What are the stages of bed sores?

Bed sores are categorized based on their severity (stage 1, stage 2, stage 3 or stage 4 / stage I, stage II, stage III or stage IV). The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, a professional organization dedicated to the prevention and treatment of bed sores, has set forth specific characteristics to help medical professionals objectively categorize a wound.

Stage 1- Initially, a pressure sore appears as a persistent area of red skin that may itch or hurt and feel warm and spongy or firm to the touch. In blacks, Hispanics and other people with darker skin, the mark may appear to have a blue or purple cast, or look flaky or ashen. Stage I wounds are superficial and go away shortly after the pressure is relieved.

Stage 2- At this point, some skin loss has already occurred — either in the epidermis, the outermost layer of skin, in the dermis, the skin’s deeper layer, or in both. The wound is now an open sore that looks like a blister or an abrasion, and the surrounding tissues may show red or purple discoloration. If treated promptly, stage II sores usually heal fairly quickly.

Stage 3- By the time a pressure ulcer reaches this stage, it has extended through all the skin layers down to the muscle, damaging or destroying the affected tissue and creating a deep, crater-like wound.

Stage 4- In the most serious and advanced stage, a large-scale loss of skin occurs, along with damage to muscle, bone, and even supporting structures such as tendons and joints. Stage IV wounds are extremely difficult to heal and can lead to lethal infections. If you use a wheelchair, you’re most likely to develop a pressure sore on: Your tailbone or buttocks Your shoulder blades and spine The backs of your arms and legs where they rest against the chair When you’re bed-bound, pressure sores can occur in any of these areas: The back or sides of your head The rims of your ears Your shoulders or shoulder blades Your hip bones, lower back or tailbone The backs or sides of your knees, heels, ankles and toes.

Occasionally, a bed sore may be categorized as ‘unstageable‘.  Unstageable bed  sores are usually referred to as an extremely advanced wound where there is involvement of skin, muscle and bone.