Today, the treatment of burns is an urgent problem. This is one of the most common household injuries. However, it is often possible to get a burn in the workplace, where safety conditions are not met.
If burns occur, it is necessary to be able to provide proper first aid in time. How quickly you will help yourself or the injured person will depend on his further condition and the speed of treatment.
The human body is able to regenerate itself and remove light burns without serious health consequences. More serious burns require urgent medical attention to prevent complications. Such wounds should be monitored, infection should not be allowed to enter and regularly treated with anti-inflammatory drugs or anti-burn wipes should be applied.
If you happen to be near a burned person, you definitely need to know how to treat a burn, otherwise you will cause more harm than good by your actions.
Causes of burns
A burn may occur due to exposure:
fire;
hot liquid or steam;
hot metal, glass or other objects;
electric current;
radiation (X-ray radiation or radiation therapy);
ultraviolet (sun or solarium);
active chemicals.
It is worth noting that the causes of burns may be different, but all types of such injuries are classified depending on the degree of damage and symptoms:
First degree. Such a burn affects only the outer layer of the skin. The injury is characterized by redness, swelling and pain. First aid is provided to the victim and a short course of treatment is prescribed.
Second degree. This burn leads to damage not only to the epidermis, but also to the underlying layer – the dermis. The damage is characterized by redness, whiteness or spotting of the skin, pain and swelling. It is possible to develop blisters from burns and severe pain syndrome.
Third degree. With such damage, the fat layer under the skin is affected. Burnt areas of the body are charred, blacken or turn white. Often, third-degree burns disrupt the work of the nervous and respiratory system.
FIRST STEPS TO NEUTRALIZE THERMAL BURNS
remove the victim from the heat source as far as possible;
if clothing or equipment is smoldering, you should get rid of it immediately. If the clothes are stuck to the skin, it is necessary to carefully cut it off or remove it;
apply dry ice to the place of damage or use cold water;
treat the damaged areas of the body with ointment from burns;
in case of serious injuries, call an ambulance.
NEUTRALIZATION OF CHEMICAL BURNS
rinse the affected area with a strong stream of water. In no case should the wound be treated with oil.
if a burn is received from quicklime or sulfuric acid, it should
be treated with a dry cloth, the use of water is unacceptable;
apply a sterile antiseptic dressing.
There are situations when people get severe burns. Their treatment outside the hospital requires special knowledge and skills. If a person does not have them, it is better to consult a doctor immediately.
Degree of burns
There are three main degrees of burns: first, second and third. The assessment of each degree is based on the severity of the skin damage: the first degree is the most minor, and the third is the most serious.