First aid for burns at home. First aid for burns

Burns are considered to be one of the most common injuries of the human body. The treatment of such injuries should be treated as seriously as possible, since even the most simple mutilation is capable of causing serious consequences for the body if untimely assistance is given. That's why everyone needs to know how to properly get first aid for burns at home.

Kinds of burns

1. Thermal burns. Such injuries are often the result of negligent handling of fire, steam or hot water. Thermal burns are also commonly referred to as frostbite resulting from exposure to critically low temperatures.
2. Chemical burns. Such injuries can be caused by strong acid solutions, caustic alkalis, potassium permanganate, iodine and other substances that present a serious threat to human health and life in a concentrated form.
3. Burns by electricity. Damage to tissues in this case is a consequence of the impact on the body of electrical discharges.
4. Radiation burns. Injuries cause exposure to ionizing, ultraviolet and infrared radiation. Radiation burns are manifested not only by external skin lesions, but also by the presence of general malaise.

Degrees of burns

1. The first degree of burns. Only the upper layers of the skin are affected. As a rule, reddening appears on the skin, which is accompanied by a sensation of heat. If the first aid for burns in the home was correctly received, then within 5 days such a trauma passes, and a new epithelium appears on the site of the affected skin. Most often, first-degree burns are sunburn.
2. Second degree of burns. It is a damage to the skin, the characteristic features of which is the formation of blisters on the affected areas. On the surface of the epidermis are formed so-called blisters - vesicles with serous fluid. Most often, this kind of trauma is diagnosed by scalding the skin with steam or boiling water.
3. Third degree of burns. Its distinctive feature is the inability to completely restore the skin, as the site of the impact in any case, there are scars. The strength of the lesion reaches subcutaneous fat.
4. Fourth degree of burns. These are the most serious and dangerous burns that penetrate deeply buried under the epithelium of the tissue and can even reach the bone. Such traumas are characterized by death of the muscular and connective tissues, as well as their charring. Most often these are thermal burns from an open flame, electrical and chemical burns.

The degree of burns and first aid with them are inextricably linked. And if the 1st and 2nd degree burns can be cured at home, then for burns of 3rd and 4th degree without the help of a qualified specialist simply can not do.

Thermal (thermal) burn. First aid

Providing first aid for lesions of this kind should include the following sequence of actions:

1. Stop the effect on the skin of the thermal factor. It is very important to do this as quickly as possible, which determines the depth of the resulting burn.
2. Thoroughly cool the burned areas. It should be borne in mind that even after the thermal agent has been eliminated, the tissue damage process does not stop. This is due to the action of the burnt tissues themselves, which are heated to a high temperature. That is why the mandatory component of first aid is cooling, which is achieved with the help of cold water. The duration of exposure to the affected area is 10-15 minutes.
3. Apply an aseptic dressing. From the burned body parts it is necessary to cut off clothes and to impose a bandage to prevent secondary infection. The victim needs to be warmed up, for what to wrap him in a blanket, to pour warm tea and to provide him with rest. If necessary, give an anesthetic.

Properly rendered first aid for thermal burns is of great importance, since it allows to ease the condition of the victim and accelerate the processes of restoring the natural structure of the skin. Having received a burn, the main thing is not to panic and strictly follow these recommendations.

Frostbite

If thermal burns and frostbite were received, first aid should be given promptly. So, the victim with a suspected frostbite should be taken to a warm room. It is very important not to allow rapid heating of the damaged areas, for which it is recommended to apply heat-insulating dressings made of gauze and cotton wool to the supercooled areas. The victim needs to provide a copious drink and call a doctor.

Chemical burn

The first aid for burns with chemicals can be different and depends on the reagent that causes skin damage.

When burned with concentrated acids (except sulfuric acid), the surface of the burn should be washed for 20 minutes with a jet of cold water. A good result is the washing of the affected area with a 3% solution of soda (per 200 ml of water 1 teaspoon of soda).

Burns caused by alkalis should also be thoroughly rinsed, and then treated with 2% citric acid solution. On the burned area after treatment it is required to impose a sterile bandage.

Burns with quicklime in no case can not be washed with water, removing lime and further processing the affected area of the skin is produced with oil. After the removal of all available pieces of lime, the wound should be covered with a gauze bandage.

