Burns are a common accident in daily life and work, can occur in both adults and children, with an increasing trend. Burns not only cause immediate damage to health, but also have long-term consequences, especially in children.
The correct treatment right after the burn reduces the area and depth of the burn, makes the disease progress lighter, reduces the mortality rate, and limits the sequelae. Therefore, in addition to raising awareness to prevent burns, each citizen needs to be equipped with the knowledge of initial treatment of burn patients to help improve treatment efficiency and limit the consequences of improper handling. .
1.LEVEL OF BURN
Burns are divided into 3 degrees: superficial burns, partial burns of the skin and burns of all layers of the skin.
Degree 1: Superficial burns
Superficial burns are burns on the outermost layer of skin. At this point, the skin will be red and quite painful but not too serious. This burn can heal in just 3 days.
Superficial burns
Degree 2: Burns to part of the skin
When a part of the skin is burned, the epidermis along with a part of the dermis will be damaged and create blisters. If the sacs rupture, the pink skin will be exposed and painful.
Burns to part of the skin
Degree 3: Burns all layers of skin
This is the most severe burn when all layers of the skin are damaged.When burned at this level, the burn will be pale white or gray, dry but will not feel pain, often very susceptible to infection and take a long time to heal, even leaving scars.
Burns all layers of skin
2.COMMON CAUSES OF BURNS
+ Heat burns
Boiling water, hot food, hot oil, hot steam, fire (burning wood, burning gasoline, exploding gas, …)
+ Burns caused by sparks
Burns caused by direct action of hot objects (molten metal, hot irons, motorcycle mufflers, …)
+ Electrical burns
Low voltage burns, high voltage burns
+ Chemical burns
Caused by strong acids, strong bases, heavy metal salts and the like
+ Radiation burns
infrared, ultraviolet, laser, gamma rays, …)
3. BURNS FIRST AID
3.1.Purpose of first aid for burns
Quickly remove the causative agent from the body.
Emergency support for life-threatening conditions such as circulatory arrest, respiratory failure, severe injuries and accompanying injuries, etc.
Minimizing the level of contamination of burns, wound dressings, transportation to medical facilities, etc.
First aid for burns should be carried out as soon as possible, ensuring the safety of both the patient and the emergency participants, ensuring safety on the way of transportation, in addition, depending on the circumstances and the cause of the burn. .
3.2. First aid for thermal burns
+Step 1: Eliminate contact with the burn agent as soon as possible
Quickly take the victim out of the fire, put out the fire on the victim, remove the burned clothes or soaked in boiling water, etc. At the same time, perform first aid for the whole body such as: when there is circulatory arrest, multi-concussion. associated injuries, respiratory failure due to airway burns.
+Step 2: Quickly soak the burned body area in clean water
Soak with cool water as soon as possible, preferably within 30 minutes after the burn. After this period of time, soaking has little effect.
Water for bathing requires clean water, the standard temperature is from 16-20 degrees Celsius. However, because it is an emergency, it is necessary to take advantage of the available water at the place of the accident. Choose clean water sources if available such as boiled water, tap water, rain water, well water, etc.
Do not use ice to contaminate the victim. Do not use warm water, which has a higher temperature because it has less effect on cooling and reducing pain. One sign that the water temperature is suitable is that the victim experiences immediate relief from immersion, or the child reduces the intensity of crying or stops crying.
You can soak the burned part under running water or soak it in a basin of cool water or change it with a wet washcloth and repeatedly rinse the burned area with clean water.
Combine quickly removing tight clothing, rings, watches before the body part burns and swells. Just soak and cut off burnt clothes, wash away foreign objects or burning agents that are still attached to the surface.
Soaking time is from 15 – 30 – 45 minutes (usually until the pain is gone). Do not break the dome of the burn.
Keep the body part warm without burning. For children and the elderly, when the weather is cold, it is advisable to reduce the soaking time to prevent colds.
+Step 3: Temporarily cover the burn
Cover the burn area with clean materials: medical gauze, face towels, handkerchiefs, mosquito nets, etc. to cover it, then gently apply pressure with clean bandages. For the face and genital area, just cover with a layer of gauze. Avoid dressing so tightly that it compresses the burn area.
+Step 4: Rehydration, electrolytes after burns
Give Oresol water if the victim is not vomiting, is not bloated, and is still awake. It is possible to give warm sugar tea, dilute porridge, fruit juice, and breastfeed normally.
+Step 5: Quickly transport the victim to the nearest medical facility for specialized care
Attention if the patient with severe burns needs to be transported by stretcher, by car. If the burn is associated with trauma, the fracture should temporarily immobilize the injured area and the broken bone before shipping. If the burn is accompanied by a spinal injury: transport the patient on a rigid board, immobilize the head.
3.3. First aid for electric burns
Important notes when dealing with electrical burns:
Quickly cut off or remove the victim from contact with the power source.
Do not touch the victim’s body with bare hands until the power is cut off.
