r/AskMedical

Image 1 — Bed sores
Image 2 — Bed sores
▲ 7 r/AskMedical+3 crossposts

Bed sores

My 80+ year old family member had a severe stroke and is mostly unconscious. He weighs about 95 kg, has diabetes (blood sugar usually around 120–180 on), is fed through a nasogastric (nose) tube, and cannot move on his own.

He has developed a pressure sore on his upper thigh/hip area (photos attached). There is black tissue and open pink tissue, but currently there is no bad smell, no obvious pus, and the area does not feel hot.

We recently bought an alternating air mattress and are repositioning him as much as we can, but he still seems to be getting more pressure damage. Because he is heavy and unconscious, it is difficult to keep him turned, and he often rolls back flat.

My questions:

  1. Based on the photos, how severe does this look?

  2. What dressings are typically used for wounds like this?

  3. Is the black tissue something that can heal on its own, or does it usually need removal?

  4. How often should we reposition him?

  5. What nutrition is most important for healing, especially with diabetes and tube feeding?

  6. Any practical tips to prevent this from worsening or to stop new sores from forming?

Any advice from wound care nurses, caregivers, or people who have dealt with severe pressure ulcers would be greatly appreciated.

u/Stranger091 — 1 day ago
▲ 5 r/AskMedical+2 crossposts

28 F with chronic brain fog and fatigue

Hi! I'm a 28 year old female, active and live a healthy lifestyle, but for the past 5 years, I've dealt with bouts of fatigue and brain fog that are slowly getting worse until just the past year I'm realizing this is starting to affect my job and social life. It's like most of the time I'm fine, but some days I will wake up feeling horrible like my body has been sucked dry of any energy. I work remote and even sitting at my desk on those days feels impossible, and then I will get almost immediate relief if I lay down.

I also feel a lot of chest discomfort and intense brain fog. The brain fog is like I'm looking through a foggy window and don't feel aware at all of what's going on. I also often black out when I stand up where I don't pass out but my vision goes black and have a ringing in my ears and heart feels to me like it's beating rapidly. I have passed out twice when I was a teenager and another time when I got my blood drawn, but I haven't passed out in the past probably ten years.

Because of that, I thought that maybe this is POTS, so I went down that rabbit hole and met with a cardiologist. He ordered an EKG, heart monitor, and stress test, and they all apparently came back normal with no indications of POTS and they also did a quick testing of my heart rate and blood pressure in office laying down and then sitting and standing, and that didn't reach the criteria for POTS. However, while all of that was happening, he told me to increase my liquids, electrolytes, and use compression socks, and those have really taken the edge off most of the symptoms, but not really enough to make a huge difference. When I mentioned the brain fog again with the cardio follow up, he said I may need to see a neurologist so I guess that might be my next step.

Also last thing, I will say that I first really noticed these symptoms about five years ago, but the more I thought about it, I realized I used to have spells as a kid where I felt like I was dreaming or didn't quite know what was going on, which I would now say was the brain fog feeling, but you don't really have the vocab to explain that as a kid.

I'm tired of not getting any answers and all my tests coming back normal, so if anyone has any insight or suggestion of a type of doctor I should see next or supplements to try, I would greatly appreciate it.

Current diagnoses for other issues are PCOS, mildly low blood sugar (not enough to be dangerous, but I've used a dexcom to learn the signs and adjust my diet), seasonal allergies, acid reflux. So my only medications currently are zyrtec for the allergies and pantroprazole for the reflux. The cardiologist did give me a prescription for Midodrine, so I will be starting that soon.

TL;DR: I'm suffering from chronic brain fog and fatigue and all my doctors say my tests are coming back normal, so curious if anyone has suggestions??

Edit: for missing info, I'm in the US, caucasion, 5'9, 160 lbs, diagnosed already with PCOS and reflux, taking pantoprazole 40mg and zyrtec for allergies, no drug use, don't smoke.

reddit.com
u/SydAsh7 — 1 day ago

I went to urgent care and 2/3 pregnancy tests were positive… I have been celibate since mid 2025

Hi i’m 19 today i went to urgent care bc i left work early due to GI problems and nausea. I work in a large medical facility that has an urgent care i frequently work in, and am exposed to illness. Regardless i did think my stomach issues were from drinking coffee which i don’t do much. Last time i felt this way at worse the same thing happened i got hot then cold, felt like my body was extremely anxious, and needed to use the bathroom 😀

