A burn with boiling water is not so rare. As a rule, such situations are of a domestic nature. How to behave with a similar injury, what needs to be done, and how first aid is given for burns, let's try to figure it out.
Degree of burn
For first aid and further treatment, it is necessary to understand and distinguish the degree of burns. In total there are 4 degrees of burns.
Grade 1 has the following symptoms: the injured place swells, turns red, small bubbles appear on the skin with a clear liquid inside.
Grade 2 has signs: bubbles can open, and a scab begins to form.
Grade 3 has signs: a deep burn, up to the muscles. The presence of opened bubbles and scab.
Grade 4 has symptoms: the burn is even deeper than with grade 3. It can reach the bone.
If provoked a burn of boiling water: treatment
A first-aid kit with dressings and properly provided help will help to avoid the development of shock, reduce the area of the burn, prevent infection and help speedy recovery.
So, if you provoke a burn of boiling water, treatment is carried out in the following sequence. Moreover, the following instructions apply to any degree of damage.
- First aid for a burn with boiling water is that you need to lower the affected area into dishes with cold clean water for 15 minutes or substitute it under a thin stream of pouring water. Thus, it will be possible to prevent the deepening of the wound and normalize blood circulation in the affected area of the skin. It turns out that after a burn with boiling water, the skin remains hot enough, plus drops of boiling water remain on it. If the wound is not immediately cooled, the burn will deepen, although the eyes cannot see the process. Thus, a burn can develop from 1 to 2 degrees, etc.
- If provoked a burn of boiling water, treatment after cooling the affected area should be carried out as follows. Solkoseril gel should be applied to the affected area (it should always be kept in the medicine cabinet) and bandaged with a sterile dry bandage. In addition to this gel, ointments, creams, aerosols and lotions of the Panthenol line help well.
- If the burn did not occur at home, and there are no auxiliary materials at hand, you just need to apply a dry dressing, making a bandage from improvised means.
- In a situation of extensive defeat, the burned arm or leg must be fixed by laying a tire from improvised materials.
- If a burn is provoked by boiling water, treatment of a 1 or 2 degree burn with an extensive lesion or a 3 and 4 degree burn, even with a minimal lesion, should be done by a doctor. Therefore, immediately call an ambulance.
- In newborns, even minor burns should be treated by a doctor, otherwise the general condition of the baby may worsen, and even shock may occur.
- A long non-healing thermal burn should be examined by a doctor.
Steam burn
Steam burning is very simple, for example from a boiling kettle. The degree of burn is determined by the area and intensity of the lesion.
1 degree: the skin turns slightly red and swollen, itching is possible. 1 degree is treated at home.
2 degree: the formation of bubbles with a clear liquid. It’s already worth showing the burn to the doctor.
Grade 3: the skin exfoliates or dies, nerve endings are destroyed, not only the skin is damaged, but also fatty tissue, muscle and even bone. Treatment is in the hospital.
If a burn occurs through clothing, then first the area of the affected body must first be cooled under cold water and only then remove clothing. In severe cases, a clean, dry dressing is applied and an ambulance is called. In case of slight damage after cooling, lubricate the damaged area with an antiseptic, but alcohol must not be! Apply ointment for burns and bandage. The dressing should be changed twice a day.
Do not touch the burn with your hands or clothing, do not rub the ointment! Take care of yourself and your loved ones!