What is a pressure-relieving mattress & why are they useful?
If you have mobility issues, understanding the role of pressure-relieving mattresses can be important. Choosing the right mattress can make a real difference to your quality of life. These mattresses are specifically designed to reduce the risk of pressure sores or pressure ulcers, which can be a big concern for people spending long periods of time in bed or a wheelchair. In this article, we’ll be looking at some of the benefits of pressure-reducing mattresses, as well as why someone might need them.
What are pressure-relieving mattresses?
Let’s kick things off with the basics. Bladder weakness, also known as urinary incontinence, is a condition whereby urine is involuntary lost from the bladder. It’s a simple definition, but a complex issue. Bladder weakness can range from occasional leaks when coughing or sneezing to a complete inability to control urine. There are a massive amount of possible causes, differing from person to person, but some of the most common are: weak pelvic floor muscles, nerve damage, hormonal changes, medications, and underlying health conditions such as diabetes or multiple sclerosis. It’s not all doom and gloom though, far from it. The good news is that there are steps we can take to maintain good bladder health and prevent or manage incontinence. In this nutritional guide, we'll explore some of the best foods, supplements, and vitamins that can help support bladder health, as well as some small lifestyle changes that can make a big difference. Here’s what to eat to keep your bladder healthy. We all love eating right? We’re a nation of munchers, grazers, snackers and nibblers, but what we eat can have a big impact on our bladder health. So, best to get it right. Certain foods can irritate the bladder (covered later on), but on the other hand, some foods can help support good bladder health and help you manage incontinence. Here are some of the best foods to include in your diet if you’re beefing up your bladder.
Who might need a pressure-relieving mattress?
There are many people who may benefit from using a pressure-reducing mattress, but people with specific conditions might find them particularly useful. People with mobility issues, chronic health conditions or pressure ulcers will probably see the most benefit from using one of our mattresses.
People with limited mobility
Limited mobility can arise due to all kinds of reasons. Aging, injury or chronic health conditions are the most common reasons someone might find themselves with mobility problems. If you’re spending lots of time in one position, these specially designed mattresses can help cushion your body and alleviate some of the discomfort that comes with being in one position.
People with chronic health conditions
For people managing chronic conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, or musculoskeletal disorders, pressure-relieving mattresses offer a high level of adaptive support that can reduce pain and improve their overall quality of life.
People at risk of developing pressure sores (pressure ulcers)
People at risk of developing pressure ulcers can significantly benefit from the even weight distribution provided by these mattresses. This key feature helps prevent skin damage associated with prolonged pressure on certain areas of the body.
Pressure-relieving mattresses are versatile and suitable for both home and healthcare settings.
Key benefits of pressure-relieving mattresses
Prevention of pressure sores
One of the best things about pressure-relieving mattresses is their ability to prevent pressure sores. By distributing your weight evenly across the mattress and reducing the concentration of pressure in one place, they minimise the risk of skin irritation and ulceration. As we’ve mentioned previously, for people with mobility issues, this is a massive plus point. Improved sleep quality
It’s not uncommon for people with mobility issues to experience discomfort and pain due to their inability to easily shift positions. It’s something most of us take for granted, but without being able to move freely, pressure can build up in particular parts of your body. Pressure-reducing mattresses offer comfort by conforming to your body shape, providing superior support. The extra support can really improve sleep quality, so you can get a much better night’s sleep and wake up feeling refreshed.
Improved circulation
We mentioned earlier that these mattresses help to reduce pressure on any single part of the body. Well, by reducing prolonged pressure, your body can better circulate blood. Good circulation is an important part of your overall health, ensuring that everything is getting enough nutrients and oxygen from your blood. Improved circulation will also support the healing process for any existing pressure sores and will help to prevent new ones from forming.
Managing moisture and temperature
Prevention is usually better than the cure, especially for pressure sores. By managing moisture build-up and temperature control, you can help to prevent pressure sores from appearing. Many pressure-relieving mattresses, especially airflow models, are designed to reduce moisture build-up and help to maintain an optimal temperature around the body. Keeping your skin dry and cool reduces the risk of skin breakdown, which is a common precursor for pressure sores.
Which conditions can be helped with a pressure-reducing mattress?
