Burns - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Burns can be caused by dry heat (like fire), wet heat, radiation, friction, heated objects, the sun, electricity, or chemicals. Although some minor burns aren't cause for concern and can be safely treated at home, other more serious burns require medical care. But taking some simple precautions to make your home safer can prevent many burns. Burns are often categorized as first-, second-, or third-degree burns, depending on how badly the skin is damaged. Each of the injuries above can cause any of these three types of burn. But both the type of burn and its cause will determine how the burn is treated. All burns should be treated quickly to reduce the temperature of the burned area and reduce damage to the skin and underlying tissue. Other causes include unsafe handling of firecrackers and kitchen accidents. Burns may become infected because the skin is less able to protect itself from bacteria. This is why more serious burns need to be dressed and kept clean whilst the skin heals. If infection is suspected, treatment with antibiotics may be needed.

Burns to your airways can be caused by inhaling smoke, steam, superheated air, or toxic fumes, often in a poorly ventilated space. Burns in children are sometimes traced to parental abuse. Most chemicals that can cause moderate to severe chemical burns are strong acids or bases. Nitric acid, as an oxidizer, is possibly one of the worst burn-causing chemicals. Hydrofluoric acid can eat down to the bone and its burns are often not immediately evident. Most chemicals that can cause moderate to severe chemical burns are called caustic. The appearance and symptoms of deep burns can worsen during the first hours or even days after the burn. Severe burns can cause serious complications due to extensive fluid loss and tissue damage. Complications from severe burns may take hours to develop. The longer the complication is present, the more severe are the problems it tends to cause. Often, the only treatment required is application of an antibiotic cream, such as silver sulfadiazine. Hospitalization is sometimes necessary for optimal care of burn injuries. For example, elevating a severely burned arm or leg above the level of the heart to prevent swelling is more easily accommodated in a hospital.

Causes of Burns

The common causes of Burns:

• Overexposure to the sun.
• Contact with flames or hot objects (from the stove, fireplace, curling iron, etc.)
• Wet heat (such as steam or hot liquids).
• Unsafe handling of firecrackers and kitchen accidents (such as a child climbing on top of a stove or grabbing a hot iron).
• Inhaling smoke, steam, superheated air, or toxic fumes, often in a poorly ventilated space.

Symptoms of Burns

Some sign and symptoms related to Burns are as follows:

• Peeling skin.
• White or charred skin.
• Swelling.
• Burns on the head, face, or neck.
• Difficulty breathing; coughing.
• Singed nose hairs or eyebrows.

Treatment of Burns

• Immediately cool small burns under cold running water for at least ten minutes, or rinse chemical burns for 20 minutes. (Briefly rinse larger burns, avoid excessive cooling).
• Minor burns can be treated at home with pain relief and sterile dressings (don't pop blisters).
• Severe burns need specialised long-term management, which may include skin grafts or treatments to prevent contractures, as well as psychological support to deal with scarring.