Burns 101: When you treat at home vs go to hospital

This month we are talking about burns and how to best treat them.  Burns can occur from many different sources, but most commonly because of hot temperatures contacting the skin of a person.  Burns can range from mild, superficial partial or first degree burns to second degree burns or the most serious full thickness third degree burns.

How can we identify a burn from being mild to the ones which are more serious.  Well, it ultimately depends on the signs and symptoms.  First degree burns tend appear on the skin as red and painful, often dry (an example being a mild sunburn).  Second degree burns are also red; however, the injury has progressed and may now present with blistering, swelling, hot and quite painful.  Finally, third degree burns are deep burns of the skin and underlying tissues and present as discolouration (white, brown or black tissue).  These burns are deep enough that they possibly have destroyed the nerve endings and so the direct burn area may not be painful or have sensory feel at all, but the surrounding areas will be sensitive and painful.

Well, how do we treat burns.  The biggest risks to the patients are infection, fluid loss and further injury from the burn if it isn’t treated effectively as soon as possible.  First Aid treatment for burns involves having to cool the burn area to stop the burning process.  This is best done with cool running water for a minimum of 20 minutes.  This time length is critical to ensure the burn is cool and the burning process is stopped.  So often patients do not cool the burn enough and although the top outmost layer feels cool to touch, the tissues underneath will continue to burn.  Gels, creams, ointments should not be used on the initial stages of first aid for burns.  Blisters should not be broken either.  Burns need to be cooled for 20 minutes, a vital step which is unfortunately missed in the early care of burns patients.

When can we treat burns at home and when should we seek medical advice.  First degree minor burns can be treated safely and successfully at home if the burn area is cooled with running water for 20 minutes.  This might need to be repeated a few times to ensure the burn is managed appropriately.  Any burn that is greater than 5cm or located on the face, feet, hands, genital area or joints should have immediate medical help.  If the burn affects the casualty’s airway or they are unconscious, seek urgent emergency medical care.

If in doubt call 000 and ask for an Ambulance.