Burns

Burns is an injury involving the skin,

including muscles, bones, nerves and body
vessels. This results from heat, chemicals,
electricity or solar or other forms of
radiation.
 Common Causes
 Carelessness with match and cigarette smoking.
 Scalds from hot liquid.
 Defective heating, cooking and electrical
equipment.
 Immersion in overheated bath water.
 Use of such chemicals, as lye, strong acids and
string detergents.
 Factors to determine the
seriousness of Thermal
Burns:
 The depth. The deeper the burn, the more
severe it is. Three depth classifications are
used:
 1st degree – Superficial
 2nd degree – Partial Thickness
 3rd degree – Full Thickness
 The extent to the affected body surface area. This means
estimating how much body surface area the burn covers.
 Location of the burns. Burns on the face, hands, feet
and genitals are more severe than on the other body
parts.
 Victim’s age and medical condition. Determine if other
injuries or pre-existing medical problems exist or if the
victim is elderly (over 55) or very young (under 5).
 Types of Burn Injuries
 THERMAL BURNS: not all thermal
burns are caused by flames. Contact with
hot objects, flammable vapor that ignites
and causes a flash or an explosion, and
steams or hot liquid are other common
causes of burns.
 Care of Thermal Burns
 Care of First-Degree and Second-Degree Burns
 Relieve pain by immersing the burned area in
cold water or by applying a wet, cold cloth. If
cold water is unavailable, use any cold liquid
you drink to reduce the burned skin’s
temperature.
 Cover the burn with a dry, non-sticking, sterile
dressing or a clean cloth.
 Care of Third-Degree Burns
 Cover the burn with a dry, non-sticking, sterile
dressing or a clean cloth.
 Treat the victim for shock by elevating the legs
and keeping the victim warm with a clean sheet
or blanket.
 Chemical Burns
 Chemicals will continue to cause tissue
destruction until the chemical agent is
removed.
 Care for chemical burns
 Immediately remove the chemical by flushing
with water.
 Remove the victim’s contaminated clothing
while flushing with water.
 Flush for 20 minutes or longer. Let the victim
wash with a mild soap before a final rinse.
 Cover the burned area with a dry dressing or, for
large areas, a clean pillowcase.
 If the chemical is in the eye, flood it for at least
20 minutes, using low pressure.
 Seek medical attention immediately for all
chemical burns.
 Electrical Burns
 The injury severity from exposure to
electrical current depends on the type of
current (direct or altering), the voltage,
the area of the body exposed, and the
duration of contact.
 Care of Electrical burns
 Unplug, disconnect, or turn off the power.
If that is impossible, call the power
company or ask for help.
 Check the ABCs. Provide Rescue
Breathing or Cardio Pulmonary
Resuscitation (CPR) if necessary.
 If the victim fell, check for spine injury.
 Treat the victim for shock.
 Seek medical attention immediately.
Electrical injuries are treated in burn
center.