Some Tips To Treat Burns In A Crisis

One of the worst injuries that you might get is a burn, especially if it is during a crisis. Such burns can be dangerous and extremely painful.

Having burns during a crisis can be life-threatening, but knowing how to treat them can help you avoid any trouble.

The reason many people think that odds of getting burned are too small is that they take only fire burns into the account. The fact of the matter is that these burns are also caused by chemicals, electricity, and even sunlight. Much to your surprise, even sunburns can prove to be deadly if you are exposed to direct sunlight for a long time.

The good thing, however, is that you can treat your burns without needing medical attention. Here are a few steps that you can consider.

Cooling down the burnt skin

Limiting the damage is the first thing you have to do after getting burnt. For this purpose, remove any clothes from the burnt area and run cold water over it to mitigate the effects of these burns. It will remove harmful substances and cools down the skin. Make sure that you are using only water to wash the burnt skin. Some people believe that using butter, oil, or milk is a more viable option. It can actually trap heat and cause more pain.

Applying pain-relieving gels

After running some water, now you want to get quick relief. It will help lower the risk of panicking due to extreme pain. For this purpose, you will need to use gel to treat burns. Aloe Vera gel or cream will work fine in this scenario. You can also use honey as a burn gel.

While applying the gel, make sure that you are not rubbing on it. Rubbing can cause even more disturbance, leading to an increase in the damage.

Determining the damage and treating the burn

After this quick relief, you should feel calm considerably. Now is the time to look at the burn and assess the amount of damage. While a burn may appear gruesome, it is not deadly.

Burns can result in death if:

  • They damage the respiratory system
  • They cover 10% or larger area of your body
  • An infection has developed in your wound
  • The injured person is very old or too young

You will need to see to which degree your wound falls in to assess its severity. Here is a quick overview.

  • First-degree burns: These are minor burns that affect only the top layer of the skin. They can turn the skin color to red and cause mild pain. They do not result in any blisters. Applying aloe vera to such burns can provide quick relief.
  • Second-degree burns: These burns usually result in the formation of blisters on the skin. The popping of those blisters can cause infection. Once a blister pops, you will need to remove the dead skin immediately to prevent the wound from getting infectious. Then you will need to apply the antibiotic gel as a way to treat the wound.
  • Third-degree burns: A burn that goes deep through the skin and causes injury is called a third-degree burn. This burn can also affect muscles, nerves, and fat. Sometimes, this burn can damage the nerves, causing you not to feel much pain. The treatment of third-degree burns is the same as that of second-degree burns.
  • Fourth-degree burns: It can be quite severe and, maybe, life-threatening. If you have got this burn, you will need to get medical attention as soon as possible because there is no way you can treat it yourself.