Burns are one of the most common types of injuries: in Russia, about 600 thousand burns are recorded in just one year. A special contribution to these statistics is made by summer bonfires and New Year's fireworks, forgotten chemicals on the table and faulty electrical appliances. In the burn wards there are patients, among whom there is always a drunk who fell asleep with a burning cigarette, and a small child who pulled a pot of boiling water from a stove. By the number of deaths, burn injuries are second only to automobile injuries. Burns are especially dangerous for the elderly and small children.
Burns are radiation, electrical, chemical and thermal. The most common are thermal burns - steam, flame, hot liquid. In children under the age of 5 years, thermal burns with boiling water are most often found , they make up 80% of all existing species.
It should be understood that first aid for burns with steam (thermal) and first aid for burns with acid (chemical) will be fundamentally different. What is the difference between these types of burns? And most importantly, how should first aid be provided for burns of various types? Let's try to understand this issue.
First aid for thermal burns
When providing first aid to a victim of a thermal burn, the effects of the damaging factor should be stopped as soon as possible. If we talk about burns with hot liquid, it is necessary to quickly remove (cut off) clothes soaked in boiling water. If a person has suffered from a flame, then extinguish burning clothing with water as soon as possible, and then remove it. In addition to water, you can extinguish by any means at hand - earth, sand, a dense cloth.
Clothing that adheres to the body should not be removed, as there is a risk of additional damage to the burned surface.
If the victim has burned hands, you should immediately try to remove the bracelets, watches and rings, since in the future, edema of literally the entire affected area will develop very quickly, and these items will compress the tissues, which can lead to circulatory disorders. In such situations, the development of necrosis is even possible.
Next, it is necessary to cool the affected areas - by immersion in cool water, blowing with cold air, applying ice. Then an analgesic drug should be given to the victim - soladeni, nise, analgin, etc. If the burn was minor, then the treatment at this stage can, in principle, be considered finished.
In the event that the burn was deep, you should not carry out any manipulations with the victim - independently clean the wounds from dirt and scraps of clothing, open the bubbles. All that is required is a dry, sterile dressing and immediate medical attention.
First aid for chemical burns
Again, for starters, you should stop the effects of the damaging factor, namely: remove (if necessary, cut off) clothing soaked in irritating substances. Then you should wash the affected areas with running water. Rinsing sometimes takes a lot of time, sometimes up to several hours. Sulfuric acid concentrate and quicklime must first be completely and possibly removed without residue by the dry route due to the fact that the interaction of these substances with water leads to the generation of additional heat, which can lead to even greater damage.
Some surgeons are of the opinion that for alkali and acid burns , neutralizing agents should be used, namely, for acid burns, a weak solution of sodium chloride or soap, and for alkaline burns, a solution of acetic or citric acid. But there is an opinion that this should not be done, since during neutralization reactions , heat can also begin to be released.
First aid for burns of the mucous membrane of the mouth and esophagus boils down to an early visit to a medical institution. Only in some cases, when it is simply impossible to see a doctor in the near future, you should give the victim raw egg white or some milk to drink - these substances will envelop the membrane of the damaged mucosa and “bind” the alkali or acid.