How do you relieve pressure sores in someones ear if they will not sleep in different positions?

Because I sleep primarily on one side, I have contended for years with very painful ulcers on my right ear. I've tried various foam cushions and sponges to protect my ears during sleep, but none were very comfortable. On a whim, I ordered a pair of gel seals for aviation headsets ($25 on Amazon) in hopes that they would provide a soft, donut-shaped cushion for my tormented ear. I am happy to report that they work great, providing enough support so that my ear does not touch the pillow, but soft and flexible enough to be comfortable. Because the gel filling tends to make the cushion a bit cold, I "pre-heat it" by putting it under the blankets with my mattress-warmer before I go to bed. Also, because I only need one cushion(gel seal), the pair should last me quite awhile.

Are you sure it's a pressure sore?

She sleeps in the same position at night. Her nurse has seen it and confirmed it is a pressure sore. I finally used a little peroxide, and rinsed it off and it started to heal. At night I make a guaze cushion. It is finally starting to scab. I let the air get to it in the day. So far it looks like it has turned the corner:) Thank you for asking more about my Mom's problem.

I know this is not a very pleasant reply, but my dad had a very bad sore on his backside. He is not bed-bound, but is in his bed about 89% of the time. He was mostly laying in a position that created the sore. It was right near his tailbone. I used the technique that they use for wart removal on feet. I made a little doughnuts out of five band aids that would allow the sore to have a cushion around it, then covered it with small peices of surgical tape to keep it in place. If her sore is small you could use the little round band aids that come in round shapes, and just cut the centers out. I would build up as many as you need to make a thick cushion that would rise sufficiently higher than the sore. The hole in the little doughnut I made did not touch the sore when there was any pressure put on it. I dressed the sore prior to doing this with betadine and neosporin to prevent any infection, then used tape to keep in place. In your case you would need tiny peices of surgical tape. Make sure the healthy area you tape is good and dry so the tape sticks well. I did applied my betadine and small bit of neosporin with a q-tip, and was very careful to keep it only on the wound. It is a bit tedious, but worth it. You will not have to re-dress this everyday. I did it about every few days to allow healing. It worked like a charm!!! Just make sure the entire sore is in the hole, and only tape to healthy skin. Hope this will maybe be of help. We have to get creative with these problems, and I am an artist and inventor so my crazy little brain works good for these things! If anyone else who reads this needs any other suggestions on anything, please feel free to ask. I am the queen of tricks for the sick!!!!!!!

Maybe if you wrapped one of the fleece bed pads around her pillow and covered it with a soft pillowcase it would cushion the area enough to prevent a constant/unvariable pressure build. My Mom doesn't move when in bed so I have had to use imagination to turn and keep her in a position for a set amount of time. She has bad rotor cuffs making it impossible for me to just shift her on either side. I took a pair of her pajama bottoms (zebra print),and rolled foam cushion material the length of the legs. For the lower torso part (waist/bottom area of pjs),I place her pillow in there for her head. It helps to alleviate her shoulder area from unnecessary pain and discomfort and helps to keep her corraled when she is rotated. Keeps her snug, comfy, and in place to avoid the developement of bedsores. And of course the zebra print keeps her happy..

If you paint the area with tincture of benzoin and let it dry a few times it makes a healing protection and prevents the break down. It is better if you can do this while the area is just starting to show redness. I am an old nurse and we used it in the hospitals all the time to prevent bed sores.

I know little about pressure sores, but might it help if she slept in a soft cap? My Mom had a variety of very soft ones she loved and usualy wore in bed. It made her happy to chose the color she would wear each day and helped keep her warm - and she moved so little in her sleep that it stayed on her head. Good luck with this.

Wow! Same problem - at least mom does change positions during the night so they have a chance to dry and scab, she Must start in the same position on her right side and Must have her pillow (a hard one) arranged just so, she gets a little scab in the inside and one on the upper edge. I use Neosporin, but it keeps coming back. I will try peroxide too. Incidentally she had a "bedsore" on her hip for awhile, we went to the wound clinic who treated it with some medicated adhesive pads called DuoDerm - I do not know what they are medicated with but they cleared up the wound well (too big for the ear, about 5 or 6 inches square). If the spots get worse I may try and cut little patches - they would be hard to apply.

DouDerm has worked well for my dad, I have cut this to size. We have not tried it on his ear but I would give it a try.

Hi,

There are pillows available that can help with this kind of thing. I can't remember the website but I bought one for my mum a year or so ago. It was basically a hand made pillow with a hole. It did the trick anyway.