Bed sores are injuries to the skin from prolonged periods of pressure on the skin. Bed sores most often develop on skin around bony areas of the body, such as the heel, ankles, hips or buttocks. People at the highest risk from bed sores are those with very serious medical problems who have trouble moving, resulting in prolonged period of immobility. The longer a bed sore goes untreated and the longer a person remains immobile the worse the bed sore becomes.

Bed sores have stages depending on the severity of the sore.

Stage I-
The skin remains intact, on people with light skin complexion the skin will appear red. People of darker skin complexion may have no redding but the skin may appear, bluish or purple. Stage I sores are the least serious, but without the proper attention may turn into Stage II, III, or IV sores.

Stage II-
In a stage II bed sore an open wound has formed. The outer layer of skin and part of the underlying layer of skin are damaged and/or lost. The sore will appear as a reddish basin like wound. It may also look like a fluid-filled blister in some cases. This bed sore like all is serious, and should be noted.

Stage III-
Stage III bed sores appear as deep wounds, with a crater-like appearance. The bed sore extends into the underlying tissue layer, but not all the way to the bone. Due to loss of skin, fat may be exposed. Damage may extend beyond the layers of skin.

Stage IV-
Stage IV bed sores are the most serious. In this stage almost all skin around the infected area has been lost. The would itself has extended through the muscles, tendons, organs, and bones. Stage 4 bed sores usually require surgery to remove decayed or dead tissue. If not treated properly stage IV bed sores could result in death.

Other ailments can be triggered by bed sores are Sepsis, Anemia, and Gangrene amongst others. Sepsis from bed sores develops when the bacteria from a bed sore enters the bloodstream and spreads throughout the body. These life-threatening conditions can cause things such as shock and organ failure. A bed sore may also cause gangrene which is the death or decaying of tissue. If a person is neglected with a bed sore, fecal matter may enter the body through that bedsore which may cause E.Coli infections that in many cases could cause death.