Alternating Pressure Pad / Alternating Pressure Mattress Pad

What is an Alternating Pressure Pad?

Alternating pressure overlays are made to deliver air into individual cells at regular intervals. As briefly mentioned earlier, alternating pressure overlays are simply mattress pads that are meant to go onto a patient’s bed in order to provide the same relief that an alternating pressure mattress would – helping to prevent and treat bedsores and assisting those who live at a higher risk of developing these sores take extra measures to forestall this possibility. 

Alternating air pressure pads often come with a full-system consisting of the overlay pad and air pump that utilizes the cyclic air pressure times automatically programmed into them. They can vary in style as well as weight capacity. The bubble style pads offer unique contact point therapy compared to the traditional standard alternating pressure mattress system. They work by inflating and deflating the cells in repetitive cycles. 

Benefits of an Alternating Pressure Mattress Pad

There are many benefits and features that alternating air pads can provide to users/patients. Naturally, the reduction and treatment of pressure sores represents the primary reason, but users can benefit much more from the various things that alternating pressure pads offer, just as if they were using a higher-priced mattress. 

Improved Circulation

Users who decide to purchase an alternating pressure pad for their bed can benefit from having improved circulation. The pressure distributed across the patient gently “massages” different key points of the body with the inflation and deflation process. This improved circulation can help a user suffer from less joint and body pain commonly associated with inflammation. When combined with an adjustable hospital bed, these air overlays can help to continuously reposition patients and help increase blood flow to target areas of the body that need it the most, including vital organs. 

Spine and Joint Support

Just like sleeping on a foam mattress or pad, a user can experience many benefits from sleeping on an air pressure pad for a mattress due to the fact that it helps to reduce pressure on areas of the body that rest against the bed with the most weight bearing on them. This feature can aid users because it allows their bones, joints, and even their spine to properly align while they’re confined to their bed. The extra support can also lead to less pain and discomfort commonly associated with lying in one position for too long. 

Adjustable Pressure

The pressure in the bed is adjustable, which means that a caregiver can direct the airflow to make the mattress as soft or as firm (but never too firm) for the patient. This helps to distribute the air evenly throughout the bed and allows for the patient to get the right support and pressure relief that they need to avoid developing bedsores. 

Quiet Pumps for Better Sleep

Some units are known to be rather loud, and anyone who owns other medical devices with air pumps, such as oxygen concentrators, knows this. The pumps on air beds are rather quiet in comparison to many other air pumps and allows more peace and quiet for the patients. This helps them to get the rest that they need to ensure that they are completely comfortable and able to sleep anytime they need to. 

Hypoallergenic Materials for Universality

The polyvinyl and vinyl material that is frequently used in making alternating pressure mattress overlays is hypoallergenic and easy to keep sanitary. Many users who are bed-bound for longer periods of time throughout the day (or completely incapacitated) are at higher risk for infections, and this can help to combat it. Also, there is no latex in the overlays to ensure that they are universal and can be used by anyone at any time. 

Provides Moisture Control

One of the greatest benefits brokered by individual bubble cells is that there are even more improved moisture controls. This feature combined with the materials themselves helps alternating air pressure pads wick away moisture and decrease the amount of perspiration that a patient will experience – as many often do when they’re stuck in bed all the time. 

Are Alternating Pressure Pads Expensive?

Air pads can vary greatly in price from around $56 up to around $200, but they are rather inexpensive considering the fact that many of them come with a pump as well. The average alternating mattress pad system costs less than $100. The benefit to this is that a user can spend much less than if they bought an advanced air mattress system, but still get many of the same benefits. 

Precautions to Consider?

One of the primary things that a person needs to consider when shopping for an alternating mattress pad is that their weight capacity may be less than that of a higher-priced air bed. Most alternating pressure overlays only hold weights of 250 lbs. up to 300 lbs. Therefore, heavier bariatric users may need to choose another bariatric alternative, or even a foam or gel overlay to accommodate their individual needs. Larger users may also require additional support since they live at a higher risk than other patients for manifesting pressure ulcers. 

Another point that most people need to consider is the size of the mattress overlay itself. The size of mattress pads can vary just as much as the price, and it is important that the mattress is the right length for the person in order to leverage all the benefits of such a product. While many regular-sized overlays are about 32 inches wide by 72 inches long, some taller users may need to have a mattress overlay that is longer.

At AvaCare Medical, we want to connect you with the best brands of alternating pressure pads on the market for reasonable prices. By partnering with brands like Drive Medical, Briggs, Tuffcare (and more!) into our inventory, we’re able to provide the highest quality products. What’s more, all orders above $50 ship free of charge! We even carry many universal mattress pads for replacement if needed for a very low price! Help us help you save, and give us a call at 1-877-813-7799 to speak to a customer caregiver representative who can help answer any questions and complete your order today!