Certain features have help with burns caused by phosphorus. The fact is that phosphorus has the property of flashing in the air, as a result of which the burn becomes combined - chemical and thermal. Burned area is recommended to be immersed in water and to remove pieces of phosphorus with cotton wool or a stick under water. After that, the damaged surface must be treated with a 5% solution of copper sulfate and covered with a sterile dry bandage. For this type of injury is strictly prohibited the use of ointments or fat, because they cause the absorption of phosphorus in the skin.

Electrical burn

First aid for burns in the home is reduced, first of all, to the elimination of the source of electrical damage with the obligatory observance of personal safety. Further damaged areas should be closed with a bandage.

If a minor injury was obtained, it is enough to calm the victim and give him warm tea. In case a person has lost consciousness, it is necessary:

1. Put it in a convenient position.
2. In order to free the airway, turn his head to one side.
3. Loosen tightening clothes.
4. Monitor breathing and pulse.

Radiation burn

Symptoms of radiation burns, as a rule, appear after about 6 hours after irradiation and include sharp pain, photophobia, edema and hyperemia. In this case, first aid for burns at home should be provided without delay.

With severe pain, the victim should take an anesthetic (Tempalgin, Ketanov, Analgin). Antihistamines will help to partially eliminate inflammation and flow. In case of severe photophobia, it is necessary to avoid bright light, for which the room is recommended to be darkened. To avoid secondary infection of the eyes, it is advisable to use antibacterial drops (Tobrex, Cyclomed or Taufon).

Sunburn

The most common among radiation rays is sunburn. With such a defeat of the skin, you must immediately take a cool shower. To restore the water balance in the victim's body, drink as much water as possible (mors, milk, tea).

In cases of severe sunburn, it is recommended that the affected area of the skin be lubricated with a solution of calendula (to prepare it, dilute the calendula tincture in cool water in a proportion of 1:10) or borate vaseline. If the victim has a fever, he should give an antipyretic drug ("Aspirin", for example).

First aid for sunburn can be based on folk recipes. So, quickly remove the pain and irritation will help rubbing the affected area with kefir or sour cream. A good effect also has a remedy prepared on the basis of potatoes boiled in a uniform. To do this, cooked potatoes must be peeled and mixed with sour cream until a mass resembling a consistency ointment. Apply the mixture for 30 minutes to the burned area, and then rinse with water. This remedy is an excellent first aid for a child with a burn, because kids like to frolic in the sun, not thinking that the delicate skin is so vulnerable to external influences. The rapid preparation of burns is facilitated by a preparation prepared on the basis of eggs. To do this, it is necessary to boil 5 eggs hard, get yolks out of them and fry them in a frying pan until a black mass is obtained. Blend the mixture and rub it into burned areas.

First aid for burns

Thermal or sunburn we often get in the spring and summer. If you are burned, you should treat the skin as soon as possible to stop the process of defeat at the initial stage and avoid serious complications. To treat the burn surface doctors recommend using a spray with the content of dexpanthenol, which has a healing and anti-inflammatory effect. Such a component is part of the medicinal product of European quality - Pantenol Spray. Experts say that the drug prevents the development of inflammation, quickly relieves burning, redness and other unpleasant signs of a burn. "Panthenol Spray" is an original medicinal product, it has been tested for years and is very popular, therefore it has many analogues in the pharmacy with very similar packaging. Most of these analogues are registered as cosmetics under a simplified procedure that does not require clinical trials, so the composition of such products is not always safe. In some cases, it includes parabens - potentially dangerous substances that can provoke tumor growth. Therefore, when choosing a spray from burns, it is very important not to be mistaken. Pay attention to the composition, the country of production and packaging - the original product is produced in Europe and has a characteristic smiley next to the name on the package.

How not to treat burns

Correct first aid for burns categorically prohibits the use of ointments made on an oily basis, and other fat-containing products (except for chemical burns with quicklime). This action will only worsen the condition, and medical workers will have to later remove the fatty film from the damaged surface, thereby providing additional suffering to the victim.

Also, you can not treat the skin with cologne and alcohol-containing lotions. The burned place should not be covered with a band-aid, as this will make it more difficult to get air. It is forbidden to open the blisters, because this can spread the infection. Burns are a common skin trauma that thousands of people receive daily. Correct and timely provision of first aid for burns will help to restore the affected skin as painlessly as possible and in a short time.