The burn is ... Treatment, first aid, degree of burns

Almost every person has got into extreme situations at least once in his life or found himself in a life-threatening situation. As a result, various injuries can be obtained that cause significant damage to health. In the article we will analyze what burns, types, degrees, help with such injuries.

What are burns?

To receive such trauma it is possible even in a life, not speaking already about manufacture. Burn is damage to the skin that is caused by thermal, chemical, electrical, radiation exposure. In most cases, these injuries affect the upper layers of the skin, but in serious situations, muscles, blood vessels and even bones may suffer.

If you ask yourself how to cure a burn, the answer to it will depend on the extent and extent of the damage. You can, in some cases, manage your home remedies, and sometimes you need serious specialized help.

Causes of burns

Burns can cause a variety of causes, which are characterized by their manifestations and signs of damage. Provoke burns can:

• Thermal factors;
• Chemical;
• electricity;
• Radiation exposure;
• Bacteria (so-called bacterial burn).

All these factors can affect with varying degrees, so the burn will have its manifestations and require an individual approach to treatment.

Varieties of burns

The most common are thermal burns, that is, those obtained as a result of exposure:

• Fire. Very often, the upper respiratory tract, the face, is damaged. When the damage to parts of the body is observed, the process of removing clothing from burnt areas is a great difficulty.
• Boiling water. Almost everyone faced this. The area can be small, but the depth is significant.
• Couple. Such a defeat usually does not cause many problems.
• Ember objects: they, as a rule, leave clear boundaries and deep defeats.

With thermal burn, the degree of damage depends on several factors:

• Temperature;
• Duration of exposure;
• Degree of thermal conductivity;
• General health and skin affected.

Chemical burn is the damage to the skin as a result of exposure to various aggressive substances, for example:

• Acid (after such an impact, the lesion is usually shallow).
• Alkalis;
• Salts of heavy metals, such as silver nitrate, zinc chloride, which most often cause a superficial skin burn.

Electrical burns can be obtained after contact with conductive materials. The current spreads quickly enough through the muscles, blood, spinal fluid. The danger to humans is an impact of more than 0.1 A.

A distinctive feature of electrical damage is the presence of an entry and exit point. This is the so-called current label. The lesion is usually small, but deep.

Radiation burns can be related:

1. With ultraviolet radiation. Such burns can easily earn lovers of sunbathing at noon time. The lesion area is usually large, but most often it is possible to cope with the help of home remedies.
2. With exposure to ionizing radiation. This affects not only the skin, but also neighboring organs and tissues.
3. With infrared radiation. It often causes a burn of the cornea, retina, skin. Defeat depends on the duration of exposure to this negative factor.

And another kind of burn is a bacterial burn that can cause some kinds of microorganisms. The severity also varies from small nodular lesions to a condition that can threaten even a person's life, for example, with the development of staphylococcal syndrome of burned skin.

Degrees of burn and their manifestation

The burn can be received as absolutely insignificant, and such, that urgent hospitalization is required. Depending on the complexity of the lesion, the consequences may also differ significantly from each other. There are several degrees of burn:

1. The first degree (I) is considered the easiest. In case of a lesion, reddening of the area of the skin at the burn site is observed, a slight swelling. With such damage, only the surface layers of the skin are affected, so there are no serious complications, special treatment is not required, and after a few days there is practically no trace of the burn.
2. II degree is more serious: there is pain on the burned area, redness, swelling. Due to the detachment of the epidermis, blistering can be observed. If you give them yourself to open, then after about two weeks there is complete healing without any traces.
3. III-A degree. With this lesion, not only the epidermis is affected, but also the hair follicles, the glands located in the skin. Dying of tissues is observed, due to vascular changes, the edema extends to the entire thickness of the skin. Burn 3 degrees after itself forms a crust of gray or light brown in color, but before that, blisters appear that can reach impressive sizes. Healing takes a long time and requires medical intervention.
4. III-B degree. The burn captures all layers of the skin, including subcutaneous fat. Bubbles are formed, filled with fluid, with blood veins. Pain sensations may be weak or completely absent. Self-management of such damage is unlikely to succeed.
5. Burn 4th degree. The most serious form. The defeat of all layers of the skin with the capture of muscles, tendons and even bones is noted. A dark crust is formed of almost black color, through it are visible venous vessels. As a result of the lesion, nerve endings are damaged, so the patient does not feel the pain practically. The risk of intoxication and development of various complications is very high.

Most often, a burn is not one degree, but a combination of several. The severity of the situation is also determined by the area of the lesion. Depending on this, the burns are:

• Extensive, in which more than 15% of the skin is affected.
• Extensive.

If the burn is extensive and more than 25% of the skin is affected, then the likelihood of burn disease.

What is a burn disease?

The flow of this complication and severity depends on several factors:

• The age of the victim.
• Locations of the affected area.
• Degrees of burn.
• Areas of damage.

