Burn Treatment and Classification
September 24th, 2011 by admin | No Comments | Filed in UncategorizedEveryone has endured a burn sometime in his or her life whether it was a sunburn or you burned yourself on the stove. No matter where you got it, burns can be extremely painful. Easing the pain comes with knowing how to treat the specific burn, the different degrees of burns and knowing when you need professional medical treatment.
There are different causes of burns such as electrical, radiation (i.e. the sun), chemical, and heat. Severity of burns is noted by age of the victim (children or the elderly), location (head, genitals, neck, hands, or feet), if the burn has more than one body area of coverage, the depth of the burn, and burns that cause difficulty in breathing. Electrical, explosive, or chemical-related burns are also considered more severe in nature.
There are three burn classifications: First-degree, Second-degree, and Third-degree. First-degree burns are surface burns that are painful but will heal quickly (5 to 6 days) with no scarring. These burns can be treated by running cool water on it and letting them heal on their natural course.
Second-degree burns have swelling and blisters; these blisters may open on their own but should not be popped. If they open, place loose bandages on the affected area.
Third-degree burns are the most severe with deep damage done not only to the skin but also to the muscles, fat, bone, and nerves. If the nerves are burned, there won’t be any pain but, if they haven’t been, the pain will be excruciating. This type of burn needs medical attention immediately.
All burns, except electrical ones, need to be cooled with lots of cool water; Either by running the affected area under the faucet in the sink, tub, or outside hose, or, on larger areas, using clean wet cloths. Keep the cloths wet and cool. Never use ice directly on skin as you could cause frostbite. Don’t rub the burned area with the cloth; just lay it on the burn. Also, never put salves or creams on the more severe 2nd and 3rd degree burns because it can seal in the heat.
After cooling the area, loose, clean cloths or bandages should be placed on the burns to keep out infection. If clothing has melted onto the skin, don’t attempt to remove it-that is a job for the medical professionals. Seek medical treatment immediately!
Remember to play it safe to avoid burns especially within the home since most general accidents happen here. Be smart when you’re out in the sun. We may not think that a sunburn can be severe but, if you’ve ever seen or had a nasty one, you know how painful they can be. The proper UVA and UVB sunscreen and UV protecting sunglasses will help curb bad burns and sun damage.
Taking the proper care when treating burns and getting medical help when needed will not only allow burns to heal faster but also lessen the risk of infection.
Tina Seay is the author and webmaster of LearnSomethingToday.com LearnSomethingToday.com a website that promotes quality of life, ForTheCatLover.com ForTheCatLover.com a website for cats and the people who love them and YourWeddingStory.net a site that helps the whole bridal party get ready for a dream wedding. Her goal is education and to help others achieve a happy healthy lifestyle.
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Tags: quality of life, uva and uvb
