Burn with boiling water - what should I do?

One of the most common domestic injuries is a thermal burn with boiling water. According to statistics, this type of injury accounts for 80% of the total number of burns received, therefore it is difficult to find a person who has not experienced this unpleasant but once frequent occurrence in himself. After all, we are constantly in contact with hot food, tea, broth, just with boiling water during cooking. In order to try to minimize pain and avoid possible complications caused by a burn, you should be able to properly give first aid to your relatives or yourself. To do this, it is necessary to determine the degree of injury received, because the methods of treatment are different and, most importantly, do no harm.

All kinds of burns with boiling water can be conditionally divided into three categories:

• I degree - characteristic signs: reddening and edema of the scalded place, the appearance of small bubbles;
• II degree - large bubbles, sometimes bursting, the formation of a thin scab;
• III degree - deep skin damage, right down to the muscles.

As a rule, in household conditions, it is usually possible to get a burn of I or II degree. Properly provided care can prevent tissue damage.

Burn with boiling water - first aid

Act quickly. First of all, as soon as possible, stop the spread of the burn by placing the injured part of the body in a container of cold water, or better under running cold water. In the presence of clothing, it must be carefully cut, but not torn from the wounded surface of the body. These actions will help reduce the temperature in the place of the burn and wash off the remnants of boiling water, which will not allow the trauma to spread, and consequently, the healing period will decrease.

Any burn with boiling water is accompanied by pain, so it is not superfluous to take an analgesic. In no case should alcohol be used as an anesthetic! Also, you can not lubricate the affected area with oily ointment or vegetable oil - these tips are very common, but they should not be followed. These components create a thermal barrier layer on the skin surface, which prevents heat removal. You can not also apply a tight pressure bandage or apply ice.

The damaged area can be treated with special means - "Panthenol" or "Olazole", or apply a sterile moist bandage from bandage or gauze to the wound. A special gel bandage, which is sold in pharmacies, will help, but, unfortunately, not always is at hand at the right time.

If an adult has suffered - it is necessary to determine the area of the lesion and the degree. In case of getting a burn by a child - be sure to contact an "ambulance".

Conditionally the area of the palm is equal to 1% of the surface of our body. Thus, it is possible to approximately measure the area of the affected area as a percentage of the body. If a superficial burn, accompanied by redness and swelling, affects more than 10% of the body, hospitalization is necessary. Of course, if you burn a person or inguinal area, do not waste time on measurements - call an ambulance urgently!

Burn with boiling water: what to do if there are signs of deep tissue damage?

The necrosis of the skin is very dangerous. With a deep burn with signs of tissue necrosis, blisters, irrespective of the area of the lesion, it is better to go to the burn department or to the polyclinic at the place of residence.

Unfortunately, to believe that everything will heal by itself is dangerous. In addition to the destruction of the surface structures of the tissue, a scar remains after the burn. Scalded and surrounding altered tissues release into the blood toxins, proteolytic enzymes and biologically active substances that are formed during necrosis. This can lead to toxemia, the second stage of a burn disease. The first stage is a pain shock.

Subsequently, the wound becomes infected, and new bacteria and microorganisms are added to the existing toxins. Penetration of them into the blood is fraught with the development of septokotoksemii 3 stages, very dangerous for the victim. Therefore, if you burn with boiling water, the timeliness of treatment to doctors is a guarantee of successful treatment and successful recovery.

And, of course, being in close proximity to hot and boiling foods, you should be extremely attentive, let alone exclude children. Then the probability that you will get burned with boiling water is reduced.