Burns are considered one of the most common injuries of the human body. The treatment of such injuries should be taken as seriously as possible, since even the simplest mutilation can cause serious consequences for the body if untimely assistance is provided. That is why everyone needs to know how to properly provide first aid for burns at home.
Types of burns
- Thermal burns. Injuries of this kind are often the result of careless handling of fire, steam or hot water. Thermal burns also include frostbite, which occurs due to the exposure of the body to critically low temperatures.
- Chemical burns. Such injuries can be caused by strong solutions of acids, caustic alkalis, potassium permanganate, iodine and other substances, which in concentrated form pose a serious danger to human health and life.
- Burns by electricity. In this case, tissue damage is a consequence of exposure to the body of electrical discharges.
- Radiation burns. Injuries are caused by exposure to ionizing, ultraviolet and infrared radiation. Radiation burns are manifested not only by external skin lesions, but also by the presence of general malaise.
Degree of burns
- The first degree of burns. Only the upper layers of the skin are affected. As a rule, redness appears on the skin, which is accompanied by a sensation of warmth. If first aid for burns at home was provided correctly, then within 5 days such an injury passes, and a new epithelium appears on the site of the affected skin. Most often, first-degree burns are sunburn.
- The second degree of burns. Represents damage to the skin, the characteristic signs of which are the formation of blisters in the affected areas. On the surface of the epidermis, the so-called blisters are formed - vesicles with serous fluid. Most often, such injuries are diagnosed by scalding the skin with steam or boiling water.
- Third degree burns. Its distinctive feature is the inability to completely restore the skin, as in any case, scars remain at the site of exposure. The strength of the lesion reaches the subcutaneous fat.
- The fourth degree of burns. These are the most serious and dangerous burns that penetrate deep into the tissues beneath the epithelium and can even reach the bone. Such injuries are characterized by the death of muscle and connective tissue, as well as their carbonization. Most often these are thermal burns obtained from an open flame, electrical and chemical burns.
The degree of burns and first aid for them are inextricably linked. And if burns of the 1st and 2nd degree can be cured at home, then with burns of the 3rd and 4th degree, you just can not do without the help of a qualified specialist.
Thermal (thermal) burn. First aid
First aid for lesions of this kind should include the following sequence of actions:
- Stop exposure to skin thermal factor. It is very important to do this as quickly as possible, on which the depth of the resulting burn depends.
- Cool the burned areas thoroughly. It must be borne in mind that even after the thermal agent has been eliminated, the process of tissue damage does not stop. This is due to the action of the burnt tissues themselves, which are heated to a high temperature. That is why the necessary component of first aid is cooling, which is achieved with the help of cold water. The duration of exposure to the affected area is 10-15 minutes.
- Apply an aseptic dressing. Clothes should be cut off from the burned parts of the body and a bandage should be applied to prevent secondary infection. The victim needs to be warmed, for which they wrap him in a blanket, pour warm tea and provide him with peace. If necessary, give an anesthetic.
Properly rendered first aid for thermal burns is of great importance, as it helps to alleviate the condition of the victim and accelerate the restoration of the natural structure of the skin. Having received a burn, the main thing is not to panic and strictly comply with these recommendations.
Frostbite
If thermal burns and frostbite have been received, first aid should be provided immediately. So, the victim with a suspicion of frostbite should be taken to a warm room. It is very important to prevent the rapid warming of damaged areas, for which it is recommended to apply heat-insulating dressings made of gauze and cotton to supercooled areas. The victim needs to provide plenty of water and call a doctor.
Chemical burn
The provision of first aid for burns with chemicals can be different and depends on the reagent that causes skin damage.
If you get a burn with concentrated acids (with the exception of sulfuric acid), the surface of the burn should be washed for 20 minutes with a stream of cold water. A good result is the washing of the affected area with a 3% soda solution (for 200 ml of water 1 tsp. Soda).
