Alkali burns: causes, symptoms, first aid, treatment

An alkali burn is in many ways similar to an injury from exposure to skin with acid and is considered one of the most dangerous. We explain in more detail. The ingress of this substance on the surface of the skin or mucous membrane leads to its penetration into the deep layers of the epidermis and fiber. The larger the lesion area and the concentration of the composition, the more severe the injury.

Features

Most often, burns with acids and alkalis are obtained in the conditions of production work or in the household. Injuries sustained in the domestic way, as a rule, do not cause serious harm to health due to lower concentrations of reagents. Defeat at the workplace often carries serious consequences, including death. Since toxic components of high concentration are used in the production, they cause severe burns on contact. The use of such substances requires increased attention and safety.

Signs of injury

With a chemical burn with alkali, a sensation of soap deposits immediately appears at the lesion site. This is due to the emulsification of sebum on the surface of the epidermis. Almost instantly, redness and irritation of the integument exposed to a chemical agent occurs.

The longer the action of the reagent on the skin, the more pronounced the symptoms of the burn. Swelling, burning sensation, numbness and sharp pain appear. It is worth noting that the alkali is able to diffuse in the tissue, as a result, the pathological process proceeds in the subcutaneous layers and damage is not immediately detected on the surface.

Damage level

The severity of the burn obtained depends on the following factors:

• composition, volume and concentration of alkali;
• contact duration.

The alkali lesion is divided as follows:

1. I degree. Only the upper layer of skin is injured. Of the symptoms of a burn with alkali of the first degree, they are distinguished: mild swelling, redness, burning, moderate pain.
2. II degree. Small blisters with watery contents form on the skin. The burn affects the deeper layers of the dermis, otherwise the symptoms are similar to the previous ones.
3. III degree. Very often the subcutaneous fat layer is injured. The active substance penetrates into the deeper layers, because of which the pain is felt more acutely. Large watery blisters appear on the surface of the dermis, less often with bloody patches.
4. IV degree. The most dangerous type of alkali burn. It affects not only the skin, but also muscles, tendons, bone and adipose tissue. This degree of injury poses a great threat to the life and health of the victim. The treatment is performed by surgery to remove dead tissue and a chemical.

First aid

Proper and quick rendering of it after receiving a skin burn with alkali significantly reduces the risk of negative consequences. It is necessary to immediately remove clothes from the place where the substance fell. Then the reagent must be removed. The injured area is washed with water and its reaction is neutralized with acid. In domestic conditions, this can be done with vinegar or lemon.

It is important to note several features of skin cleansing:

1. Wash the affected area for 15-30 minutes.
2. If the reagent was in powder form, it is first necessary to remove the remaining chemical from the skin and only then proceed to rinse.
3. It is strictly forbidden to clean with wet wipes or towels. This contributes to the accelerated penetration of the substance under the skin.
4. If the burn was from quicklime, it is strictly forbidden to rinse with water. This enhances the chemical reaction.
5. If the injury is a result of contact with hydrated lime, a standard washing is carried out, and after that processing using a sugar solution (1 tbsp. In a glass of water).

To dull the pain, you can apply a cold compress to the wound. In the presence of blisters, it is recommended to consult a specialist for appropriate treatment.

Damage to the organs of vision

Rarely, but still there are cases of eye burns with alkali. In this situation, an urgent need to call an ambulance. This type of lesion has the following features:

• lacrimation
• acute reaction to light;
• pain in the eye;
• not only the eyeball is affected, as well as the area around it;
• in severe cases, complete or partial loss of vision is possible.

In anticipation of emergency care, the eye mucosa should be thoroughly rinsed:

1. Eyelids of the injured eyes are pushed back and washed gently for 20 minutes with a thin stream of cool water.
2. The patient is taken to a specialist.
   

Chemical damage treatment, drugs

Depending on the size of the chemical burn with alkali, the severity and location of the injury, medication is prescribed. It consists in a combination of the following drugs and procedures:

1. In acute pain, painkillers are used. Among them: Ibuprofen, Nise, Nurofen, Analgin, Ketorolac.
   
2. To prevent infection of the wound and its possible suppuration, antibacterial procedures are carried out using a solution of Novoimanin in a ratio of 1 to 5 or Dioxisol.
3. The following water-soluble ointments are applied to the affected area of ​​the skin: Levomekol, Levomisil.
4. With II and III degree of damage, the doctor using antiseptic drugs opens the blisters and treats the site of injury.
5. With a fourth degree burn, surgery is performed, during which necrosis is eliminated. Often resort to plastic surgery for aesthetic correction of defects.

