What are the causes for burns?
Different causes of burns are:
- Exposure to or contact with heat such as fire, radiation, or hot liquids.
- Electric shock
- Contact with Chemical agents like acids.
- Exposure to sunrays for long can also cause burns known as sunburns.
- Accidental fires.
What are the signs and symptoms of burns?
Signs and symptoms of burns usually depend on the extent of area burnt and on the cause of burn. For example burns caused due to electrical shock or chemicals are very severe and invariably cause third degree burns.
Severity of symptoms of burns varies from first-degree to third-degree:
First-degree burns are superficial burns. They affect only the outer layer of the skin, causing pain, redness, and swelling. They are sensitive to touch and moist.
Second-degree burns affect both the outer and underlying layers of skin. They cause pain, redness, swelling, and additionally blistering.
Third-degree burns cause the deepest damage. The surface of the burn may be white and soft, or black, charred, and leathery. The burned area has no feeling when touched. Third-degree burns are not usually painful because the nerve endings in the skin are completely destroyed.
The skin is completely destroyed in third degree burns.
How can burns be diagnosed?
In most cases, it is easy to diagnose a burn. It is hard to tell the exact degree of burn, though.
For example, it may take a day or two for the burn to blister, making it a second-degree burn.
What are the treatments for burns?
The treatment depends largely on the severity and location of the burns.
First aid should be given immediately to a person who has got burnt.
If the person shows signs of shock, or if the person has burns to the airway or lungs. They should be rushed to hospital immediately after giving the necessary first aid steps.
First aid steps for burns are:
- Cover the burned area with cool water, but not ice water, for 5 minutes.
- Try to calm the person. Burns are extremely painful and can cause a lot of anxiety.
- Cover the burnt area with a bandage after soaking it for several minutes. Use only clean cloth.
- Try to avoid contaminating the wound.
- Over-the counter pain killers like aspirin can be given.
- Very minor burns usually heal without any treatment or follow-up with a doctor.
If the burn appears to be more severe (second-degree or third-degree) the person should receive medical attention.
A tetanus shot should be given for all types of burns.
Additional first aid steps for severe burns are:
- If the person is on fire, have the person stop, drop, and roll. If the person is still on fire, cover the person with a wool or cotton blanket. Douse the fire with water. If water is not available douse it sand.
- All burning material should be removed from the person`s skin.
- One should try to keep the airway open. One should check if the person is breathing.
- If the person is not breathing. CPR or cardiopulmonary resuscitation should be performed. It is the process giving artificial respiration.
- Elevate the burned area and protect it from further burns, pressure, or injury.
What are the possible complications of burns?
Infection and respiratory failure are the most common complications leading to death because of severe burns.