Burns and scalds can vary in severity, and the emergency treatment methods differ accordingly. Let's take a look at the effective emergency methods for burns at different degrees.
Different Degrees of Burns
First-degree burns: The skin is red, swollen, hot, and painful. It is sensitive to touch and appears dry without blisters or broken skin.
Second-degree burns: These burns are characterized by intense pain, sensitivity, and the presence of blisters. Once the blisters break, the wound appears uniformly red with significant swelling.
Deep second-degree burns: These burns cause dull sensation, with or without blisters. The base appears pale with intermittent red spots, and the wound is moist. It is painful when hair is pulled, and the hair roots show normal anatomical structure. Several days later, if there is no infection, vascular occlusion in a mesh-like pattern may occur.
Third-degree burns: In these burns, the skin loses sensation, becomes dry and leathery, and appears waxen, pale yellow, or charred. Hair can be pulled without pain, and there is no normal hair root anatomical structure. Several days later, large branch-like vascular occlusions may appear.
Most Effective Emergency Methods for Burns
Basic Treatment for Burns
For recent burns or scalds, it is recommended to cool the affected area to prevent deep tissue damage and alleviate pain.
Treatment methods:
1. Rinse the wound with white wine. Ordinary white wine (20-50 degrees) can quickly absorb the residual heat from the burn or scald.
2. If there is no white wine, rice water from the second rinse can be used to cool the wound.
3. Alternatively, cool tap water can be used to lower the temperature.
Treatment for First-Degree Burns
If aloe vera is available at home, apply aloe vera juice to the wound for therapeutic effect. If not, you can purchase some herbal ointment or burn treatment cream from a pharmacy. However, these medications are only suitable for superficial burns and not recommended for deeper burns, which require professional burn treatment medications.
Treatment for Second-Degree Burns
1. Start with the basic treatment mentioned earlier to cool the affected area.
2. If there are any foreign objects in the wound, carefully remove them while rinsing the wound with rice water from the second rinse.
3. Apply burn treatment medication if available. If not, follow the treatment method for first-degree burns to alleviate the condition. Then, seek immediate medical attention or find professional burn treatment medication for deeper burns.
4. Do not bandage severe burns. Exposing the wound can promote faster healing and reduce the likelihood of scarring.
5. If there are signs of fever, take antipyretics. If thirsty, drink diluted saltwater to replenish fluids. If the wound becomes infected, use antibiotics for inflammation, such as cefuroxime, erythromycin, or gentamicin.
Emergency Treatment for Third-Degree Burns
Emergency Steps:
① Safely remove the patient from the scene as soon as possible.
② Rinse or soak the burned area with cold water to reduce skin temperature.
③ Quickly remove or cut off clothes that are on fire or soaked in hot liquid.
For burns caused by hot liquid, cool the burn first before removing the clothes. Otherwise, tearing off the epidermis that has detached from the burn along with the clothes can cause serious consequences.
④ Conduct a quick and simple examination of the patient to assess the severity of the burn and prioritize life-threatening issues for treatment.
Key Points for Emergency Treatment of Third-Degree Burns
1. Immediately cool the burned area by rinsing with cold water for 10-30 minutes or until there is no pain.
2. After cooling, cut open or remove the clothes.
3. Do not give the thirsty victim plain water to drink.
4. In case of suffocation, use a large needle to puncture the trachea from the cricothyroid membrane to maintain breathing.
5. Properly protect the wound and avoid puncturing the blisters. Do not apply any liquid or ointment to the wound.
6. Seek immediate medical attention for further treatment.
7. When moving the patient, they should be in a supine position, with gentle movements and smooth progress. Keep monitoring the patient's condition and perform on-site rescue if there is a respiratory or cardiac arrest during transportation.
Preventing Respiratory Burns
Third-degree burns often occur in fires and explosions, where thick smoke and high temperatures can cause physical burns. After a hazardous chemical explosion, the smoke contains a large amount of toxic chemicals, which can lead to chemical burns in the respiratory tract, causing swelling and potentially suffocation.
In such situations, use a wet towel or cloth to cover your mouth and nose, crouch or crawl forward, and avoid opening your eyes wide. It is sufficient to be able to see the escape route. If smoke or dust falls on your clothing or skin, remove the clothes immediately and take a shower to cleanse yourself.
Post-Burn Care
If the burned area is not properly protected, it can easily become contaminated again. Cover the area with clean dressings, towels, or sheets for basic protection and follow the "Three Don'ts" below:
1. Do not apply colored medications such as red mercury or gentian violet, as they can hinder observation of the wound and assessment of its depth.
2. Do not apply substances that are difficult to remove, such as toothpaste, ash, soybean paste, soy sauce, or sesame oil. These substances do not provide any therapeutic effect and can increase the chance of wound contamination.
3. Do not apply unsuitable substances to the burn wound without proper guidance. Avoid applying random medications, such as antibiotics or disinfectants, to prevent excessive absorption and poisoning.
