Wound Care - burn question *poss SI trig as well*

[chocostashchick]

Just a random question about caring for burns....
How long should burns stay covered? And what is good to put on or not put on them?


This part might be kind of gross sorry....

If a burn is a few days old, would it be normal for it to be like bright white in the middle? And sort of sunken where the skin was blistery-ish? With maybe a faint greenish yellowy tinge to the part that is moist?

Apologies if I missed a trigger or something, or used the wrong one.

[chemicalromantic]

I think i remember somewhere burns heal from the middle outwards so i guess the white bit is just excess puss or something

if you keep applying Antibacterial cream every 3 hours it should heals relitivly quickly


try not to wear anything tight over the burn as it could stick to the wound when healing (like a graze)

I am sure the \first aid advisors could give you correct information if any of this is wrong




xxxx

[Bitter_Angel]

I shall post the article we have on burns.
To answer your question though, I need a little mre information.
What have you dont to treat the burn so far?
Is there any swelling?
Is there any pain?
Does it feel wram to touch?

Take care
Kim
-------------------------------------------------------------

Burns: Information

First Degree Burn, Second Degree Burn, Third Degree Burn


There are three levels of burns:

· First-degree burns affect only the outer layer of the skin. They cause pain, redness, and swelling.

· Second-degree burns affect both the outer and underlying layer of skin. They cause pain, redness, swelling, and blistering.

· Third-degree burns extend into deeper tissues. They cause white or blackened, charred skin that may be numb.

• Burn from Chemicals Skin contact with chemicals can cause a limited skin reaction, an overall body reaction, or both. Chemical exposure is not always obvious. You should suspect chemical exposure if an otherwise healthy person becomes ill for no apparent reason, particularly if an empty chemical container is found nearby.
  Exposure to chemicals at work over a long period of time can cause changing symptoms as the chemical builds up in the victim's body.

Causes

Burns can be caused by dry heat (like fire), wet heat (such as steam or hot liquids), radiation, friction, heated objects, the sun, electricity, or chemicals.

Thermal burns are the most common type. Thermal burns occur when hot metals, scalding liquids, steam, or flames come in contact with your skin. These are frequently the result of fires, automobile accidents, playing with matches, improperly stored gasoline, space heaters, and electrical malfunctions. Other causes include unsafe handling of firecrackers and kitchen accidents (such as a child climbing on top of a stove or grabbing a hot iron).

Burns to your airways can be caused by inhaling smoke, steam, superheated air, or toxic fumes, often in a poorly ventilated space.
Burns in children are sometimes traced to parental abuse.

Symptoms & Signs

· Blisters
· Pain (the degree of pain is not related to the severity of the burn -- the most serious burns can be painless)
· Peeling skin
· Red skin
· Shock (watch for pale and clammy skin, weakness, bluish lips and fingernails, and a drop in alertness)
· Swelling
· White or charred skin
Symptoms of an airway burn:
· Charred mouth; burned lips
· Burns on the head, face, or neck
· Wheezing
· Change in voice
· Difficulty breathing; coughing
· Singed nose hairs or eyebrows
· Dark, carbon-stained mucus

Chemical Burn or Reaction: Symptoms & Signs

The symptoms vary depending on the chemical to which the person is exposed. The symptoms may include:

• Abdominal pain
• Bright red or bluish skin and lips
• Breathing difficulty
• Convulsions (seizures)
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Hives, itching, swelling, nausea, vomiting, or weakness resulting from an allergic reaction
• Irritability
• Pain where the skin has come in contact with the toxic substance
• Rash, blisters, burns on the skin
• Unconsciousness

© A. Povey



...........Treatment of

Burns: First Aid

FOR MINOR BURNS

1. If the skin is unbroken, run cool water over the area of the burn or soak it in a cool water bath (not ice water). Keep the area submerged for at least 5 minutes. A clean, cold, wet towel will also help reduce pain.
2. Calm and reassure the person.
3. After flushing or soaking for several minutes, cover the burn with a sterile bandage (if available) or clean cloth.
4. Protect the burn from pressure and friction.
5. Over-the-counter pain medications, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, may be used to help relieve the pain. They may also help reduce inflammation and swelling. DO NOT give children under 12 aspirin.
6. Minor burns will usually heal without further treatment. However, if a second-degree burn covers an area more than 2 to 3 inches in diameter, or if it occurred on the hands, feet, face, groin, buttocks, or a major joint, then treat the burn as a major burn (see below).
7. Make sure the person is up-to-date on tetanus immunization.