Burns caused by alkalis should also be thoroughly washed, and then treated with a 2% citric acid solution. After treatment, a sterile dressing is required on the burned area.
Burns with quicklime should never be washed with water, lime removal and further treatment of the affected skin area is done with oil. After removing all available pieces of lime, the wound should be covered with a gauze bandage.
Assisting with burns caused by phosphorus has certain features. The fact is that phosphorus has the property of flashing in the air, as a result of which the burn becomes combined - chemical and thermal. It is recommended to immerse the burnt area in water and remove pieces of phosphorus with cotton or a stick under water. After this, the damaged surface must be treated with 5% solution of copper sulfate and cover with a sterile dry dressing. With this kind of injury, the use of ointments or fat is strictly prohibited, due to the fact that they cause the absorption of phosphorus in the skin.
Electric burn
First aid for burns at home is reduced, first of all, to the elimination of the source of electrical damage with the mandatory observance of personal safety. Next, damaged areas must be covered with a bandage.
If a minor injury was received, it is enough to calm the victim and give him warm tea. If a person has lost consciousness, it is necessary:
- Put it in a comfortable position.
- In order to free the airways, turn his head to the side.
- Relax tightening clothes.
- Monitor breathing and heart rate.
Radiation burn
Symptoms of radiation burns usually occur approximately 6 hours after exposure and include severe pain, photophobia, edema and hyperemia. In this case, first aid for burns at home should be provided without delay.
In severe pain, the victim should take an anesthetic (Tempalgin, Ketanov, Analgin). Antihistamines will help partially eliminate inflammation and edema. With severe photophobia, it is necessary to beware of bright light, for which it is recommended to darken the room. In order to avoid secondary eye infection, it is advisable to use antibacterial drops (Tobrex, Cyclomed, or Taufon).
Sunburn
The most common among radiation is a sunburn. With this skin lesion, you must immediately take a cool shower. To restore the water balance in the body of the victim, it should be drunk as much as possible with liquid (fruit drink, milk, tea).
With severe sunburns, it is recommended to lubricate the affected area of the skin with a solution of calendula (for its preparation it is necessary to dilute the tincture of calendula in cool water in a ratio of 1:10) or boron vaseline. If the patient has a fever, he should be given an antipyretic drug (Aspirin, for example).
First aid for sunburn can be based on folk recipes. So, quickly relieve pain and irritation will help rubbing the affected area with kefir or sour cream. A product prepared on the basis of potatoes boiled in their uniform has a good effect. To do this, boiled potatoes must be peeled and mixed with sour cream until a mass is formed that resembles an ointment in consistency. Apply the mixture for 30 minutes on the burned area, and then rinse with water. This tool is an excellent first aid for a child with a burn, because kids love to frolic in the sun so much, not thinking that delicate skin is so vulnerable to external influences.
An egg-based preparation also contributes to the quick healing of burns. To do this, you need to boil hard-boiled 5 eggs, get the yolks out of them and fry them in a pan until they are black in color. The mixture is cooled and rubbed on the burned area.
First aid for burns
We often get thermal or sunburn in the spring and summer. If you are burned, you should treat the skin as soon as possible in order to stop the lesion process at the initial stage and avoid serious complications. To treat the burn surface, doctors recommend using a spray containing dexpanthenol, which has a healing and anti-inflammatory effect.
How to treat burns
Proper first aid for burns categorically prohibits the use of ointments made on the basis of oil, and other fat-containing products (with the exception of chemical burns of quicklime). This action will only worsen the condition, and health workers will subsequently have to remove the oily film from the damaged surface, thereby causing additional suffering to the victim.
Also, you can not treat the skin with cologne and alcohol-containing lotions. The burned area should not be covered with plaster, as this will impede air entry. It is forbidden to open the bubbles, because in this way the infection can spread.
Burns are a common skin injury that thousands of people get daily. Correct and timely first aid for burns will help to restore the affected skin as painlessly and in a short time.