Burns are very painful injuries caused to the tissues due to excessive heat, cold, electricity, friction or radiation. Mostly, burns are caused by hot liquids, solids or fire and are treated at home itself if the injury caused is mild.
Severe burns not only cause physical damage but also cause a great deal of mental trauma in people. They feel their confidence is tarnished because their external appearance is ruined by these injuries. Severe burns can be treated only in a Hospital.
Types of Burns
Depending on the severity of the burn it can be classified under:
- First-degree burns that involve the top layer of the skin causing redness. There are no blisters formed. There is mild inflammation along with pain. This resolves in a few days by itself. If the burn is wider than 3 inches and on the face or major joint it is better to see a doctor
- Second-degree burns involve beyond the first layer of the skin. There are?formations of blisters in addition to symptoms of first-degree burns. The wound heals over 2 weeks or so with the formation of scab-like tissue, without scarring but with changes in skin pigmentation. Needless to say, a doctor has to be visited.
- Third-degree burns are extensive and cause deep tissue damage. The nerve endings are destroyed so the person may not be able to feel pain. The affected area may appear whitish or brown in color, there might be charring of the tissues which are evident and the affected tissue appears leathery. They heal with severe scarring and contracture. This kind of burn is an emergency and the person has to be shifted to the nearest possible hospital for further management. While doing so make sure there is no clothing stuck to the affected tissue.
Complications of Burns
Third-degree burns lead to the following complications:
- Tetanus infection can occur due to bacterial affection.
- Severe burn can lead to hypothermia (lowered body temperatures) and hypovolemia (low blood volume)
- The affected person can get infected by the burns and further may go into shock which can lead to death.
Preventing Burns
The golden rule is prevention by taking a few steps to avoid dire consequences.
- Use safety gears while handling hot objects
- Be careful in the kitchen by distancing yourself especially while frying foodstuff. Keep children away from the kitchen. Keep vessel handles away to the back of the stove.
- Keep a fire extinguisher handy
- If there are smoke detectors they must be checked regularly and must be replaced if they don?t function.
- Keep chemicals (bleach), matches and lighters away from children and be cautious in handling them.
- Check the temperature of water before taking bath (Geyser)
- Check the wiring of your home and discard any wires that are exposed as they could be dangerous
- Wear sunscreen while stepping out in the sun
Treating the condition
In Homoeopathy, the product Doliosis D64 Fiderm relieves symptoms associated with mild burns. This is an internal medication that helps in relieving symptoms of primary burns and scalds such as pain & discomfort of the affected area. This product has no side effects and is easy to consume. It can be taken with other medicines, for all age groups.