FOR MAJOR BURNS

1. If someone is on fire, douse the person with water (if available), wrap the person in thick, non-synthetic material to smother the flames (use a wool or cotton coat, rug, or blanket), or lay the person flat and roll him or her on the ground. If your clothes catch fire, STOP, DROP, and ROLL.
2. Call your local emergency number (such as 911/999).
3. Make sure that the person is no longer in contact with smoldering materials. However, DO NOT remove burnt clothing that is stuck to the skin.
4. Make sure the person is breathing. If breathing has stopped, or if the person's airway is blocked, open the airway. If necessary, begin rescue breathing and CPR.
5. Cover the burn area with a cool, moist sterile bandage (if available) or clean cloth. DO NOT use a blanket or towel. A sheet will do if the burned area is large. DO NOT apply any ointments. Avoid breaking burn blisters.
6. If fingers or toes have been burned, separate them with dry, sterile, non-adhesive dressings.
7. Elevate the body part that is burned above the level of the heart. Protect the burnt area from pressure and friction.
8. Take steps to prevent shock. Lay the person flat, elevate the feet about 12 inches, and cover him or her with a coat or blanket. However, DO NOT place the person in this shock position if a head, neck, back, or leg injury is suspected or if it makes the person uncomfortable.
9. Continue to monitor the person's vital signs (pulse, rate of breathing, blood pressure) until medical help arrives.

Burns: Do Not

· DO NOT apply ointment, butter, ice, medications, fluffy cotton dressing, adhesive bandages, cream, oil spray, or any household remedy to a burn. This can interfere with proper healing.
· DO NOT allow the burn to become contaminated. Avoid breathing or coughing on the burn.
· DO NOT disturb blistered or dead skin.
· DO NOT remove clothing that is stuck to the skin.
· DO NOT give the person anything by mouth if there is a severe burn.
· DO NOT immerse a severe burn in cold water, this can cause shock.
· DO NOT place a pillow under the person's head if there is an airway burn and he or she is lying down. This can close the airway.

Call Immediately for Emergency Medical Assistance if

Call your local emergency number (such as 911/999) if:
· The burn is extensive (for example, the size of your palm or larger), severe (third degree), or you aren't sure how serious it is.
· The burn is caused by chemicals or electricity.
· The person shows signs of shock.
· The burn is associated with smoke inhalation.
· Physical abuse is the known or suspected cause of the burn.
Call a doctor if your pain is still present after 48 hours. Call immediately if signs of infection develop. These signs include increased pain, redness, swelling, drainage or pus from the burn, swollen lymph nodes, red streaks spreading from the burn, or fever. Also call immediately if there are signs of dehydration including thirst, dry skin, dizziness, lightheadedness, or decreased urination. Children, elderly, and anyone with a weakened immune system (for example, HIV) should be seen right away.

Chemical Burn or Reaction: First Aid

1. Make sure the cause of the burn has been removed. Try not to come in contact with it yourself. If the chemical is dry, brush off any excess. Avoid brushing it into your eyes. Remove any contaminated clothing or jewelry.
2. Flush the chemicals off the skin surface using cool running water for 15 minutes or more.
3. Treat the victim for shock if he or she appears faint, pale, or if there is shallow, rapid breathing.
4. Apply cool, wet compresses to relieve pain.
5. Wrap the burned area with a dry sterile dressing (if possible) or clean cloth. Protect the burned area from pressure and friction.
6. Minor chemical burns will generally heal without further treatment. However, if there is a second or third degree burn or if there is an overall body reaction, get medical help immediately. In severe cases, don't leave the victim alone and watch carefully for systemic reactions.

