What are Burns?
- Injuries due to heat/ chemicals/ electricity/ radiation
- Common heat injuries due to fire, hot liquids, steam
- Burns due to heat / chemicals - through skin contact
- Severe burns affect muscles, fat and bones
- Older people/ children - particularly vulnerable
Categories of burns
- First, second and third degree
- Categorization depends on severity of tissue damage
- Check extent of burn before deciding self treatment
- Seek help if burn is over a couple of inches in diameter, or
- If it involves large sections of the hands, feet, face, groin or buttocks, or a major joint
First-degree burns
- Injuries are superficial / mild
- Swelling& redness of the injured area
- Pain develops
- No blisters seen
- Burned area becomes white on touch
- Takes 3-6 days to heal
Treatment
- Remove patient from heat source
- Remove the burnt clothing
- Run cool water over burnt area
- Gently clean the injured area
- Gently dry
- Apply anti biotic such as Silver Sulphadiazine
- Use a sterile bandage to cover burns
- Take tetanus vaccination, if required
Second-degree burns
- Burns extends to middle skin layer, dermis
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- Swelling, redness and pain observed
- Burnt area may turn white on touch
- Blisters develop, that ooze a clear fluid
- Scars may develop
- Restricts movement, if injury occurs at joint
- Dehydration may occur
- Healing time varies, depends on extent of injury
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Treatment
- Clean the affected area thoroughly
- Gently dry
- Apply antibiotic cream over affected area
- Make the patient lie down
- Keep burnt body part at a raised level
- Skin graft may be required
- Physical therapy may be essential to aid mobility
- Splints may be used to rest affected joints
- Hospitalization is essential
Third-degree burns
- Damage occurs to all 3 skin layers
- Destroys adjacent hair follicles, sweat glands, nerve endings
- Lack of pain due to destroyed nerves
- Injured area does not turn white on touch
- No blisters observed
- Swelling occurs
- Skin develops leathery texture
- Discoloration of skin observed
- Scars develop
- Crusty surfaces (Eschars) develop-impairs circulation
- Dehydration occurs resulting in shock
- Symptoms may worsen with time
- Disfigurement may result
- Healing depends on extent of injury
- 90% body surface injury results in death
- 60% injury in elderly, fatal
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Treatment
- Requires immediate hospital care
- Dehydration treated through intravenous fluid supply
- Oxygen is administered
- Eschars are surgically opened
- Periodically run clean cool water over burns
- Nutritious diet helps to heal quickly
- Regular monitoring essential
- Mental Depression treated by anti-depressants
Prevention
- Install smoke alarm in your home
- Employ 'children friendly' safety measures at home
- Avoid synthetic clothing while cooking
- Carry out fire drills at home and work place
