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First Aid for Burns
A burn can
be painful or painless, according to the degree.
The degree of a burn is determined by
its location on the body and the number
of skin layers affected. A burn can be caused by
heat,
electricity, chemicals or
radiation. The first response in a burn situation
is to stop the heat source
or break
contact between the heat source and the skin. The
body holds in the heat and continues to
burn until the skin cools. In many
cases you can cool the burn with water. Unless
told to by a
medical professional,
never use butter or ointments; they seal in heat
and may cause infection. If
blisters
form, they should not be broken because they
protect the burn from infection.
For
heat or thermal burns, rinse the burn (without
scrubbing) or immerse the affected area in cool
water until the pain is gone. With a
sterile cloth pat the burn area dry then cover.
For accidents
involving drenching by a
hot liquid, remove the liquid-soaked clothing or
place clothed victim in
water bath or
shower. Smother any burning clothing by dropping
the victim to the ground and
rolling
them. Never peal stuck clothing from a burn.
In cases of electrical burns, turn off
the electric power at the source. Do not touch the
victim until
all wires are clear. Avoid
contact with the electric current while removing
the victim. Make sure
the victim’s
breathing and heartbeat are regular. Treat the
victim for shock and make sure they get
medical attention. Check places where
the electricity entered and exited the victim’s
body. Treat
minor burns with cool water
and have the victim seek medical
attention.
With chemical
burns, locate the chemical container and follow
the label directions for
emergencies.
Consult the chemical’s Material Safety Data Sheet
(MSDS) or call the Poison
Control
Center. Remove any contaminated clothing. If the
eyes have been affected, flush them for
30 minutes. For acid chemicals,
immediately flush the affected area for 15-20
minutes. For dry
chemicals, brush the
chemical off the skin then flush the area for
15-20 minutes. Make sure the
victim
seeks medical attention.
The severity
of a burn may not be obvious for up to 24 hours
and infection may occur if
improperly
treated. Always seek medical help if the victim:
shows symptoms of shock
has head or neck burns or
has trouble breathing
has
burns on the hands, feet or groin (making muscle
and ligament damage more likely)
if second or third degree burns are
present
if victim is over
age 60 or under 5 years of age
Before an accident happens, know the
location of the first aid kit, the nearest
telephone, and
medical facility. Burns
can be painful and cause irreparable damage in
seconds. You must be able
to respond
appropriately and get medical help as quickly as
possible.
Ⅰ度烧伤
Ⅱ度烧伤
Ⅲ度烧伤
表皮受伤，局部轻度红肿、
疼
皮、
肉、
骨均受伤，
局部蜡白、
表皮、真皮都受损，红肿，水
痛，创面干燥
无水泡，痊愈后
焦黄或炭黑色，
疼痛消失，
痊
疱，
剧疼，
愈后的色素及瘢痕<
/p>
不留瘢痕
愈后留有瘢痛或畸形
What
causes burns?
Y
ou
can
get
burned
by
heat
and
fire,
radiation,
sunlight,
electricity
or
chemicals.
There
are
3
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degrees of
burns:
First-degree
burns
are red and painful. They swell a
little. They turn white when you
press
on the skin. The skin over the burn may peel off
after 1 or 2 days.
1
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Thicker burns,
called
second-degree burns
,
have blisters and are painful. The skin is
very red or splotchy, and it may swell
a lot.
Third-degree
burns
cause damage to all layers of the
skin. The burned skin looks white
or
charred. These burns may cause little or no pain
because the nerves in the skin are damaged.
How long does it take for
burns to heal?
First-degree
burns
usually heal in 3 to 6 days.
Second-degree
burns
usually heal in 2 to 3 weeks.
Third-degree
burns
usually take a very long time to
heal.
How are burns
treated?
The treatment depends on what
kind of burn you have. If a first- or second-
degree burn covers an
area larger than
2 to 3 inches in diameter, or is on your face,
hands, feet or genitals, you should see
a doctor right away. Third-degree burns
require emergency medical attention.
Do not put butter, oil, ice or ice
water on burns. This can cause more damage to the
skin.
First-degree burn
Soak
the
burn
in
cool
water. Then
treat
it
with
a skin
care
product
like
aloe
vera
cream
or
an
antibiotic ointment. To
protect the burned area, you can put a dry gauze
bandage over the burn.
Take
an
over-the-counter
pain
reliever,
such
as
acetaminophen
(one
brand
name:
Tylenol),
ibuprofen (some
brand names: Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (brand
name: Aleve), to help with the
pain.
Second-degree burn
Soak the
burn in cool water for 15 minutes. If the burned
area is small, put cool, clean, wet cloths
on
the
burn
for
a
few
minutes
every
day.
Then
put
on
an
antibiotic
cream,
or
other
creams
or
ointments
prescribed by your doctor. Cover the burn with a
dry nonstick dressing (for example,
Telfa)
held
in
place
with
gauze
or
tape.
Check
with
your
doctor's
office
to
make
sure
you
are
up-to-date on tetanus shots.
Change the dressing every day. First,
wash your hands with soap and water. Then gently
wash the
burn
and
put
antibiotic
ointment
on
it.
If
the
burn
area
is
small,
a
dressing
may
not
be
needed
during the day. Check the burn every
day for signs of infection, such as increased
pain, redness,
swelling or pus. If you
see any of these signs, see your doctor right
away. To prevent infection,
avoid
breaking any blisters that form.
Burned
skin
itches as it heals. Keep your
fingernails cut short and don't scratch the burned
skin.
The burned area will be sensitive
to sunlight for up to one year.
Third-
degree burn
For third-degree burns, go
to the hospital right away. Don't take off any
clothing that is stuck to
the burn.
Don't soak the burn in water or apply any
ointment. Y
ou can cover the burn with a
sterile
bandage or clean cloth until
you receive medical assistance.
What do
I need to know about electrical and chemical
burns?
A
person with an
electrical burn (for example, from a power line)
should go to the hospital right
away.
Electrical burns often cause serious injury inside
the body. This injury may not show on the
skin.
A
chemical
burn should be washed with large amounts of water.
Take off any clothing that has the
chemical on it. Don't put anything on
the burned area. This might start a chemical
reaction that
could make the burn
worse. If you don't know what to do, call 9-1-1 or
your local poison control
center, or
see your doctor right away.
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