Medical treatmentĪfter you have received first aid for a major burn, your medical care may include medications and products that are intended to encourage healing. And they may need emotional support and months of follow-up care, such as physical therapy. They may need skin grafts to cover large wounds. People with severe burns may require treatment at specialized burn centers. The goals of treatment are to control pain, remove dead tissue, prevent infection, reduce scarring risk and regain function. They usually heal within a couple of weeks.įor serious burns, after appropriate first aid and wound assessment, your treatment may involve medications, wound dressings, therapy and surgery. Your doctor will check for other injuries and might order lab tests, X-rays or other diagnostic procedures. He or she may recommend that you be transferred to a burn center if your burn covers more than 10 percent of your total body surface area, is very deep, is on the face, feet or groin, or meets other criteria established by the American Burn Association. If you go to a doctor for burn treatment, he or she will assess the severity of your burn by examining your skin. Test bath water before placing a child in it.Īlso be alert to burn risks outside the home, especially if you are in places with open flames, chemicals or superheated materials. Set your water heater's thermostat to below 120 F (48.9 C) to prevent scalding.And don't use lighters that look like toys. Keep chemicals, lighters and matches out of the reach of children.When using chemicals, always wear protective eyewear and clothing.Keep a fire extinguisher on every floor of your house.Check them and change their batteries at least once a year. Be sure you have working smoke detectors on each floor of your home.Keep electrical cords and wires out of the way so that children can't chew on them. Cover unused electrical outlets with safety caps.Store them out of reach of small children. Unplug irons and similar devices when not in use.Before placing a child in a car seat, check for hot straps or buckles.If a small child is present, block his or her access to heat sources such as stoves, outdoor grills, fireplaces and space heaters.Never cook while wearing loosefitting clothes that could catch fire over the stove.Don't heat a baby's bottle in the microwave. Check the temperature of food before serving it to a child.Keep electrical appliances away from water.Keep hot liquids out of the reach of children and pets.Don't carry or hold a child while cooking at the stove.Turn pot handles toward the rear of the stove.Never leave items cooking on the stove unattended.To reduce the risk of common household burns: Bone and joint problems, such as when scar tissue causes the shortening and tightening of skin, muscles or tendons (contractures).Scars or ridged areas caused by an overgrowth of scar tissue (keloids).Breathing problems from the intake of hot air or smoke.Dangerously low body temperature (hypothermia).Fluid loss, including low blood volume (hypovolemia).Bacterial infection, which may lead to a bloodstream infection (sepsis).Chemicals such as strong acids, lye, paint thinner or gasolineĬomplications of deep or widespread burns can include:.Sunlight or other sources of ultraviolet radiation, such as a tanning bed.
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