How to Treat a Serious Burn
Assess burn damage., Remove the burning agent., Remove any hot, charred, or smoldering material., Cool the skin., Cover the burn., Care for blisters., Prevent shock., Manage the pain., Follow up with your doctor.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Assess burn damage.
Check to see if the burn is a first, second, or third-degree burn.
If the burn was caused by chemicals, an electrical shock, or molten tar or plastic, understand that burn will require different first aid than a burn caused by a thermal source such as fire.First-degree burns only impact the top layer of skin.
These burns do no blister.
Though they may be painful, they often heal in under a week, and do not scar.
Second-degree burns extend beneath the top layer of the skin into the dermis.
These burns usually blister, and cause pink, moist injuries that may heal with some scarring.
Third-degree burns extend all the way through the dermis.
They may or may not have blisters, and often appear white, brown, bright red, or black.
They may or may not peel.
When evaluating people with severe body burns, you have to assess the burn damage.
This is accomplished by the rule of 9’s.
This helps guide clinical decisions such as fluid resuscitation and pain control.
Clinicians use this in severe traumatic third degree burns over a large surface area of the body. -
Step 2: Remove the burning agent.
No matter what type of burn a person is experiencing, the first step in treating it is to smother or remove the burning agent.
This means putting out the fire, or otherwise removing any hot liquid, steam, chemicals, or electrical components from the person’s skin.If a person has contact with fire, get them out of the way of the fire source.
If necessary, help them “stop, drop, and roll” to extinguish the flames.
Chemicals should be removed with care.
Gloves and protection for the eyes, mouth, and nose should be worn while handling chemicals that may cause burning.
Never put an alkali on an acid burn, and never put an acid on an alkali burn.
Use copious amounts of water to dilute the alkali or acid/chemical burn.
Electrical components should be handled with care, as well.
If possible, allow a professional to intervene in the situation.
In most situations, it is unlikely that you will have to pull someone away from an active electrical component. , Remove any clothes and other material from the burned area.
If fabric is sticking, cut around it to expose as much of the burn as possible.Do not try to remove sticking fabric or embedded objects from the skin.
Leave this to a trained medical professional so as to avoid further injury.
Remove all restrictive clothing such as jewelry and belts, and loosen ties, shirt cuffs, and collars.
Burns can cause rapid swelling, and restriction may cause further injury. , Cool the burned skin using cool water or a cool compress.
Avoid applying ice or near-freezing water to the burned area, as this can constrict blood flow to the burn and worsen the injury.If possible, cool the burn by placing it under clean running water for up to 20 minutes at a time.
If running water is not practical, the burn may be placed in a bowl or tub of cool water.
A cool compress may be used to treat first degree burns if a constant running water source is not available.
You may find one in a first-aid kit, or make one using cool water and a clean towel.
Hold it over the burn for no more than 20 minutes. , Apply a protective covering to the burn such as a sterile, non-adhesive bandage or a clean cloth.
Do not use an adhesive bandage or previously-used gauze.Avoid applying ointments or other treatments to the burnt area, as this may cause infection.
Wrap dry gauze or a burn dressing loosely around the burnt area.
Do not apply too much pressure or constrict the burn with the dressing. , Do not pop any blisters that may have resulted as a part of the burn.
Wrap the blisters loosely in the same way as the rest of the burn, and keep them from any stress that may cause them to rupture.If a blister does pop, keep it wrapped in a sterile dressing.
Do not apply an ointments or other treatments, as these may cause infections. , Keep the burn victim in a position that helps prevent shock by laying the person down and elevating their legs and the burn area above the level of their heart, if possible.
Use props or furniture to help the individual hold the pose, and cover them with a coat or blanket.Do not move the individual if they have injuries around the head and neck or spinal area unless you have been trained to do so by a reputable first-aid program.
Moving them incorrectly with such injuries could result in permanent damage to the body or brain.
Shock is one of the more serious concerns of a large 2nd or 3rd degree burn and should be dealt with in a burn unit or ICU, or the burn victim may die. , An over-the-counter pain medication such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help manage the pain for a first-degree burn.
Take as recommended on the manufacturer’s packaging.If an over-the-counter medication does not work to alleviate the pain, contact your doctor for further recommendations. , All burns should be seen by a doctor, even first-degree burns.
Follow up with your doctor when you can get an appointment.
Request expedited service if you or the burnt individual believe a tetanus booster is necessary, or if you notice symptoms like:
Oozing Swelling Fever Worsening redness Increased pain -
Step 3: Remove any hot
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Step 4: charred
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Step 5: or smoldering material.