UC took my temp and it was 100 so not bad but i should mention im usually a 96.8 gal. My throat looked irritated so they suspected early symptoms of strep. the rapid for strep and covid were negative. (The cultures wont be back til tmr.) I then did a urine test. The nurse comes in and gently asks me “could you be pregnant?”
me: no
RN: are you sure there’s no chance you can be pregnant
me: very!
RN: you’ve tested positive for pregnancy
i then told her my personal history and we both agreed there is truly no chance i could be preggos. then she tells me i tested positive TWICE and that it’s extremely rare for that to happen. ALSO i was positive for a uti? to be honest i’ve had utis four times in my life i know the feeling of them starting and also full having one i don’t have any symptom. but have abnormal amounts of protein. they did a third pregnancy test which was negative then gave me no reason for a false positive other then birth control which i have NEVER taken.

So needless to say im rlly confused. I currently don’t have a PCP, i turned 18 over summer and never established myself w a dr. Now im regretting it and concerned that they’ve never seen results like mine and it’s rare yet gave me no follow up steps. is this a valid concern? do i need to go get blood work? google is NOT my friend rn.

(sorry for any typos i tried to type as fast as i could lol)

reddit.com
u/Difficult-Bit3885 — 1 day ago
▲ 1 r/AskMedical+1 crossposts

What is this prominent white in the CBCT for soft tissue (left sinus)

I don’t know how to read CBCT. I just captured it from the files that were sent to me.

u/ella_025 — 1 day ago

Question about exposure

34, male

A cat got into my bedroom and when it saw me, I opened the door and after making some sound, ran off. It s gone. The problem is that I walked barefoot in the room right when it was in the room and In the process, my right foots thump got into the back of my left foot and it made a small wound.

The scare is, since cat has mew mewed in the room, the Saliva is on the floor, probably. I didn't see but definitely it'll be. Now what if while I'm walking barefoot, it got mechanically in the right foot thump and when it made contact with the back of left foot and made a wound, the saliva that might have got smeared in my right foots thump might have gotten in that wound. right ? ...

.I just can't sleep thinking of this. Is this legit or am I overreacting? I know it's not possible as per FAQ. But the fact that it all happened very quickly ( not enough time for virus deactivation) and happened indoors at night ( so not enough circumstances for saliva to dry fast) make me extra thoughtful

reddit.com
u/Range_King — 1 day ago
▲ 3 r/AskMedical+2 crossposts

Is this tongue atrophy?

Can someone please tell me if this is tongue atrophy? I don’t have this on the other side of tongue and didn’t have it till last one month

u/Economy-Swimmer692 — 1 day ago

Should I go to the docter if I sprained my finger?

I was playing catch with a basketball with my friends and and I caught it and my finger I think bent back but idk but it hurt after and I didn’t think anything of it but I couldn’t bend it and u can’t stretch it out straight. It’s bruised and I think it’s swollen

u/Ashley_bloxdio — 1 day ago

Neck swelling/lump?

20F, smoker, no medical conditions, taking vitamin d tablets.

Noticed what i thought was a lump in my neck about 4 months ago. Thought it was a swollen lymph node so i ignored it. Fast forwards to about a few weeks ago i noticed it’s still there. Went for a private ultrasound so i can get answer quickly, but nothing was found and was told its all okay. Decided to still go see a GP, she said let’s order another scan. However, i’m from the UK so those scans take months, as you have to wait for it.
Noticed that when i lift my head slightly, the area looks swollen/bigger. No infection or illness recently so i’m not sure if it is a swollen lymph node anymore. Both sides of the neck feel similar, so i can’t even tell if there is a lump anymore, and it’s worrying me as i literally cannot tell a difference between normal anatomy or something more serious.
I don’t think i have any symptoms apart from my neck feeling tight/stiff sometimes, but i also believe my anxiety plays a part in this.

Kind of worried now. Have to wait until the 28th for a second opinion from a different GP. Any help/advice would be appreciated.

u/Mskyte — 1 day ago

21f presyncope

Hello, since January I’ve been having presyncope without actually passing out. It’s paired with lightheadedness, shaking, nausea, sometimes severe headaches. It’s not Vertigo, blood tests good - history of anxiety, depression, PCOS. Taking sertraline and Aripiprazole. Doctors keep dismissing me because my tests don’t show anything suspicious. I’m worried and lost. I don’t think it’s psychological.

reddit.com
u/Available_Bad3667 — 1 day ago
▲ 3 r/AskMedical+1 crossposts

Flickering Light = Headaches ??

