A Heated Situation
To stem the pain, act
fast when treating burns.
By Buck
Tilton, BACKPACKER Contributing Editor, February 2001
|
Photo by Dave
Schiefelbein |
You touch the stove
burner, thinking it’s cool. Or bump the bottom of a hot pot. Or pick up a
blackened chunk of firewood, unaware that it’s red hot on the bottom. However
it happens, your response is the same: your hand jerks back involuntarily, you
utter words Mom wouldn’t approve of, and then you inspect the burned area.
Your flesh keeps burning
after you remove it from the heat source. Even though hours might pass before a
blister appears, treating the injury within the first few moments is critical
for reducing the pain of the burn and the size of the blister. Act fast enough,
and you may even prevent one from developing.
Your best bet is to plunge
the burned area immediately into cold water, which cools the skin; as long as
heat remains in the tissues, the burning sensation continues. Keep the area
submerged for at least 10 minutes, stay well hydrated, and take ibuprofen to reduce
the pain and inflammation.
After that, try the
treatment methods below to help healing.
For a superficial
(first-degree) burn, which
is characterized by red, painful skin (as in sunburn, for example), a skin
moisturizer often is all that’s needed.
Partial-thickness
(second-degree) burns produce painful blisters. Moisturize the area around the blister and
then cover the area with gauze or a Spenco 2nd Skin Moist Burn Pad to protect
it. If (or, rather, when) the blister ruptures, cautiously peel off the dead
skin and gently wash the sore. For maximum healing, apply antibiotic ointment
and a new dressing to the affected area; keep it on until the skin has healed.
With a full-thickness
(third-degree) burn, the
skin is black and charred after being exposed to an open flame, or pale and
colorless after scalding. The burn site itself may not be painful, but extreme
pain typically surrounds the burn. Gently wash the area, then apply antibiotic
ointment and gauze. Third-degree burns larger in size than a quarter seldom
heal well without a doctor’s care, but there’s no rush to find a physician if
you keep the burn area clean.
But beware! Partial- or
full-thickness burns covering 15 to 20 percent of the body—both arms, a leg,
the chest, or the back, for instance—are life-threatening. A serious burn on
the face can also be a significant risk if swelling of the airways results,
possibly leading to suffocation. Immediate evacuation to a hospital is vital.
HotTip
Synthetic fabrics such as nylon
and polypropylene can melt, causing serious burns. Secure loose clothing when
you’re near a flame.
