Posted By George Wedgwood
Thanks at last to Mick for some sensible advice - please refer to experts for advice on the treatment of burns! For example BUPA offer no advice on the application of 'ice packs' - clearly, if the burn is superficial then pain is worst and comfort will be achieved from the cooling effect of a cool pack - however, the advice is that cold water is sufficient! If the burn could be partial or full thickness, then ice may actually exacerbate the injury as full sensation may be dulled - only hospital treatment is best in that case.
Anyway, if you give the casualty some nice peas, could that be interpreted as benefit in kind?
(see below from BUPA
http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/burns.html)
Burns
Published by BUPA's Health Information Team
December, 2002
Download this factsheet
A burn is damage to the skin’s tissues, usually caused by excessive heat. Recognising different types of burns and having a basic knowledge of how to treat them can minimise injury and prevent fatalities.
Burning
Heat is the most obvious cause of burn injuries. This can be direct contact with fires, radiators or hot liquids, but also the radiated heat from an extreme source of heat, such as a furnace or open fire. Burns can also be caused by chemicals, electricity, the sun’s rays, friction (rubbing or chafing) or extreme cold.
Burns usually affect the skin, but other important areas of the body can also be injured. For example, the airways and lungs can be damaged as a result of inhaling hot fumes and gases.
Types of burn
The severity of a burn depends on how deeply it has affected the tissue. There are three categories of burn: superficial, partial thickness and full thickness. These were previously referred to as first, second and third-degree burns.
Superficial burn
This is a burn that only affects the surface of the skin. The skin appears red and slightly swollen and the burn is almost always painful. A common cause of this type of burn is too much exposure to sunlight.
Partial thickness burn
This is a deeper skin burn, but it does not affect the whole depth of the skin. The skin appears deep red or purple, swollen and blistered. The surface may have a weeping, wet appearance. The skin is extremely painful and hypersensitive, even to air movement.
Full thickness burn
The full depth of the skin is damaged and the skin appears dry and leathery. The skin may be pale or blackened. These burns are surprisingly painless, because the nerve endings within the skin are also destroyed.
Other burn sites
Burns to the face, singeing of eyebrows or nasal hair and black deposits in the mouth or sputum indicate that the airways may be burnt and immediate medical attention should be sought.
What to do if someone is burnt
Personal safety should be the first priority of anyone offering first-aid to a person with burns. It is important to be aware of any ongoing risks of fire, chemicals, or electricity. There may also be risk of toxic fumes or explosion e.g. due to nearby petrol or gas supply.
The next step is to stop the burning process. Any clothing that is not stuck to the burn should be carefully removed. The affected body surface areas should then be flooded with cold water until medical help, if necessary, is available.
The skin usually swells after a burn so it is important to remove anything constricting such as jewellery.
Do not attempt to burst any blisters that form on burnt skin.
If a burn has been caused by a chemical, the chemical should be removed, by brushing it away if it is a dry powder, or flooding with large amounts of cold water.
Home treatment
Very minor burns can be treated at home. Superficial burns usually don't need any dressings. Moisturising, after-sun or calamine lotions can ease some of the discomfort. Simple painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, may also help. Superficial burns usually settle in a matter of days, perhaps with a little skin peeling.
When to seek medical help
Medical help is needed:
For all partial and full thickness burns,
For superficial burns covering an area larger than the palm of the hand,
For burns on the face, hands or in the groin,
Where there is any doubt about the extent of the burn or how to deal with it.
For severe burns call 999 (UK only) and ask for an ambulance. While waiting for specialist help, valuable treatment can still be given as described above.
Hospital treatment
At the hospital, doctors will continue first-aid measures and protect the damaged skin with dressings.
Healthy skin prevents loss of fluid from the tissues underneath and is also a very effective barrier to infection. These functions are lost when the skin is burned. After severe burns, large quantities of fluid can be lost through the skin. This can have a serious affect on the heart and circulation. This is why people with serious burns need to be closely monitored and often require intravenous fluids to help their circulation.
People with severe burns need to be cared for in specialist burns units where other specialist treatments can be given to help look after them.
Burns may become infected because the skin is less able to protect itself from infection by bacteria. That is why more serious burns need to be dressed and kept clean to help prevent this whilst the skin heals. If infection is suspected, treatment with antibiotics may be needed.
Recovering from burns
The time taken for burns to heal depends on how serious they are. Most superficial burns heal within about two weeks and do not usually leave a scar.
Deeper burns take longer to heal and sometimes require skin grafts. This is a plastic surgery technique using skin from an unaffected part of the body to repair an injured area of skin that is not going to be able to heal itself. Full thickness burns tend to result in scars that can be difficult to treat. Specialist treatment by plastic surgeons in these cases is aimed at minimising such scars.
Other types of treatment or support may be required as part of rehabilitation after burns. Physiotherapy can help restore movement to burnt areas, especially the hands. Advice on how to apply specialist products for camouflaging scars is available from volunteers in some dermatology departments - contact your local Red Cross branch for details. Psychological treatments such as counselling can help people who have been burnt to come to terms with having been in an accident or with any serious changes to their appearance.