Fire burns: their treatment and prevention of complications

2023 Author: Alfred Shackley | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 13:14

One of the most common and private injuries in everyday life is a burn. This is a very painful and often even dangerous skin injury that can be caused by various reasons. In particular, flame burns are not uncommon.

Unfortunately, very often small children are victims of fire, studying the world around them with curiosity so energetically that it is not always possible to keep track of them. That is why knowledge about the rules of first aid and how to treat a fire burn in such cases is very important, as well as the ability to choose the right means to treat the effects of fire.

First aid to the victim

The main thing that first aid consists of in case of fire injury is the elimination of the source of injury. This means that, first of all, the flame must be extinguished immediately. There are many options for how to do this: if the victim's clothes are on fire, they should be extinguished with plenty of water, or the oxygen access to the fire should be cut off by wrapping the victim in a thick cloth or covering with a blanket. The victim of the fire can also help himself by falling to the ground and rolling on it, knocking down the fire.

It is important to know that in no case should you run and wave a burning cloth, because the air flow will only stimulate an even greater fire and, therefore, lead to more serious damage.

After successfully fighting the fire, immediately start removing the damaged skin from the clothes. This should be done as carefully as possible, since the skin is inflamed and any careless movement can only aggravate the consequences of the injury. Never rip off shreds of clothing that have adhered to your skin!

Use scissors to carefully cut the tissue around the affected area. After that, try to calm the injured person and those around them and proceed with the initial damage assessment.

Before deciding on a treatment strategy and remedy, it is necessary to assess the degree of damage from the flame and its area.

Depending on the severity of the damage, there are 4 degrees of burn:

• I degree: it is characterized by the presence of edema and redness, the appearance of small blisters with a transparent liquid inside is possible. Damage of such severity disappears without a trace in a couple of days;
• II degree: to the symptoms of a burn of the first degree, large blisters, which have opened in places, are also added, and a thin scab is formed. Competent treatment and the choice of suitable remedies will help achieve healing within a couple of weeks;
• III degree: accompanied by the presence of deep damage to the muscles and bones, a dry crust forms, fluid is released. Dead skin can be scarlet, white, yellow, even black. Damage to this degree is extremely painful and requires mandatory medical intervention. As a rule, they do not pass without leaving a trace, but leave behind scars and scars;
• IV degree: the most severe, involves deep damage to the subcutaneous tissues, charring of the skin, muscles, bones. Requires immediate hospitalization.

In this case, a person who has suffered from a flame can simultaneously receive several burns of different degrees, and how deep the injuries and what area they occupy characterizes the severity of the condition of the victim of the fire.

Having determined the degree of the burn, we proceed to measure the area of fire damage. The Rule of the Palm is a universal method for assessing the area of tissue lesions. Assuming that the area of the palm is approximately equal to 1% of the area of the human body, you can easily measure the ratio of healthy and damaged tissues.

It is also customary to equate the area of the head, abdomen, arms, half of the leg and half of the belly of an adult to 9% of the surface of his body, and the head and neck of a child to 21% of the area of the body.

Fire Burn: Treatment

Having provided the first necessary aid and knowing the degree and area of damage, you can choose suitable and affordable means to alleviate the condition of the victim, start treating him, for example:

• In order for the wound not to expand and deepen from its own heat, you need to place the burned skin under a stream of ice water for 10-20 minutes. In this case, ice cannot be used, since the victim will receive additional injury in the form of frostbite;
• The use of ointments and gels for burns will also facilitate healing. The area treated by them is wrapped in a sterile bandage, always without cotton wool! Light injuries can be done without a bandage. The use of sour cream, beaten eggs, kefir and other inappropriate means can only aggravate the situation;
• Burns that hit a large area require fixation of the burned limbs on a hill;
• If the victim has pallor, perspiration, uneven heartbeat, shortness of breath and other signs of burn shock, he needs a large amount of clean water or other liquid to reduce intoxication;
• To reduce pain, you can give the victim paracetamol or any other pain reliever;
• If the extent and area of injuries cause reasonable concern about the health of the victim, it is necessary to call an ambulance to deliver him to a special burn department.

Minor domestic injuries, which, one way or another, happen to everyone, do not require such a serious response as described above. Let's figure out how to help ourselves cope with a minor burn at home.

First of all, in the first-aid kit, everyone should have a minimum set of remedies in case of burns: sterile bandage, antiseptic, sterile gloves, hydrogen peroxide, alcoholic solutions of iodine or brilliant green, anti-burn gels and ointments, cotton swabs, gauze swabs, plaster. Their use will not cause difficulties, and we all know their effectiveness from childhood.

In addition, there are many folk recipes for how to treat a burn, the ingredients of which can be found in any kitchen. Here is some of them.

Compresses:

• Grated raw potato compress - relieves pain;
• Gauze bandage soaked in aloe juice - relieves inflammation;
• Shredded cabbage compress mixed with egg white - promotes healing.

Lotions:

• Cooled decoction of eucalyptus leaves - reduces the burning sensation;
• Infusion of coltsfoot with rose hips - also relieves pain;
• Honey lotions are considered the best antiseptic!

Ointments:

• Ingredients: 100 g lard, 100 g spruce resin; 100 g of beeswax. Boil everything together, cool, apply to the wound and close with a bandage. Such an ointment heals even the most severe cases;
• Ingredients: 100 grams of butter, 20 grams of flaxseed oil and 40 grams of wax. Boil for 20 minutes. and apply on a bandage to the wound. Improves the skin's ability to regenerate;
• Ingredients: 4 tbsp. tablespoons of chopped burdock root, 4 tbsp. boiling water. Cook over low heat, add 1 tbsp. a spoonful of butter and lubricate the wounds without covering with a bandage. Burdock is known for its anti-inflammatory properties.

Prevention of burns

Fire is an unbridled element and a source of serious danger. Observe and keep children away from flammable substances and keep fire protection products at hand. Knowing and taking all precautions, you are guaranteed to protect yourself from many troubles!

Now you know everything about the rules for providing first aid to victims of fire, carefully equipped the first aid kit with everything you need in case of burns, and also got acquainted with folk recipes that can soothe and heal burned skin.

Having this knowledge is vital, but never need to put it into practice!