Taking Care of Your Health

This content is from
pages 141 to 143 of Where Women Have No Doctor

If you have a disability, most of your health problems are probably no different from those of other people, and you can find information about them in other chapters in this book. But the following issues can be of special concern for people with disabilities, especially if you have a loss of feeling in your body.

If you sit or lie down much of the time, you can develop pressure sores. These start when skin over bony parts of the body presses for too long against a chair or bed without moving. The blood vessels squeeze shut, so not enough blood gets to the skin, and a dark or red patch appears on the skin. If pressure continues, an open sore can form and grow deeper into the body. Or it may start near the bone and grow to the surface.

Care for pressure sores so they do not get larger. Because they are dead flesh, they easily become infected. If they get into the blood and affect the whole body, they can cause death.

Treatment:

See information on how to treat pressure sores.


If you sit all day or lean over from side to side.	...lift your bottom by pushing yourself up with your hands...

Prevention:

Try to move at least every 2 hours. If you lie down all the time, have someone help you change position.
Lie or sit on a soft surface that reduces pressure on bony areas. A cushion or sleeping pad that has hollowed-out areas around bony parts will help. Or make a simple cushion or sleeping pad from a plastic bag filled with uncooked beans and rice. It must be refilled with new rice and beans once a month.

Examine your skin every day.

Examine your whole body carefully every day. You can use a mirror to look at your back. If you notice a dark or red place, try to avoid any pressure on this area until your skin returns to normal.
Try to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and foods rich in protein.

More Information

eating for good health

During your menstrual period, do not use cloth or tampons inside your vagina to catch the blood. They can press against your bones from inside your body and cause a sore in your vagina.
Try to bathe every day. Pat your skin dry, but do not rub it. Avoid lotions or oils, because they can make your skin soft and weaker. And never use alcohol on your skin.

Exercise

Some people—for example, those with arthritis, who have had strokes, or who are in bed because of old age—have difficulty moving their arms and legs enough to keep their joints flexible. When this happens, and an arm or a leg is kept bent for a long time, some of the muscles become shorter and the limb cannot fully straighten. Or short muscles may hold a joint straight so that it cannot bend. This is called a “contracture.” Sometimes contractures cause pain.

contracture

To prevent contractures and keep your muscles strong, have someone help you exercise your arms and legs every day. Try to make sure that every part of your body is moved. If you have had contractures for many years, it will be difficult to completely straighten your joints. But these exercises will prevent the contractures from getting worse and can make your joints a little less stiff and keep your muscles strong.

Examples of exercises that prevent some contractures and help keep muscles strong

To exercise the front of the upper leg

1. bend