Burns

Burns are caused by exposure to fire and any kind of radiation as well as contact with hot surfaces or chemicals

Things never do

1. Never breath or cough on it
2. Don’t apply butter, ice, spray etc

Types of burn

Burns are checked by how seriously our skin is damaged and which layers of skin are affected. Our skin has 3 layers: epidermis, dermis, subcutis

There are 4 types of burn, which tend to have a different appearance and different symptoms:

• superficial epidermal burn are first layer burns symptoms include, redness, swolening
• superficial dermal burn
• deep dermal or partial thickness burn
• full thickness burn – where all three layers of skin damaged

Burns of all types

Stop the contact with fire, help the person to stop, drop & roll, remove hot or burned clothing so that it don’t stick with the skin. Also remove jewelry, belts

Because burns can swell

Treat Pain

• Give over-the-counter pain reliever such as Panadol which is a very good pain killer,  ibuprofen and  naproxen 

Consult Doctor

1) If there are signs of infection e.g swelling, pain, fever etc or

2) If the burn blister is more than 2 inches

3) If pain is worst

Burns that don’t need medical attention

If the burn is on small

If your burn is small it could be treated at home, there is no need for further treatment. But during the healing process keep it clean and do not burst the blisters as it can lead to infection. It will heal in a week or 2 weeks

Blisters

Doctor’s opinion is needed for the management of blisters that are caused by burns. However, it’s recommended that you shouldn’t burst any blisters yourself.

Your doctor will advise you about the best way to care for your blister and what type of dressing you should use.

Shock

After a shock patient can go into shock. Shock is a life-threatening condition that occurs when there’s an insufficient supply of oxygen to the body. It’s possible to go into shock after a serious burn. Symptoms include shallow breathing , yawning, pale face etc.

Dial 999 and ask for an ambulance if you think that someone who has been seriously injured is going into shock.

Heat exhaustion and heatstroke

Heat strokes are caused by sun burn. If a person remains in contact with sun for a long period of time his/her skin get tanned. Symptoms extreme tiredness and lack of energy, dizziness or fainting, feeling sick or vomiting, rapid pulse, headache, muscle pain, irritability, confusion

Infection

Burns can be infected burst and if bacteria get into them. If your burn has a blister keep it clean, otherwise it may become infected if it’s not kept clean. Seek medical checkup

Scarring

Scar is mark of injury or healed tissue. Most minor burns leave little scar but scars of major burns stays through the lifetime.

First aid for a major burn

It is very necessary to take the person to the doctor so call the emergency number.

·       Check whether the person is away from fire

·       Check they are breathing or not. I necessary start emergency breathing if you are trained to do so

·       Remove all metallic items from their body, such as belts and jewelry in or near the burned areas. Burned areas typically swell quickly.

·       Cover with clean cloth to moisturize the skin

·       If the fingers and toes are burned then separate them by non sticky bandage so that they do not touch each other

·       Elevate the burned area above the heart if possible

·       Continuously check the symptoms of shock or pale complexion

First aid for a minor burn

 

·       Keep the burned area underwater so that it cools down

·       Remove all the metallic items and tight ones. Do it with soft hands

·       Try not to burst the blisters. If blisters are open then the infection could be caused. The doctor will give antibiotic ointment so apply it as per doctors guidelines

·       Apply aloe vera if the burned area get cooled down so that the skin will not dry

·       Loosely bandage the burn area and take medicine for pain relief