What does bedsore mean?
A bedsore is a localized injury to the skin and the tissue beneath it, caused when sustained pressure cuts off blood flow to an area of the body over a bony prominence such as the heel, hip, tailbone, or shoulder blade. It most often affects people who are confined to bed or a wheelchair for long periods, which is how it earned its name. Bedsores can range from mild reddening of intact skin to deep open wounds reaching muscle or bone, and they heal slowly once established, making them painful, costly, and sometimes dangerous if infected. Because they are largely preventable through regular repositioning, good nutrition, and proper skin care, bedsores are widely regarded as a marker of care quality in hospitals and nursing homes. In everyday speech the word is standard and well understood, though clinicians often say 'pressure ulcer' or 'pressure injury' instead.
nounA bedsore is an area of damaged skin and underlying tissue caused by prolonged pressure on a bony part of the body, typically affecting people confined to bed or a wheelchair for long periods. Also known medically as a pressure ulcer or pressure injury.
- A localized wound of skin and tissue caused by sustained pressure, usually over a bony prominence such as the heel, hip, sacrum, or elbow, in a person who is immobile.
"The nurses repositioned the bedridden patient every two hours to prevent bedsores from developing on his heels."
"After weeks of confinement to her hospital bed, she developed a bedsore at the base of her spine."
"Good nutrition and frequent changes of position are the best defence against pressure ulcers."
Standard regular plural; more frequently used than the singular because patients often have multiple sores.
"Immobility left untreated, bedsores can become serious infections."
Nurses have known for centuries that simply turning a patient regularly can stop these wounds from ever forming — prevention really is better than cure.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bedsore
The word bedsore is a straightforward English compound formed from 'bed' plus 'sore', describing sores that develop in people who lie in bed for long periods. The compound arose in English medical writing in the nineteenth century, as clinicians sought plain terms alongside the Latin-derived 'decubitus ulcer' (from Latin decumbere, 'to lie down'). Related formations include other 'bed-' compounds such as bedridden and bedside, all drawing on the same everyday noun.
How bedsore is actually used
Bedsore is the everyday term; healthcare professionals increasingly prefer 'pressure ulcer', 'pressure injury', or 'decubitus ulcer' in clinical settings. The plural 'bedsores' is more common than the singular in general use. The word carries no slang register — it is standard but informal-clinical.
Easily confused with bedsore
A chilblain is inflammation of the skin's small blood vessels caused by exposure to cold and damp, while a bedsore results from prolonged pressure on the skin in someone who is immobile.