13 replies to this topic

[rue2you]

I have a red spot on my left side right where my leg meets my bottom. It feels warm to my hand like it is fevered. How do you know if it is the beginning of a pressure sore or am I just being paranoid. I am a low para really, and move around a lot! I have been working out and doing a floor "routing" and also on a Total Gym (for my upper body). Could I have hurt myself somehow? I am careful when I transfer and I don't remember bumping hard or anything. Mostly, I am feeling panicky that this is going to be a pressure sore or something and I don't have a clue about anything. Also, what doc would I see? My GP or just talk to my PT on Monday?

[StillFingers]

rue2you, on Jun 12 2010, 08:02 PM, said:

I have a red spot on my left side right where my leg meets my bottom. It feels warm to my hand like it is fevered. How do you know if it is the beginning of a pressure sore or am I just being paranoid. I am a low para really, and move around a lot! I have been working out and doing a floor "routing" and also on a Total Gym (for my upper body). Could I have hurt myself somehow? I am careful when I transfer and I don't remember bumping hard or anything. Mostly, I am feeling panicky that this is going to be a pressure sore or something and I don't have a clue about anything. Also, what doc would I see? My GP or just talk to my PT on Monday?

Hey Rue, just stay off it for a bit, you say leg/butt area, erm, outside, inside middle of your leg/cheek?
What degree of redness, pink, red, deep red/magenta (like a dark red wine)?
Does it look like a scrape/tear or just a red/rash type area?
When you press on it does the area your finger touches turn white/pink then go back to red, when you release ie. is there blood flow to the area?
Is there any hardness in the center of the redness and is it deeper red there?
Keep off it best you can, I think your either your GP or PT would be your best bet, or a dermatologist.

My best to you

Jerry

PS. This powerpoint presentation might help, it has descriptions and pictures of each stage, and is in PDF format, here's the link...this is pretty graphic stuff!
http://www.safetyand...ssification.pdf

Edited by StillFingers, 13 June 2010 - 03:54 AM.

[xxm]

Rue2you,

Different types of skin react differently to pressure. In my case when I feel hardness in the affected place it is sure sign that it is going to be a sore if I continue to sit on it. In this case don't sit on it for about 2 days to a week and the hard spots disappear. In your case you should lay on your side or on back with flexed legs. Don't hesitate to sacrifice your comfort no matter how difficult it is.

Rudy

[rue2you]

Jerry, it's almost exactly where the leg and butt meet. Almost in the skin crease where they come together. I would say it is in the center, maybe a tiny bit toward the left. It is just a red color, no scrapes or tears in the skin, it does feel a little bit hard under it and right where the center of the hardness is, the color is a little but darker. Probably about the size of a quarter (the whole area, not the center). It will go white and then turn red again. You ought to see the mirror concoction I had to come up with to answer these questions!! But, thank you for your help, my friend!!

When you guy say stay "off" of it, do you mean that I can sit crooked and stay off that area, or completely stay off my butt?

[Tetracyclone]

Rue-

Here is something all of us should do when we have skin concerns. Ask your husband to take a higher resolution photo of the area,then put it on the computer screen and amplify it. This way you can find out if it is an infected hair follicle. It also saves you the contortion routine, though I am sure that is good for your flexibility. Be better soon.

Jerry, thanks for the link to the "dirty pictures". Everyone in a chair should study them to enforce a very serious attitude about skin care. The stage oner picture was particularly helpful for identifying warning signs.

Edited by Tetracyclone, 13 June 2010 - 02:14 PM.

[StillFingers]

rue2you, on Jun 13 2010, 04:17 AM, said:

Jerry, it's almost exactly where the leg and butt meet. Almost in the skin crease where they come together. I would say it is in the center, maybe a tiny bit toward the left. It is just a red color, no scrapes or tears in the skin, it does feel a little bit hard under it and right where the center of the hardness is, the color is a little but darker. Probably about the size of a quarter (the whole area, not the center). It will go white and then turn red again. You ought to see the mirror concoction I had to come up with to answer these questions!! But, thank you for your help, my friend!!

When you guy say stay "off" of it, do you mean that I can sit crooked and stay off that area, or completely stay off my butt?