Folk remedies

When resorting to help with an alkali burn using alternative medicine methods, it is recommended to abandon recipes that do not imply thermal treatment of plants, since in this case the risk of infection entering the wound increases.

You can use the following recipes:

1. A strong decoction based on bay leaves effectively removes the inflammatory process. It is enough to fill 5-7 medium leaves with a glass of boiling water and treat the place with infusion after cooling.
2. Purulent wounds are useful to treat with freshly squeezed aloe juice. A gauze swab is impregnated with it and applied to the lesion.
3. Celandine juice contributes to the rapid drying of an open wound. It is diluted with boiled water at room temperature in a ratio of 1 to 1.
4. Essential oils help to reduce the inflammatory process, including eucalyptus, cedar and tea tree.
5. Accelerate healing with lotions on wounds. They are made from the leaves of a golden mustache, mummy and propolis.
6. It is useful to rinse with herbal decoction (the recipe is presented below).

The broth is prepared as follows:

1. Prepare a herbal collection of several medicinal plants, such as: St. John's wort, cinquefoil, plantain, celandine, calendula.
2. Add 2 tsp to a glass of water. gather herbs and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Allow 3 hours to infuse and treat the wound every time you change the dressing.

Diagnostics

First of all, the assessment of a burn involves examining the affected area, the larger its area, the more serious the problem. As a rule, the severity is determined on the third day after injury.

For most patients, the diagnosis of an alkali burn is associated with damage to the external skin. The doctor is aware of the likely severity of the injury and its consequences. He tries to prevent all possible complications, such as infection of the wound, sepsis, intoxication, etc. With existing pathologies, the specialist will help to take timely measures and prescribe treatment. Since the chemical has the ability to penetrate tissue, this type of burn is considered severe.

Some types of alkali, in addition to external influences, penetrate the blood, increase the natural pH level, which leads to the development of pathological processes in the heart and kidneys. If we talk about eye burns, the diagnosis is carried out using special tools and equipment, after which the ophthalmologist prescribes therapy.

First aid

First aid for a burn with alkali:

1. Urgently washed the lesion with running cold water for 20 minutes.
2. Then the injured area is treated with an acidified solution. Prepare it as follows: in a glass of water, dissolve 0.5 tsp. boric or citric acid or stirred 1 tbsp. l 6 percent vinegar with 3 tbsp. l water.

In case of a burn with a powder composition of alkali, it is cleaned from the skin with a paper or cloth dry towel and only then washed with water and treated with an acidified solution. The substance reacts with water, so it is important to carefully remove it before washing, so as not to cause even greater harm.

If the burn is a result of contact with quicklime, it must not be washed. The reagent is removed from the skin with a dry cloth and treated with vegetable oil, then a bandage is applied.

First-aid care for quicklime burns consists in thoroughly washing the lesion and treating it with sweetened water. You can also do lotions with it.

A burn of the organs of vision is one of the most severe types of injuries. After washing with water, the eyes are treated with a weak acidified solution, and then immediately consult an ophthalmologist for help.

Help with burns with acids and alkalis in a hospital

The mild form of damage is treated with the well-known Pantenol agent in the form of an aerosol, Oxycyclozole spray, Prednisolone corticosteroid, and Dioxizol or Novoimanin local antiseptics. We describe the preparations in more detail.

• "Panthenol" - relieves inflammation, restores tissue and cell function, is rapidly absorbed.
• "Oxycyclosol" - has an antibacterial, antiallergic effect. It is used to treat small lesions (up to 20 cm ² ).
• "Prednisolone" is an antiexudative, antipruritic agent.
• "Dioxizole" contains the antimicrobial component dioxidine and reduces the sensitivity of lidocaine. The drug is effective in fighting infection, stimulates the regeneration process, and is used once a day. Treatment with the drug is accompanied by mild burning, prolonged use is not recommended, because it causes side effects. Before use, you must read the instructions for contraindications.
• Novoimanin is a 1 percent alcoholic extract of St. John's wort. Effective against pustular wounds, quickly relieves inflammation. Before use, the drug is diluted with water in a ratio of 5 to 1.

Prevention, prognosis

For prevention purposes, when working with alkalis, it is important to observe safety precautions, protect hands with gloves, eyes with special glasses, and the body with closed clothing.

The prognosis of rehabilitation mainly depends on the degree of burn. A mild lesion usually heals quickly enough with proper treatment. Severe alkali burns require longer treatment. Scars and age spots remain on the body, and articular mobility in the affected areas may be limited.

The article considers the types of alkali lesions, describes the degree of severity. Also described are first-aid measures for the victim, medications for treatment, alternative methods and recipes.