Giving First Aid Treatment To Burns
Once in our life we have witnessed a fire. We may have seen it on television or heard in on the radio, or worse, you or a loved one may have experienced it. Being a victim of burn accidents is very terrible. We not only loose our possessions, we sometimes loose even lives of a dear beloved. If we are lucky, they dont die, but they experience an injury. They become burn victims. So we ask, how do we treat burns?
Before treating burns, we must first classify it according to level. There are three levels of burns. They are:
First degree burn- In first degree burns, the damage is usually not that severe. Only the outer layer of the skin, also called epidermis, is damaged and it is accompanied by pain, swelling and redness.
Second degree burn- in second degree burns, the damaged layers of the skin extends to the underlying part of the skin or the dermis.
Third degree burn- in the third degree burns, the damaged becomes very extensive. The dermis and epidermis as well as the layer of fat beneath the dermis become charred. It may cause numbness.
Causes of burns vary. It may be because of fire, steam, friction hot objects, sun, electricity or chemicals. The most common among them are the ones caused by hot objects such as hot coals, metal. Other common causes of burn are steam and/or flames that come in contact with your skin. Fire accidents, vehicular accidents, electrical malfunctions, improper storage of gasoline and space heaters also results to burn. We should also take note that not only the skin can be burned. When we inhale too much smoke, steam, super heated air and/or fumes which are toxic, this can result to burning of your airways.
For treating minor burns, we must first stop the burning process by putting the affected area under cool running water. Continue this until the pain subsides. DO NOT put ice on the affected area because this will only cause further damage. If there are no signs of more severe damage like the skin coming off or blistering, you may just apply an ointment for burns. DO NOT put a bandage on it cause it will only prolong the healing process. For pain, you may take an over-the-counter pain reliever or analgesic. Always check the affected area for signs of infection for safety measures.
For treating major burns, immediately call for help! Second degree burns on significantly big areas and all third degree burns are considered major burns. While waiting for help to come, you may apply wt compress to cool the burnt area. Again, DO NOT use ice. You should also asses the victim for shock symptoms like weak, rapid pulse, unconsciousness, disorientation, and/or nausea. DO NOT remove the clothing and jewelries that are burnt with the victims. They might stick to the skin and removing them will only cause bleeding. But if you think that the jewelry is constricting the burnt area, then you may remove them. Lastly, cover the burnt area with moist sterile bandage if this is available.
Remember that the priority when giving first aid to burnt victims is to prevent infection. They are very susceptible to infection so always use clean cloth when attending to them.
by: Lam Seina
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