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22-Hour Course

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Lesson no. 18

Burns

Causes: High/Low temperature, radiation, electricity, chemicals.

 

As a result of exposure to one of these elements, the proteins in the skin are destroyed and fluid escapes from the cells.

 

Skin is extremely important in the process of maintaining body heat and preventing the entry of pollutants, extensive burns put us at risk for infection and hypothermia.

Burn Degrees (classification)

First Degree

  • Superficial burn. Damage to the upper skin layer only (epidermis).
  • Signs: Red and hot skin, slight pain, sensitivity to touch.
  • Treatment: lukewarm water rinse.

Second Degree

  • Damage to deeper skin layers (epidermis and dermis).
  • Signs: First degree + blisters.
  • Treatment: Same as first degree, blisters should not be punctured.

Third Degree

  • Complete damage to the skin’s layers and deeper layers (epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous).
  • Signs: No local pain, charred smell, black and peeled skin.
  • Treatment: Wash with sterile fluid, sterile dressing, immediate evacuation to a hospital.
  • Hazards: fluid loss, infection, tissue destruction, hypothermia, scabs that will result in the formation of a natural tourniquet, difficulty breathing. In the case of chest burns, respiratory blisters may form.

 

Type of burn Layer of skin affected Signs Healing process
1st degree Epidermis Swelling, redness, pain Two-three days
2nd degree Epidermis-dermis Swelling, redness, blisters, pain Two-three weeks
3rd degree Epidermis-dermis-subcutaneous Swelling, redness, blisters, extreme pain, necrosis, scabbing, scarring Very long, sometimes requires skin grafting

Treatment

  • Do not rub the area to warm it.
  • With severe burns, the injured person should be quickly rushed to the hospital.
  • Before approaching someone who was electrocuted, make sure the circuit breaker is switched off.
  • The limb should only be heated by indirect means (air conditioner, clothing, blankets) and not by direct means (hot water, oven).
  • Clothing and jewelry should be removed (for fear of swelling of the body to create a natural tourniquet) only if they haven’t adhered to the skin.
  • Neck/face/chest burns should make you cautious of burns in the respiratory tract.

Calculation of Burn Area (1/9th method) in an Adult Victim

Head: 9% Abdomen: 9% The whole thigh: 9%
Each hand: 9% Lower back: 9% Entirety of shins and foot: 9%
Chest: 9% Upper back: 9% Sex organ: 1%
Burns

Frostbite – “Cold Burns”

Damage to the skin tissue due to exposure to extreme cold. Usually, it affects areas of the body that are distant from the heart and are exposed, such as the extremities and face. These burns range from superficial to deep.

 

Cold burns can cause irreparable damage to the body! They should not be underestimated, and the injured person should be taken to the hospital immediately.

Signs

  • Cold
  • Localized, intense pain
  • Tingling in the area
  • The injured area is pale. Can then turn dark and develop blisters

Note

  • Do not rub the area to warm it
  • Do not heat by direct means (hot water/stove) but only by indirect means (air conditioner, clothes, blankets).
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