The burn disease in its development goes through the following stages:

1. Shock. It can last from a few hours to several days, it all depends on the area of the lesion. There are several degrees of shock:

• The first is characterized by burning pain, normal pressure and the number of heartbeats within 90 beats per minute.
• At the second degree, the heart contracts more often, the pressure drops, the body temperature decreases, and a feeling of thirst arises.
• If more than 60% of the skin is affected, a third degree of shock is observed. The state is critical. The pulse hardly probes, the pressure is low.

Burn burn toxemia. It comes from the impact of products of tissue decay on the body. Occurs usually within a few days after the lesion and lasts 1-2 weeks. Thus the person feels weakness, a nausea, there can be a vomiting, rise in temperature.

3. Septicotoxemia. It starts from 10 days and lasts for several weeks. Attachment of infection is noted. If the dynamics of treatment is negative, then it is fatal. This is observed if there was a fourth degree burn or a deep skin lesion.

5. Reconvalescence. Effective drug treatment ends with healing of burn wounds and restoration of internal organs.

To prevent the development of a burn disease, it is necessary to deliver the victim from the burn to the hospital. Doctors will be able to assess the severity of the injuries received and will provide effective assistance.

First aid for burns

Whichever factor is caused by the burn, first of all it is necessary to perform the following actions:

1. Eliminate the source of the lesion.
2. Quickly cool the damaged skin area.
3. Treatment of burns and the imposition of a sterile bandage.
4. Relieve pain.
5. Call an ambulance, if required.

It is very important not to get lost in the situation and as soon as possible to eliminate the damaging factor or to bring a person to a safe place. This will determine the degree of skin damage. Rapid cooling helps prevent the defeat of healthy tissue. If the burn is 3 degrees, then such a measure is not made.

Depending on the damaging factor, first aid measures can have their own nuances. Let's consider them further.

First aid for thermal burns

With such damages practically everyone in his life meets, so you need to know how to help yourself or your loved ones in this situation. Home care for burns of this kind is as follows:

1. As soon as possible, eliminate the impact of the damaging factor, that is, withdraw from the fire zone, remove or extinguish burning clothing.
2. If the burn is small, then it is necessary to cool the affected area under running water for 10-15 minutes, and then apply a clean damp cloth.
3. With more severe burns, there is no need to cool it, but it is necessary to cover the burn with a napkin.
4. Remove the jewelry if possible.
5. Take an anesthetic, for example, Ibuprofen, Paracetamol.

When thermal burns are prohibited:

• Rip off clothing if it sticks to the wound.
• Prick the blisters.
• Touch the affected area.
• Oil wounds with oil, cream, iodine, peroxide and other substances.
• Do not apply cotton wool, ice, patches.

If the burn is serious, then medical attention will be required.

Chemical burn

Often, such damage is obtained in chemical industries, but it is also possible in the chemistry lesson, if safety is not respected. When exposed to a chemical substance, it is necessary to quickly neutralize its effect.

Help with chemical burns with acid is to treat the wound with a solution of soda or soapy water. If exposed to alkali, then you must first rinse thoroughly with water, and then treat with a 2% solution of acetic or citric acid.

When receiving chemical burns, more serious ones will have to seek help from specialists.

Help with electrical burns

You can get a burn by electric shock at home or at work. First of all, it is necessary to neutralize the source of the defeat. Only do this with the observance of security measures. The wound should be covered with a napkin.

You can get a slight injury, and it will be enough to give a warm tea and give a soothing to the victim. In case of serious damage, loss of consciousness may occur. In this case, we will have to resort to additional measures:

• Find a comfortable position for the victim.
• Ensure that there is an influx of fresh air.
• Relieve respiratory tract from excess clothing.
• Turn your head to one side.
• Before the arrival of an ambulance, follow the pulse and breathing.
• If the injury is so severe that a cardiac arrest has occurred, then it is urgent to do artificial respiration with an indirect massage of the heart muscle.

It must be remembered that there are situations in which the life of a person depends on the speed of rendering first aid.

Radiation burns and first aid

Such damage can be caused by ultraviolet, infrared and radiation radiation. This type of burns differs significantly from the others in that ionization of the tissue occurs, which causes changes in the structure of the protein molecule.

Radiation burns have their own degrees of difficulty:

• The first degree is characterized by redness, itching and burning.
• At the second degree, blisters appear.
• The third degree besides the listed symptoms includes necrosis of tissues and adherence of complications.

When providing first aid after receiving a radiation burn, do not:

1. Touch the wound with your hands or apply non-sterile objects to it.
2. If bubbles appear, then they can not be pierced.
3. Use cosmetics to treat wounds.
4. Apply ice. This can not only lead to frostbite, but also cause a burn shock from a sharp temperature drop.

Eye burns

The cause of eye burn can be all those factors that were considered above. The localization can be different, depending on this, it is distinguished:

• Burn cornea;
• Century;
• Retina;
• The lens.

The degree of damage can be different, and if the first one is completely amenable to treatment at home and has a favorable outcome, more serious injuries require an inpatient stay, and the consequences can be the most deplorable.