Note: If chemical gets into the eyes, the eyes should be flushed with water immediately. Continue to flush the eyes with running water for at least 15 minutes. Seek medical help immediately

Chemical Burn or Reaction: Do Not

• DO NOT become contaminated by the chemical as you give first aid.
• DO NOT try to neutralize any chemical without consulting the Poison control Center or a physician.
• DO NOT disturb a blister or remove dead skin from a chemical burn.
• DO NOT apply any household remedy such as an ointment or salve to a chemical burn.

Call Immediately for Emergency Medical Assistance ifthe victim is having difficulty breathing, is having seizures, or is unconscious.

[chocostashchick]

thanks for the replies and the article
apparently i did what you arent supposed to do because i had put bacitracin on it which is an ointment, right? and i was putting in on with bandaids because it was looking icky to me
and i also think i did the bad thing of disturbing dead skin because i was dabbing it with a tissue with bacitracin because i accidentally squirted like half the tube on instead of a little bit and when i was trying to wipe the extra off i also wiped off some dead skin i think
i think it is a little bit warmer than the rest of my skin but it's only a little bit pink around it so i dont think it's infected or anything
this is so gross.... but i don't think it's swollen - it's like the opposite of swollen it's sunken in in the middle (i look like i have smallpox or the plague or something)
it hurt a lot more yesterday but i put all that bacitracin ointment on it and it actually hurts less today and the greenishy tinge is mostly gone it just looks whiteish/yellowish/pinkish now
but it probably isnt that bad right it's pretty small? i was a little worried about the greeny white part inside but it looks better today to me
that burn article is helpful i couldn't find anything on the main site though; is it posted somewhere? i think it should be

[Aidee]

Ah, the ointment bit needs to be edited.

That is talking about immediately after the burn, before it has had time to cool. If you put anything on the burn that traps heat it can cause the burn to keep getting worse.

Once the burn has cooled then you should put antibacterial ointment on it, but you still shouldn't put butter or anything else listed on it.

I hope that clears things up for you.

[Comely]

hun,when I burn, I put drops of cool(not cold)water on immediately after,to cool it. Then I let that air dry before putting a dab of antibacterial cream on it. If it blisters,it's okay.It's part of the healing process with burns.Don't pop the blisters.But,burns,small or big,are more likely to scar. when the skin is white, it means it is a second degree burn(or,could be third,if you don't feel any pain due to nerve damage).

Just thought i'd throw my own little comments from experience in there.

[ghosts in the machine]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chocostashchick

this is so gross.... but i don't think it's swollen - it's like the opposite of swollen it's sunken in in the middle (i look like i have smallpox or the plague or something)

Actually, everything you've said so far sound like what my burns look like; try to keep it as clean as possible and if it starts looking infected then get it checked out. I tend not to have too many problems with them though. And don't pick the scabs!!

[chocostashchick]

thanks all
it's about 2 weeks old now but it is finally looking like it is healing
i think i was thrown off because it was bigger and worse/deeper than any burn i had had before and i can tell the scar is going to be bad but there isnt anything i can do now i guess
i think it was a bit infected but its better now
i probably should have been putting antibacterial ointment on it sooner but i have this bad habit of when i SI not taking care of it
if i get a papercut or accidentally hurt myself i wash it and put ointment on it and use bandages and am really good but when i SI i just cant bring myself to take care of it and i know it makes the scars worse and i dont like that but it isnt until things are funny colors and getting gross that i get worried and try to take care of it
i probably need to work on that

[Amadeus]

You still might want to get it checked out. Burns are relatively easy to explain away (if you're worried about that), I mean, ovens, grills, etc. It would depends on the size of course. In the end, you probably won't lose a lot by getting it looked at by a professional.