Burns are injuries caused mainly to the skin and the body’s superficial tissues. Burns can be caused by heat, light, radiation, electricity, cold, chemicals or frictions. Burns can be both mild and severe. Burns can even lead to the injury of muscles, blood vessels, bone and epidermal tissues. Burns can cause both physical as well as psychological complications among people who suffer from it. Burns can occur to a person of any age. However, young children are more prone to get burns.
Burns Causes
Heat, electricity or chemicals may cause Burns . Burns may be caused because of contact with direct heat. Touching any hot surface may burn a person. Besides, hot liquids may cause burns. A person may even get burnt because of hot gases. Burns can also be caused because of electrical instruments and a person might get burnt because of faulty wirings. Besides, old plugs may even result in burns.
A person can even get burnt because of lightning. Even strong chemicals can cause burns. Strong alkalis or acids can burn a person working in a factory or laboratory. The cleaning fluids can also cause burns. Besides, the chemicals present in old batteries can also cause burns.
Burns Symptoms
There are different symptoms of burns. However, the most prominent symptom is the immediate damage to the skin which is accompanied by intense pain. Another symptom is the change in the color of the area of burn. The skin may become red or pink. At times the skin also gets mottled. A common symptom of burns is the occurrence of blisters as well as the blackening of the skin. Apart from that the skin also gets charred. However, the most important symptom is the emotional distress that person suffering from burns goes through.
Types of Burns
Burns are of different types. They can be classified as first degree, second degree, third degree and fourth degree burns. The first degree burns are mild burns. A person having first degree burns suffer from mild pain. The skin of the person with first degree burns becomes red. Often a white colored plaque occurs on the area of the burn.
This kind of burn affects only the epidermis. Second-degree burns are associated with the occurrence of blisters on the skin. A person being affected with second-degree burns will suffer little or more pain depending on the involvement of the nerve. Second-degree burns may affect either only the papillary or superficial dermis or even the reticular or deep dermis.
Third degree burns occur with the losing of the major part of the epidermis. In this kind of burns damage is caused to the ligaments, muscles and tendons lying below the epidermis. A person suffering from this burn will have charring on his screen. Besides, hard eschar will also occur on the area affected by the burn. These burns are generally painless, as the nerve endings in the area of the burn have got destroyed.
In this case of burns, even the sweat glands and the hair follicles get destroyed. These types of burns cause scars. These types of burns can be even fatal, if the area of burn is large. In case of fourth degree burns, the tissues of the bones get damaged and it results in compartment syndrome. A person affected by this type of burn may lose the life of his limb forever.
How to Treat Burns
Burns are treated in accordance to their severity. Minor burns can be treated at home. Holding the burnt area under running water for about ten minutes can treat small burns. However, if burns are caused because of chemicals, they should be rinsed for twenty minutes and then bandaged using sterile dressing.
Large burns should be briefly rinsed and immediate medical attention is needed. Painkillers can help one to combat the pain. However, in case of severe burns special and prolonged treatment has to be done. Treatments may also include skin grafts. Psychological support has to be provided to overcome the shock of burns.