The symptoms that will indicate the resulting eye burn are as follows:

• Redness and swelling.
• Strong painful sensations.
• Lachrymation.
• Fear of light.
• Reduction of visual acuity.
• Change of intraocular pressure in any direction.

If there is radiation damage to the eyes, then some of the above signs may not appear.

In case of contact with chemicals in the eyes, rinse them with running water for 15 minutes. To drip antiseptic drops, for example, "Floksal". Around the eyes, the skin can be lubricated, covered with a napkin and send the victim to the ophthalmologist.

Burns from welding, which is related to radiation, can appear not immediately, but several hours after exposure. Characteristic signs with such a lesion are as follows:

• Severe cutting pain in the eyes;
• Lacrimation;
• Sharp decrease in vision;
• Fear of bright light.

If the eyes are affected, help should be given immediately. This will determine the effectiveness of treatment.

Treatment of burns

Since the severity of burns can be different, then the treatment is of two types:

• Conservative;
• Operative.

The choice of methods of therapy depends on several factors:

• Total area of the lesion;
• Depth of burn;
• The location of the injury;
• The cause that triggered the burn;
• Development of burn disease;
• Age of the victim.

If we consider a closed method of treating burns, then it is performed by applying bandages to the wound with a medicinal preparation. When there is a shallow and light burn, then this bandage does not even have to be changed frequently - the wound quickly heals.

In the presence of a second degree, bactericidal ointments are applied to the burn site, for example, "Levomikol" or "Silvacin". They prevent the reproduction of bacteria. Change this bandage every two days.

With burns of degrees 3 and 4, a crust is formed, so at first you need to work around the place with antiseptic means, and after the crust disappears (which usually occurs in 2-3 weeks), you can use bactericidal ointments.

The closed method of treatment has its advantages and disadvantages. The first can be attributed the following:

• The bandage does not allow infection to enter the wound.
• Protects the wound from mechanical damage.
• Medicines promote faster healing.

Among the shortcomings are the following:

• When changing the bandage, the patient experiences unpleasant sensations.
• Dying tissues can provoke intoxication.

With the closed method of treatment, special techniques are used, for example, ultraviolet irradiation, bactericidal filters. They are usually available to specialized burn centers.

This method of treatment promotes the rapid formation of dry crust. Most often it is used for burns of the face, perineum, neck.

Operative treatment

In some cases, when large burns occur and occupy large areas, surgical intervention is necessary. Its following types are used:

1. Necrotomy. The doctor dissects the scab to ensure blood supply to the tissues. If this is not done, then necrosis may develop.
2. Necrectomy. Most often done with burns of 3 degrees to remove dead tissue. The wound is well cleaned, suppuration is prevented.
3. Staged necroctomy. It is produced with deep burns and is more gentle compared to the previous method. Removal of tissues is carried out in several visits.
4. Amputation. The most severe cases: when treatment does not work, you have to remove the limb to prevent further spread of necrosis.

All methods of surgery, except the last, then end with skin transplantation. Most often, it is possible to transplant the patient's own skin taken from other sites.

Traditional methods of treating burns

Many people are wondering how to cure a burn at home. As for damage of 3 and 4 degrees, the issue is not even discussed here - treatment should be done only in a hospital. Lighter burns can be completely tried at home.

There are many proven methods for traditional healers, among them the most popular and effective are the following:

1. If a sunburn is received , then baking soda will help it nicely.
2. Compress of strong tea is also able to alleviate the condition of the victim.
3. Prepare from 1 tablespoon of starch and a glass of water composition and apply it several times a day to the affected area.
4. If you impregnate a gauze napkin with sea buckthorn oil and put a burn on the place, the healing will go faster.
5. Some believe that a burn of grade 2 can be cured quickly with raw potatoes. It is necessary to apply fresh potato slices every 3 minutes. Blisters will not appear if you start this treatment immediately after getting injured.
6. Prepare ointment from 3 spoons of sunflower oil and 1 spoon of beeswax. Apply this composition 3-4 times a day.

It must be remembered that one can cope with one's own strength without health consequences with only slight burns. Serious injuries require medical attention.

Complications of burns

With any burn, not only damage causes fear, especially with a large area, but also an infection that can join at any time. The risk factors include the following cases:

• If more than 30% of the body area is affected.
• The burn seizes all layers of the skin.
• Infant and senile age.
• Resistance to antibacterial drugs of bacteria that caused infection.
• Wrong treatment and care for the wound.
• After the transplantation there was a rejection.

To reduce the likelihood of all complications, it is necessary to conduct treatment in specialized clinics. Burn is a serious enough damage, especially for children, who also get a strong psychological trauma.

The prognosis of the treatment of burns always depends on several factors, but the faster the victim is taken to the clinic, the better the therapy will be, and recovery will occur faster and with a minimal risk of complications. The consequences of a burn can be irreversible if you do not provide timely assistance.