Bedsores (pressure sores/pressure ulcers)
Pressure sores, also known as bedsores or pressure ulcers, are a painful breakdown of the skin and underlying tissues in particular parts of the body that are under prolonged pressure. They usually occur over bony areas such as the heels, ankles, and hips, where there is less cushion between the skin and bone. Pressure sores begin to emerge when there is less blood flow to these areas.
The most common causes of pressure sores include being in one position for a long period of time, friction, and something called shear. Being in one position for long periods of time is usually due to extended bed rest, paralysis, or medical conditions that limit movement. These can result in continuous pressure on specific parts of the body. Friction occurs when the skin rubs against clothing or bedding. Shear is a deeper form of skin damage which happens when layers of skin move in opposite directions.
Other risk factors for developing pressure sores include ageing, poor nutrition, dehydration, medical conditions that affect blood flow (like diabetes and vascular diseases), and moisture from incontinence. These factors can weaken the skin and underlying tissues, making them more susceptible to sore development.
Preventing pressure sores involves regular repositioning, using pressure-reducing mattresses, maintaining good skin hygiene, ensuring good nutrition and hydration, and addressing any underlying health conditions to improve your skin condition and promote healing.
Diabetes
Diabetes can lead to circulatory problems and as we’ve mentioned previously, this can increase the risk of skin problems. Pressure-relieving mattresses promote better blood flow and reduce the likelihood of ulcers, providing a safe and comfortable sleep environment for those experiencing diabetes.
Post-surgery recovery
Recovering from surgery is no walk in the park. It requires careful attention, with lots of rest and support. These mattresses offer fantastic support, minimising strain on sensitive areas and helping you achieve a smoother recovery process.
Chronic pain conditions
Conditions like arthritis and fibromyalgia often require specialised support. Pressure-relieving mattresses adapt to your body’s shape, reducing pressure on joints and muscles, offering relief, and improving sleep quality for those with chronic pain.
Musculoskeletal disorders
Musculoskeletal disorders can affect your joints, bones, muscles and sometimes tissues such as nerves. People with musculoskeletal disorders benefit from the adaptive support offered by pressure-reducing mattresses, which target specific areas, reducing discomfort.
How do pressure-relieving mattresses prevent pressure ulcers?
Preventing pressure sores involves trying a few different things. Movement and circulation are really important, but so is proper nutrition, hydration and the right mattress. A lot of pressure-relieving mattresses have been designed with skin irritation in mind, and created with specialised materials to offer maximum comfort. Our mattresses ensure even weight distribution, promote airflow, and offer fantastic support, keeping you free from bedsores and helping you get a good night's sleep.
Types of pressure-relieving mattresses
There are a few different types of pressure-reducing mattresses on the market, each one designed to meet specific needs. The most common that you’ll find are foam mattresses, pressure relieving (profiling) mattresses, reactive pressure foam or static air mattresses/overlays & airflow/active dynamic mattresses.
Standard foam mattresses: Ideal for people who can move and reposition themselves, these mattresses contour to your body, providing excellent support and a comfortable night’s sleep.
Pressure relieving (profiling) mattresses: These mattresses offer support for muscles and joints, easing pressure for people at high risk of pressure ulcers but still mobile enough to reposition themselves. Reactive pressure foam or static air mattresses/overlays: Suitable for people at high risk of skin damage or people with limited mobility who spend a lot of time in bed.
Airflow mattresses/active dynamic mattresses: Featuring market-leading technology to enhance circulation, these mattresses are ideal for people at risk of pressure damage or with existing pressure sores, particularly those who are less able to reposition themselves.
Who are Vivactive?
We’re a budget brand with a difference. We provide premium products, rivalling and sometimes beating the leading household name brands. The big difference? Our products are far cheaper. With Vivactive you can get the same comfort and practicality from the brands you’re used to, but at a fraction of the cost.
We totally understand that everyone has a massive shortage of money at the moment, but you shouldn’t have to cut back on necessary items like wearable incontinence products to make ends meet. Incontinence items aren’t a luxury, they’re a necessity, and you shouldn’t have to pay over the odds to get a good quality pair of pants.
Our online-only approach means that we can offer products far cheaper than supermarkets and pharmacies. We’re also experts in the field. Do you think the shelf-stacker in your local shop would be able to help you with complex incontinence-related issues? Probably not. We can. We pride ourselves on our fantastic customer service - we really care about our customers.