Hi folks 💕 can someone explain to me why kind of all LED lights that I own (doesn’t matter expensive or cheap as fûck) flicker at 120 FPS in my iPhone camera like crazy (atleast if dimmed).

Some do even flicker or cause rolling bands of light and shadows on screen on 60 FPS, 30 FPS and some even on 24 FPS.

I don’t see the flickering with my own eyes, but since I’m a very photosensitive person who suffers from migraines and eye-migraines, light literally hurts my eyes if it’s brighter than dusk or dawn. My pupils are naturally always
more dilated than average - police and doctors sometimes ask me if i am on drugs, even tho I am not - annoying to be honest. I am concerned that this (for me invisible flicker), may cause migraines or other problems? 😣

I’ve read, that even when we don’t consciously notice it, our brain does and our iris-muscles contract in spasmic rhythms? ⚪️💃🕺⚪️

Can someone explain to me why even all the flicker free marketed LEDs I own all flicker (atleast slightly or sometimes violently) at 120 FPS and sometimes at lower FPS?

Hope my question isn’t too dumb, but ChatGPTs answers and Google search finds are kind of to vague - or I for some reason can’t comprehend it enough that I am satisfied or comforted. 🥸

Camera used: iPhone 16 Pro Max

——

English isn’t my first language - so I apologize if my wording is strange. 😵‍💫

imgur.com
u/Bastel-Betty — 1 day ago
▲ 5 r/AskMedical+3 crossposts

Do I need a second opinion ?

I tested negative for a yeast infection for over 6 months, yet my doctor keeps claiming it’s a chronic yeast infection. I’ve taken yeast infection medications more than six times, as well as used boric acid, but the symptoms keep coming back.

Right now, I don’t have any abnormal discharge — only itching and burning.

She hasn’t explained why she still believes it’s a chronic yeast infection even though I’ve tested negative for over 6 months, including being tested more than three times and having a wet mount test.

Should I look for a second opinion or see another urogynecologist?

reddit.com
u/canned-phoenix-ashes — 2 days ago
▲ 3.7k r/AskMedical+5 crossposts

2 year old male tongue laceration healing process

This is for everyone who saw my original post in here and accused me of being an awful mother and said I was wrong for trusting the drs who saw my son. (:

u/aquarisun — 6 days ago

Weird spots on my heel (some with red dots)

What are they? The larger one gets a tiny bit painful to step on with all my weight.

u/Appropriate_Big_563 — 3 days ago
▲ 6 r/AskMedical+1 crossposts

Weird Mark

I’ve had this weird mark for a few months and thought it was probably just stretch marks. Looking to get an opinion, do you think it’s stretch marks or something else?

u/Theblackpanther018 — 3 days ago
▲ 3 r/AskMedical+1 crossposts

Is my wound infected?

I was roller skating and fell down the stairs and scraped my knee on the concrete. This happened on 5/14 and this is how it looks 4 days later on 5/18. I've been putting Vaseline on it and using gauze pads to cover it.

u/_FoxyFan_ — 3 days ago

Cramping, vomited, diarrhea and now blood. is this ER worthy?

I am 28, female. About 4 hours ago I had the worst stabbing and cramping stomach pain of my life. It is in my lower left quadrant and below my belly button. It came on suddenly and it’s tender to touch. I vomited then pooped and then had diarrhea for an hour straight.. I was sweating and so dizzy that I kept having to lower myself to the floor.

I have had bad cramps constantly since then and am going small amounts every 30 minutes or so. The cramps vary in intensity but aren’t as severe as the start of this episode.. The last hour or so i’ve had blood, like in the photos..

I’m thinking it’s food poisoning? I don’t know from what.. but idk how much blood needs to be an ER visit?

u/klutzy7676 — 4 days ago
▲ 1 r/AskMedical+1 crossposts

Injured Toe

Does my toe look sprained or fractured? Should I get an x ray? My grandma dropped a large vacuum battery on it earlier today🙃🫪 I am able to move it but it hurts to bend and flex

u/No_Page680 — 3 days ago
▲ 4 r/AskMedical+2 crossposts

I think my finger is infected and idk how concerned I should be

17F, 95 lbs and 5’2.” I got a small paper cut like 4 days ago and forgot to clean it. It started getting itchy earlier today and it’s been swelling. At this point it’s swelling more like there’s a tiny balloon and I’m losing feeling in my hand. it’s also really painful. It’s 9pm and my parents don’t really believe in going to the doctor so they’re like not concerned but I just wanna make sure I’m not like dying of sepsis?

reddit.com
u/Violett-the-great — 4 days ago