A Growing Concern: Pressure Injuries and What’s Changing in Treatment

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Pressure injuries—often called bedsores—are a serious and growing issue, especially for patients in nursing homes or post-hospital care. Each year, more than 2.5 million Americans develop these wounds, and they can be incredibly difficult to heal. For many patients, especially older adults with limited mobility or underlying health conditions, these wounds don’t just affect comfort—they can lead to serious complications and even impact survival.

Traditional wound care methods like cleaning, dressing changes, and debridement are important, but they don’t always go far enough for deeper or more complex wounds. That’s where newer treatments are changing the landscape. Advanced therapies—like specialized tissue-based products—are helping “reset” the body’s healing process. In large real-world studies, patients who received these advanced treatments had fewer infections, fewer hospital visits, and even lower mortality rates compared to standard care alone.

What’s especially important is that wound care today is no longer just about treating the surface. Successful healing requires a full-picture approach—managing underlying health conditions, improving circulation, optimizing nutrition, and reducing pressure on the wound. When these factors are addressed alongside advanced therapies, outcomes improve significantly.

The takeaway? Wound care is evolving—and for patients dealing with pressure injuries, that’s good news. With the right combination of advanced treatments and personalized care, healing is not only possible, but more achievable than ever before.