on what they find

Sources

  1. How to care for pressure sores — MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine https://www.medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000740.htm