Information on how to provide first aid for burns, can be useful to a person who has nothing to do with medicine. More than half of these injuries are obtained in a domestic environment, so it is important to have a basic knowledge of the permissible actions in the event.
Kinds of burns and their characteristics
Damage is different for the reason that caused them. There are the following types of burns:
- thermal;
- chemical;
- beam.
Another classification is based on the degree of burns.
- The first. Skin blushes, swells, there is soreness. Only the uppermost layer is affected.
- The second. The second layer of the skin is broken, blisters are added to the previous signs.
- The third. Deep layers of the skin are affected, nerve endings and blood vessels fall under attack.
- Fourth. Destruction of subcutaneous fat, in the worst case - muscles and bones.
After first aid for burns is provided, medical care is required. The specialist decides on further actions, based on the depth and area of the lesion. The first parameter is determined by the degree, the second in percentage to the total surface of the body. Man's palm is taken for 1% of the area, high danger begins when the threshold is exceeded 30% (10% of children) in the case of the 1-3 degree. At the most severe variant this indicator decreases to 10-15%. Any burn of the face , respiratory tract, perineum requires medical supervision, automatically being considered dangerous.
Thermal burn
To this class of injuries, according to the statistics, every third injury belongs. The cause is the influence of high temperatures, often this burns with boiling water, steam or hot metal. As a result, the protein structures coagulate, the skin cells are destroyed and die. The longer and more intensive the exposure, the higher the degree of injury will result.
Sunburn
It is the result of tissue overheating and exposure to UV rays. It appears as:
- redness, followed by discomfort and burning at the end of the day, goes through 3-4 days;
- painfulness with redness, combined with the formation of bubbles with a clear liquid.
The first option does not require the intervention of a physician, it should be addressed in the following cases.
- Burn the sun face. It is characterized by severe leakage and can cause severe scarring.
- A large area of damage with the formation of blisters - with a clear or bloody fluid.
- Pronounced puffiness in case of injury to the face or in areas far from the injury.
Chemical burn
Occurs when exposed to the skin of a chemical agent, in the absence of adequate care in the first minutes of hit, the trauma can drastically deepen in less than half an hour. Acid burn is less dangerous than alkali. In the first case, a dry scab is formed, and in the second case, a deep dissolution of the protein structures occurs before wet necrosis . Seeking medical help is required in any case, even if it is a small hand burn due to the prolonged action of the substances on the tissue.
What to do with a burn?
The effectiveness of recovery after such an injury largely depends on the behavior in the first few minutes. Assistance for burns should be in accordance with its type and degree. The general recommendations are as follows.
- Elimination of the cause of the lesion, removing the remnants of hot clothes.
- Rinsing with cold water for 10-20 minutes for cooling, longer can not be kept because of the risk of vasospasm. First aid for burns with chemicals should begin with the definition of their type. Do not wash with sulfuric acid and quick lime. In the first case, the composition must first be removed from the skin with a dry napkin, putting on gloves.
- Anesthesia and the imposition of a sterile bandage (wrapping a clean sheet for a large area).
- Address to the doctor.
1st degree burn
Only the upper layers of the skin are affected, which is expressed by burning, swelling, redness and pain. After cooling the affected area, it is permissible to use a Panthenol burn ointment. After a few days the skin begins to peel off, the discomforting sensations subside, after the damage is tightened, the pigmented areas remain. Traditional medicine has many tips, than to smear a burn, some of them can be used, but it is better to purchase pharmaceuticals. They are more effective and safer.
Second degree burn
After a while after the redness, bubbles form with a liquid, after a natural breakthrough, reddening does not disappear. Recovery takes about 2 weeks. Than to treat a burn, the doctor should speak, use of house methods is inadmissible. Independently you can only cool the place and apply a dry sterile bandage, having previously called an ambulance. Ointments, oils and any fat-containing remedy for burns can not be used because they are the basis for the propagation of pathogens. If this is allowed, the healing process will become more complicated.
Third degree burn
It is manifested by severe injuries to muscles and skin, and in large areas, the risk of death is high. At first, the victims feel a strong pain, and then their sensitivity and ability to realize what is happening sharply decreases. The pressure drops, the pulse weakens. Damaged areas are covered with ulcers and scabs, healing is completed by the formation of scars. Possible outcome with disability. Treatment of burns is carried out in a hospital.
After receiving such damage, it is required to call an ambulance immediately. The patient should be given medications that stop sharp pain, and antihistamine injections may be used additionally. Further, 33% alcohol is treated and sterile bandages are applied, after which the help is provided in a specialized medical institution. If you can not move by yourself, you should immediately give an anesthetic , provide a copious drink and protect the damaged areas from contact with any surfaces.
What can not be done with a burn?
Folk recipes have their own opinion about any ailment, but rendering assistance with burns is better to focus on official medicine. Only she is able to suggest correct behavior in case of serious damage, other options will be at best ineffective, and at worst - will cause harm, slowing healing and leading to serious complications. This is especially dangerous in case of severe skin disorders, when any unprofessional intervention provokes infection with subsequent inflammation and suppuration.
What can not be done with a thermal burn?
Regardless of what the injury was caused by - a burn with oil, metal, steam or water, you can not do the following.
- To reveal blisters, except for additional trauma of a skin there is a chance of infection.
- Tear off stuck clothing from the wound, during first aid for burns, you need to remove only loose tissue.
- Touch the damaged skin, otherwise you can put an infection.
- Use alcohol and fat-containing liquids for treatment, it can only be done by a doctor.
- Apply cotton wool to the burn, because the fibers trapped in the wound make it difficult to treat and heal.
- To stick a plaster because of a disturbance of air exchange.
- To use ice for cooling, excessively low temperature can aggravate an injury, leading to circulatory problems.
What can not be done with a sunburn?
When sunburn burns, you can not:
- Use vegetable oil, sour cream and other improvised means. They envelop the damaged area with a nutrient film that helps to multiply pathogenic bacteria. The same applies to petroleum jelly and other fatty ointments.
- Ignore the need to go to the hospital if there is a burn of the eye, face or large area of the body.
- In the formation of bubbles pierce them, because this violates the natural protection against harmful effects. The result can be inflammation, which in irritated skin will be a serious obstacle to its normal healing.
- Use folk recipes using urine. It is advised to reduce pain, but it can contain a lot of bacteria that can easily settle in damaged skin. This will lead to aggravation of the inflammation and prolong the period of rehabilitation.
- To apply to the damaged skin alcohol-containing liquids, they will have a drying effect, aggravating the condition.
What can not be done with a chemical burn?
When receiving a chemical burn injury, it is strictly forbidden:
- Use water to wash off quicklime and sulfuric acid.
- Pull the fibers of the tissue directly from the wound.
- Treat damage with alcohol and oil.
- Neglect qualified care, especially if it is a burn of the mucous membrane, face, neck, stop, or large area.
- Puncture and wet the blisters that appeared upon contact with a poisonous plant.