What to do in case of burns?

Brief overview

What to do in case of burns? First aid: Calm the affected person, cool the burn with water, cover the wound sterilely, if necessary alert the rescue service.
When to see a doctor? For burns of grade 2 or higher; if the burned skin is numb, charred or white; if you are not sure how severe the injury is
Burns – Risks: Formation of scars, shock (especially with extensive burns), hypothermia (especially with extensive burns), wound infection, respiratory problems (when breathing hot smoke), and organ failure with extensive burns

What helps for burns?

What helps against burns, for example on the hand? And how do relatives, for example, provide first aid for burns to fingers, arm, leg et cetera?

In the case of burns and scalds, first aid must be administered quickly. However, always make sure that you do not put yourself in danger.

Reassure the victim. Burns and scalds are very painful and often cause anxiety and worry, especially in children.
Put on disposable gloves before treating burns. This will protect you and the victim from infection.
Call emergency services if necessary, especially for more severe or major burns.
Other first aid measures depend on how severe the injury is and whether it is a burn (from dry heat such as fire, hot objects, or electricity) or scald (from hot liquids or vapors, etc.).

Be aware of your own safety when using fire extinguishers: with CO2 extinguishers, there is a risk that skin tissue will freeze easily. Devices with extinguishing powder, on the other hand, may damage the lungs. If possible, do not inhale the powder.

First aid for 1st degree burns/scalds?

Here’s what first aid looks like for a minor, small-area scald or burn:

Scald: Immediately remove clothing and any hot objects (such as jewelry) from the skin. Be careful not to burn yourself in the process.
Burn: If clothing is not adhering to the burn, carefully remove it.
Cool the wound under running, lukewarm water for no more than ten minutes as soon as it occurs. If the affected person becomes cold, stop cooling immediately.
For burns/scalds that are only superficial and do not form blisters, it helps to cover the wound in a sterile or clean manner.
In addition, a minor burn/scald (without blistering) usually does not require any special further care. If it is a mild sunburn, cooling gel often helps.

Home remedies have their limits. If the symptoms persist for a long period of time, do not improve or even get worse despite treatment, you should always consult a doctor.

These are the things to avoid in first aid for burns:

For 1st degree burns only, it is advisable to cool the affected area under lukewarm running water. For injuries that are more severe or affect more than 20 percent of the body surface, cooling is generally not recommended. Otherwise, there is a risk that the affected person will become hypothermic.
Caution: Children cool down particularly easily. Therefore, minor burns or scalds on the trunk of the body or head should not be cooled in their case.
Do not use ice packs or cold packs to cool a minor burn. It is possible that the cold will cause additional damage to the injured skin.
Under no circumstances should you apply olive oil, potatoes, onions, baking powder, powder or disinfectant to burned or scalded skin. This may cause worse injuries.

First aid for burns/scalds that are more severe or cover a larger area.

In the case of burns or scalds that are extensive or severe, first aid should be administered differently. First notify the emergency physician. Then proceed as follows:

If the person’s clothes are on fire: Immediately extinguish the flames with water or smother them under a blanket.
In case of large scalds: Remove clothing from affected areas of skin immediately.
For large burns: Here, the clothing usually sticks to the skin. If you try to remove them, you often injure the skin additionally.
If possible, cover the burns with a sterile burn cloth or a sterile wound dressing.
For fixation, apply a loose bandage over it.
If the victim is unconscious, check his pulse and breathing. If both are present, place him in the recovery position. If he is no longer breathing, start resuscitation immediately. Continue this until the rescue service arrives or the patient is breathing on his own again.

In the case of a burn injury from an open fire, the affected person may have inhaled smoke and is now having difficulty breathing. In this case, it is advisable to have the affected person sit upright while you treat the burn wound. It is usually easier for him to breathe this way than when lying down.

Check the patient’s breathing regularly during first aid!

When to see a doctor?

Burns and scalds can only be treated by yourself if the injury is superficial and minor (red, swollen, painful skin without blisters).

In the following cases, on the other hand, it is advisable or urgent to seek medical help (and call the emergency services if necessary):

If two or more percent of the body surface area is affected by the burn/scald
If you are unsure how severe the burn/scald is
If a burn wound becomes infected
If the burn is on a sensitive area (such as the face, intimate area)
If the affected person has inhaled smoke
When the affected person is unconscious
When the burned skin is numb, charred, or white (third-degree burn)

Basically, it should be noted that the skin of children is thinner than that of adults and is therefore much more sensitive to the effects of heat. Therefore, in the case of burns in a child, a visit to the doctor is advisable even after heat effects that would not yet leave any damage on the skin of adults.

What does the doctor do?

In medical practice, primarily 1st and 2nd degree burns are treated. Depending on the size of the burned area, the treatment of a 3rd degree burn also takes place there.

He will also do something about any pain in a burn by injecting you with appropriate pain medications or prescribing them for home use.

Burns: Risks

Mild burns usually heal without consequences. More severe burns, on the other hand, may leave scars.

In the case of more severe burns/scalds with extensive injury and possibly charred skin, there is an acute risk that the affected person will become hypothermic, as the body’s thermoregulation no longer functions properly. Hypothermia makes the circulation unstable and may lead to clotting disorders. There is also a risk that the affected person will go into shock.

If the walls of blood vessels were damaged during the burn, it is possible that fluid will leak into the tissue – a painful swelling will develop.

If the affected person has inhaled smoke, the mucous membranes may swell. This makes it difficult for them to breathe. Respiratory distress may develop.