Burn
First Aid
Burns
are extremely painful. Formerly classified as 1st, 2nd and
3rd degree, that has since been changed to partial-thickness
and full-thickness. With respect to burn first aid treatment,
the two major aspects which need addressing are pain control
and infection control. The majority of burns encountered in
the home or when out camping are partial-thickness burns,
evidenced by reddened areas that are tender to touch. Partial-thickness
burns can also blister. Full-thickness burns involve muscle
as well as skin, and are extremely painful.
Basic
first aid treatment for burns: Cool water is helpful to ease
the pain, as well as Aloe Vera gel or Aloe directly from the
plant can be used on partial-thickness burns, which has been
shown to ease the pain. NEVER put ice on a burn as ice is
a vasoconstrictor and burns do need blood flow. Wet cool compresses
are helpful in alleviating pain. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and
Ibuprofen (Advil/Motrin) are generally good pain reducers.
The age
old question which comes into play which is still debated
among healthcare providers is, should the blisters be debrided
or taken off? In talking to a few burn experts in the Midwest
and ER physicians, we have come to the following consensus:
If in the outdoors and you are greater than 24-48 hours from
medical attention, leave the blisters on. They make great
protective barriers and help prevent infection. Urgent care
clinics will routinely debride the blisters since all wounds
need air to heal, and after debridement, Silvadene ointment
is generally applied. In the home, since you can get medical
attention fairly quickly, go ahead and make pain control your
greater priority and transport to an urgent care clinic or
ER.
Covering
and wrapping burns
Clearly one wants to use a nonstick or non-adherent dressing.
You do not want to use gauze. Telfa is an excellent choice
along with a loosely bound wrap. Ace wrap works well over
that. In the outdoors, when you are 48 hours or greater from
medical attention, it is wise to have an antibiotic cream
or topical ointment that you can apply to the burn, and then
transport. Please be advised that around 10-12% of the population
is allergic to Neomycin which is found in Neosporin, as well
as triple antibiotic ointment. We strongly advise against
using that topical antibiotic ointment due to running the
risk of an allergic dermatitis.
Other
Information
Check
out our parent company Survive Outdoors. They offer a selection
of detailed burn
pictures that can be viewed online.
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