Rue, given your description my best guess is yes, you are at stage one, nearing stage 2. Do not freak out, but you must stay off it. On your side as xxm mentioned...and for at least a few days, a week or more if it's required. If it does not get better in a few days, off to the doctor you go.

Why, the location you describe is right at your ischium bone, we have one on each side of our rear end and it is not uncommon for these areas and the tail bone area to show pressure; feet as well; as all of these areas have maximum pressure on them for us sitting folk.

Sitting crooked will only put more pressure on your other, right ischium, so

I got one on my right hip/leg back in 1990, size of a dime, deep red, right at the ischium point, it took 3 weeks to heal. But I'm a quad and cant do extended weight shifts. On my sides every two hours, you must do this so other areas don't break down from extended periods of pressure.

Besides positioning, eat more protein, drink more water and keep a good balanced diet as usual; I also increase my C and calcium supplements as well.

Hope this helps, be calm, but get off your lovely rear end. It's time or a mini vacation, be pampered, cared for, especially you bum

Jerry

Your ischiums, butt bones...and more

Edited by StillFingers, 13 June 2010 - 04:23 PM.

[allis53ca]

ugh...i have 1st owie in 5 years in almost same spot .... just to left of my junk..got doing retarded transfers on roadtrip last week......i'm never traveling more than a daytrip solo again...stupid,stupid, stupid

[rue2you]

I SO do not have time for this!!! Attitude check.......deep breath......okay, I will try to be good. I had a lot of plans this week! I am a very active gal, and I had gotten my endurance back up and have been feeling so great. I have been working out every single day in my work-out room....okay....I was supposed to be having an attitude check.

Those pictures are pretty scary though, so I will be good!

Thank you all!

[jenny407]

So sorry, Rue. Get well soon! I wish you from my heart all the patience needed. (I know a bit from my friend.)

[rue2you]

Thanks Tetra and Jenny!

[rue2you]

Thanks Tetra and Jenny! I am drowning my sorrows in a jelly-filled doughnut!!

[mellowgator]

rue,

if you just stay off it now you will save yourself so much time and grief in the long run. i know it's no fun.

it's also a must that you figure out what caused the breakdown so you don't suffer this again in the future. if you are making a bad transfer you need to remedy it. i mean you went for a year without a problem something must of changed recently in your routine.

it's a good thing that you caught this early. that must mean you are doing skin inspections. you are reminding me that i haven't checked my bum in a while. let's all make this check a bum night!

i have been injured a long time and every time i see a small problem i've always have gotten off it and this has served me well.

i know how hard this will be for you with the little ones and all the church activites and counciling you do. it's time for someone for to care for the caregiver. i'm sure there are a group of ladies at church who will bring over a caserolle and will help you with the kids.


God Bless,

mellowgator

[rue2you]

Mellowgater - you have brought up a good point. My routine has changed. I have set up a home gym at my house and all last week, it was done, so instead of doing my normal "routine" (workout upper body with dumbells, range of motion for legs, all that on my bed) I now transfer to a Total Gym for a workout, then onto the floor for other exercises. I was putting my bum on an old wheelchair cushion when I got on the floor but maybe something I am doing. I go to PT today and I am going to have them check and then see if they can fix my problem. Also, we had a VERY busy week at church last week and a lot of company in, and I was in my chair for hours and hours at a time. I normally transfer into a different living room furniture piece throughout the day for something different and didn't at all last week.

Also, I am an incomplete and recently, my backside hurts real bad. It reminds me of when I used to sit on something real hard for a long time and if you don't get up and stretch out you are going to be miserable. That is how it feels all the time and even when I am out of my chair and laying on my stomach, it still feels that way all the time.

So, I am going to talk to them at therapy today to see what they say.

I will let you all know!

[edlee]

Sorry to hear about your bad bum, Rue. Luckily you found it early.

As for the new feelings of distress, down under,,, a lot of us completes get that, too. As you say, it feels like you've been sitting in one position too long,, even when you haven't been sitting. I use mine to remind me to do pressure reliefs,, but that doesn't really change the feeling,, just takes my mind off it for a while.

Hope you find the cause, soon. Exercise is the best thing you can do for your body,,, but be careful, girl.
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