Quite often there is such an injury as a burn of the tongue. Such damage causes a number of unpleasant symptoms that constantly torment the sufferer. Therefore, consider what to do if you burn your tongue.
Damage reasons
Before considering what to do if you burn your tongue, let us dwell on the sources of injuries.
The cause of this condition can become a boiling drink. Damage may result from contact with hot or icy food. Also, various kinds of chemical compounds such as gasoline, acids and alkalis can cause a burn reaction. In rare cases, a burn may occur due to radiation or electric shock.
Types of injuries
There are burns of the following types:
- Chemical . They arise as a result of eating active chemical compounds.
- Thermal . May form as a result of contact of the tongue with food or drinks, which are characterized by elevated temperature.
- Electric . A burn can occur as a result of contact between the surface of the tongue and electric wires (electric shock).
- Beam . Formed due to radiation exposure.
Severity
To understand what to do if you burn your tongue, you should realize how serious the injury is.
There are 4 degrees of severity:
- Light form. Due to external influences, redness and slight swelling of the upper covers of the tongue may occur. Basically, when such an education occurs, there is no need to consult a doctor. Quite often, a similar injury is observed in children. So, if your baby burned his tongue, what should I do? Careful care of the damaged area is required. To relieve pain, you can use an antiseptic.
- The average degree of damage. It is characterized by the formation of blisters that contain a clear liquid. In this case, an urgent medical examination is necessary, as a result of which the necessary treatment will be prescribed.
- Severe degree of damage. It can manifest itself in the form of ulcerative formations. In this case, urgent treatment with medications is necessary, the use of which should be accompanied by the use of painkillers.
- Particularly severe form of burn. This degree can be called incompatible with life, as pain shock or severe loss of blood may occur.
So, if the patient burned her tongue, what should I do in this situation? The answer depends entirely on the degree of injury.
First aid
Quite often, women talk about an unpleasant situation: they burned their tongue with hot tea. What to do to reduce discomfort? How to get rid of excruciating pain?
Doctors recommend acting as follows:
- First you need to eliminate the pain. To do this, it is recommended to attach ice or a frozen product to the affected area. In case of a burn, do not use metal objects, as adhesion may occur. As a result, pain will intensify. You can also eliminate discomfort with honey or powdered sugar. However, do not practice this with young children.
- After the pain is eliminated, it is necessary to lubricate the affected surface of the tongue with ointment, which includes menthol or benzocaine. Such drugs work to provide anesthetic effects. But before using the ointment, you must carefully read the instructions for use. It should contain information about the ability to use the drug for the oral cavity.
- Do not use ointment before meals. As a result of exposure to the drug, sensitivity may be temporarily lost. As a result of this, a person can independently inflict additional injuries by biting his tongue.
- Do not apply a large amount of the drug to the burn area. Numbness of the throat may occur. This not only interferes with food intake, but also causes serious breathing problems.
- Until the wound is completely healed, acidic, bitter, and salty foods should be avoided. They can cause a painful reaction. And, in addition, slow down recovery.
Pathology treatment
Doctors explain if they burned the tongue with tea, what to do:
- With a mild form of severity, you can independently care for the affected surface. To do this, rinse the mouth with clean water at low temperature. It is also necessary to ensure that during the treatment of a burn, foods that contain food acids are not consumed. This food can cause additional irritation of the mucosa, which will slow the speedy recovery.
- If you have a severe burn, you should immediately consult a doctor. After finding out the cause of the damage, appropriate treatment is prescribed.
- In case of thermal burns , rubbing the surface of the tongue with olive oil is recommended. Also, with severe painful reactions, there is a need to take painkillers that are administered intramuscularly. For the treatment of a severe stage, Pantenol ointment is used, which must be applied to the entire burn area 3 times a day.
Effective medicines
What to do if you burn your tongue with boiling water? Doctors give a list of drugs that can bring relief in this situation:
- Pentazol spray. It eliminates inflammation and promotes the rapid regeneration of damaged surfaces.
- Spray "Olazol" is indispensable for thermal burns. The complex of components of the spray includes antiseptics, which are necessary for the rapid restoration of the skin.
- "Levomekol" is an ointment. It is quite widely used in the treatment of burns of various degrees.
- "Solcoseryl" is an ointment. It has a restorative effect on damaged areas resulting from contact with boiling water.
Folk remedies
There are amazing time-tested recipes that can help in this unpleasant situation.
So, remember what to do if you burn your tongue:
- Mouth breathing . The cold flow of air calms the damaged mucous membrane.
- Honey is able to eliminate pain. To do this, you need to apply a teaspoon of sweet “medicine” to the burn and hold for some time. However, remember: children with such an injury should not be given honey.
- Vitamin E (in capsules). It is great for treating burns. To do this, open the capsule and apply the contents to the damaged surface.
- Aloe juice has a calming effect and will contribute to the rapid restoration of the mucous membrane of the tongue.
Be careful! But if trouble happened, do not get lost. Follow the guidelines above.