A Simple Guide to Burns & Scalds

A Simple Guide to Burns & Scalds
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What are burns and scalds?
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A burn is skin which is damaged most commonly by

1.fire or heat.
2.chemicals,
3.electricity
4.light including sunlight
5.radiation.

A scald is a burn caused by hot liquids or steam.

How do you determine the severity of the burn?
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The following are considered when determining the severity of the burn:

1.Degree of burn

2.Extent of the burn

3.Age of patient

4.Body region burned

5.Other illnesses and injuries

What are the degree of burns and scalds?
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First degree Burn:
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superficial injury only affecting the epidermis
The skin is red, hot and painful.
Damage is superficial and temporary.
There is no blisters.

Second degree burn:
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first layer of skin is burned through, second layer is damaged
The underlying tissues are not damaged..
The skin is red, hot, swoolen and intensely painful and there is blister formation.

Third degree Burn:
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The full thickness of the skin is damaged including sometimes the underlying tissues.
The skin may appear pale and leathery or charred.
Because the nerves are damaged, there may not be pain.

How do you estimate the extent of the Burn or scald?
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The rule of nines give a rough estimate of the extent of the burn:
Each of the following represents 9% of body surface:
head and neck
each upper limb
the front of each lower limb
the back of each lower limb
the chest
the abdomen
the upper back
the lower back and buttocks

These constitute 99% of the body surface.
The remainder 1% is assigned to the genitals.

Age of the Patient:
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The infant and young child have a surface area greater in proportion to the whole body compared with a older child or adult. There is therefore more body fluid loss and more danger.

An older adult above 55 years has less ability for his tissues to heal from any burns as compared to an younger adult.

Region of body burned
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Face- burn to the face is serious because it may involve the airway or injury to the eyes.
Hands and feet - burns are also of special concern because scarring may mean loss of movement of the fingers and toes.
Groins,buttocks- burns here are particularly prone to bacterial infection
Circumferential burns- encircle the body or body part and can block circulation to the tissues distal to the burn.

Other illnesses and injuries
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Illness such as those below can aggravate the severity of the burns and affect the healing:

Respiratory diseases
Diabetes
Heart disease
Injuries like fractures

The source of the Burn-
is also important.
A minor burn caused by nuclear radiation is more dangerous than one caused by heat.
Chemical burns are particularly more serious because the chemicals may remain on the skin and burn for hours and may enter the bloodstream causing toxic reactions.

What is the treatment for burns and scalds?
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Superficial(first degree) burns and scalds, and partial-thickness(2nd degree) ones which does not involve an area smaller than that of the victim's palm can be treated at home:
1.Remove all jewelry and clothing at the burn area

2.Put the injured part under cold running water for a few minutes to ease the pain.
Dry by patting with a clean cloth.

3.Apply a soothing cream or lotion for scalds and burns.

4.Try not to break a blister. If a blister is already broken, apply an antiseptic lotion.

5.Painkillers may be necessary for pain.

More severe cases should be treated in a hospital:

1.the burn or scald is full-thickness (3rd degree).

2.the mouth or throat, eyes, ears, entire face or genital area is involved .

3.chemical or any corrosive substance burns.

4.electric current or lightning burns .

5.thick smoke or hot air inhalation with breathing difficulty

6.the burn or scald gets infected(fever, pus formation and increasing pain, redness and swelling).

7.partial-thickness burn affects an area larger than the victim's palm.

8.medical illnesses such as diabetes, heart attack and stroke are present