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Step 6: Cool the skin.
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Step 7: Cover the burn.
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Step 8: Care for blisters.
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Step 9: Prevent shock.
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Step 10: Manage the pain.
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Step 11: Follow up with your doctor.
Detailed Guide
Check to see if the burn is a first, second, or third-degree burn.
If the burn was caused by chemicals, an electrical shock, or molten tar or plastic, understand that burn will require different first aid than a burn caused by a thermal source such as fire.First-degree burns only impact the top layer of skin.
These burns do no blister.
Though they may be painful, they often heal in under a week, and do not scar.
Second-degree burns extend beneath the top layer of the skin into the dermis.
These burns usually blister, and cause pink, moist injuries that may heal with some scarring.
Third-degree burns extend all the way through the dermis.
They may or may not have blisters, and often appear white, brown, bright red, or black.
They may or may not peel.
When evaluating people with severe body burns, you have to assess the burn damage.
This is accomplished by the rule of 9’s.
This helps guide clinical decisions such as fluid resuscitation and pain control.
Clinicians use this in severe traumatic third degree burns over a large surface area of the body.
No matter what type of burn a person is experiencing, the first step in treating it is to smother or remove the burning agent.
This means putting out the fire, or otherwise removing any hot liquid, steam, chemicals, or electrical components from the person’s skin.If a person has contact with fire, get them out of the way of the fire source.
If necessary, help them “stop, drop, and roll” to extinguish the flames.
Chemicals should be removed with care.
Gloves and protection for the eyes, mouth, and nose should be worn while handling chemicals that may cause burning.
Never put an alkali on an acid burn, and never put an acid on an alkali burn.
Use copious amounts of water to dilute the alkali or acid/chemical burn.
Electrical components should be handled with care, as well.
If possible, allow a professional to intervene in the situation.
In most situations, it is unlikely that you will have to pull someone away from an active electrical component. , Remove any clothes and other material from the burned area.
If fabric is sticking, cut around it to expose as much of the burn as possible.Do not try to remove sticking fabric or embedded objects from the skin.
Leave this to a trained medical professional so as to avoid further injury.
Remove all restrictive clothing such as jewelry and belts, and loosen ties, shirt cuffs, and collars.
Burns can cause rapid swelling, and restriction may cause further injury. , Cool the burned skin using cool water or a cool compress.
Avoid applying ice or near-freezing water to the burned area, as this can constrict blood flow to the burn and worsen the injury.If possible, cool the burn by placing it under clean running water for up to 20 minutes at a time.
If running water is not practical, the burn may be placed in a bowl or tub of cool water.
A cool compress may be used to treat first degree burns if a constant running water source is not available.
You may find one in a first-aid kit, or make one using cool water and a clean towel.
Hold it over the burn for no more than 20 minutes. , Apply a protective covering to the burn such as a sterile, non-adhesive bandage or a clean cloth.
Do not use an adhesive bandage or previously-used gauze.Avoid applying ointments or other treatments to the burnt area, as this may cause infection.
Wrap dry gauze or a burn dressing loosely around the burnt area.
Do not apply too much pressure or constrict the burn with the dressing. , Do not pop any blisters that may have resulted as a part of the burn.
Wrap the blisters loosely in the same way as the rest of the burn, and keep them from any stress that may cause them to rupture.If a blister does pop, keep it wrapped in a sterile dressing.
Do not apply an ointments or other treatments, as these may cause infections. , Keep the burn victim in a position that helps prevent shock by laying the person down and elevating their legs and the burn area above the level of their heart, if possible.
Use props or furniture to help the individual hold the pose, and cover them with a coat or blanket.Do not move the individual if they have injuries around the head and neck or spinal area unless you have been trained to do so by a reputable first-aid program.
Moving them incorrectly with such injuries could result in permanent damage to the body or brain.
Shock is one of the more serious concerns of a large 2nd or 3rd degree burn and should be dealt with in a burn unit or ICU, or the burn victim may die. , An over-the-counter pain medication such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help manage the pain for a first-degree burn.
Take as recommended on the manufacturer’s packaging.If an over-the-counter medication does not work to alleviate the pain, contact your doctor for further recommendations. , All burns should be seen by a doctor, even first-degree burns.
Follow up with your doctor when you can get an appointment.
Request expedited service if you or the burnt individual believe a tetanus booster is necessary, or if you notice symptoms like:
Oozing Swelling Fever Worsening redness Increased pain
About the Author
Ashley Ferguson
Brings years of experience writing about cooking and related subjects.
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