When the victim stops breathing, stops the heart: give first aid immediately at the accident site, by pressing the heart out of the chest combined with artificial respiration.
The treatment of burns is carried out only when the victim has a pulse and breathing again. You can use gauze, face towel, handkerchief, curtain, … clean to cover.
Transport the patient to the nearest medical facility for monitoring until stabilizing before handling the burn wound.
3.4. First aid for chemical burns:
In life, it is possible to experience burns due to base chemicals such as caustic soda (NaOH), especially burns caused by hot slaked lime or acidic substances such as sulfuric acid.
First aid is similar to that of a thermal burn, but requires neutralization of the causative agent with mild acid for alkaline burns and mild alkali for acid burns.
This operation is only carried out after soaking the burn with clean water. Immediate neutralization may aggravate the damage caused by the exothermic reaction. Under no circumstances should strong bases or acids be used. Specifically:
With burns caused by alkali, slaked lime: can use lemon juice, vinegar, should use sugar solutions (Glucose, table sugar, cane sugar, …) because it is easy to find and can be used in large quantities.
For acid burns: use soapy water or sodium bicarbonate 2-3%, if not, use clear lime water to wash.
If the eye area burns, it should be washed with clean water for 20 minutes, then taken to the nearest medical facility for emergency.
4.THINGS NOT TO DO WHEN FIRST AID FOR BURNS:
-Do not use ice cold water, the low temperature causes the body temperature to drop, leading to the constriction of blood vessels, making the burn more serious. This is a common mistake that everyone needs to be careful not to make.
-Apply mouth-watering products such as fish sauce, banana tubers, etc. These are unscientific and should not be followed, they only make the burn more serious.
-Applying toothpaste on the burn is a misconception, in toothpaste contains a small amount of base, when applied to the burn area only makes the patient more painful.
-Do not break the blisters to avoid infection.
5.HOME TREATMENT FOR BURNS
Cold water wash
When you have a burn on your hand, the first thing you need to do is wash your hands with cold water for 15-20 minutes. Combined with washing with soap will help you disinfect the wound and the skin will quickly recover.
Apply antibiotic ointment
You should use antibiotic ointment applied to the burn that has broken blisters, open. This medicine will help you prevent infection and help the wound heal faster.
There are antibiotic ointments on the market, such as Neosporin and Bacitracin, that you can use on the burn and cover it with sterile gauze.
Cold applied
Using a wet towel, cold compress applied to the burn will make the wound less red and more comfortable. Please apply continuously for 5-15 minutes!
Use aloe vera gel
The uses of aloe vera gel include promoting blood circulation, antibacterial, and avoiding inflammation. So aloe vera gel can be used to treat minor burns from 1st to 2nd degree. When used, you can apply a thin layer of aloe vera gel on the burn.
Honey using
Honey has anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal properties, so it is trusted by experts to be used for burns to avoid infection. Applying a thin layer of honey on a gauze pad and then applying it to the burn will help the wound to be much calmer.
Using pain killer
If you still feel pain from the puffiness, use the antibiotics Naproxen and Ibuprofen – these are pain relievers that can be taken without a prescription.
6.WHAT FOOD YOU SHOULD EAT AND NOT EAT WHEN HAVING BURNS?
When burned, you should replenish yourself with a large amount of water because burned people need to be replenished 2-3 times more water than normal people.
In addition, it is recommended to supplement with foods with high levels of vitamin C, vitamin A and fatty acids such as: oranges, tangerines, watercress, carrots, buttermilk, potatoes, salmon, mackerel, …
In order not to leave scars, you should abstain from foods such as eggs, sticky rice, chicken, water spinach, beef, seafood, etc. even color, burning part itches,…
7.THE FOLLOWING SYMPTOMS IN A PATIENT NEED TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL:
- The patient has not been vaccinated against tetanus.
- The patient has burns in places such as buttocks, groin, face, hands.
- Fever
- Burns are painful, itchy, and smelly.
- Large burn with a diameter of more than 7.5cm
When you have the above signs, you should immediately take the patient to the hospital to treat the burn. It is strictly forbidden to self-treat the burn at home when you see a 3rd degree severe burn with the above signs.
In the case of clothing stuck to the burn, you must not remove the layer of clothing yourself, but immediately go to a nearby medical facility for treatment
- One of the harmful things that people often do when giving first aid to burns is to apply toothpaste, burn cream, python fat directly to the newly burned part. This makes the burn worse, increasing the chance of infection.
- Avoid letting the patient get shocked or panic when burned because this will make the burn worse, hitting the wound.
- Do not use ice directly on the burn because it will cause the epidermal shrinkage, the burn is more difficult to heal.
- In the case of a serious and large burn, you should not cut off clothing on that area of skin.
- In particular, do not break the blisters because it can cause the burn to become infected.
do not break the blisters
At NA Medical, we provide a full package of care and first aid services at home and at work, including first aid cases for burns caused by agents, when direct consultation with a doctor is required. and medical staff about problems related to illness and emergency, please contact us via Hotline: 0972744224
