Burns

I experienced a little bit of pain this morning. A mug of boiling hot tea slipped from my grip and fell into my lap and foot. I jumped up and screamed like a little girl (for only a split second!), ran to the closest bathroom, jumped into the tub and sat under cold running water. After I dried myself, I applied this Japanese cream called Mobiko, which is very cooling. Man, pulling on a pair of shorts certainly was painful. I'm okay now, but in case some of you don't know what to do with burns, I want to share some useful information. This is not for just regular burns from hot objects, but also electrical burns. I experienced that when I was little and turned my little index finger black and blue by pulling a plug from an outlet.

Here's some info I found. I hope you will find this useful. =) To view the source, click here.

Treating thermal burns

1. Stop the burning. Put out flames or remove the victim from the source of the burn.


2. Cool the burn. Use large amounts of cool water to cool the burn. Never use ice except on small superficial burns, because it causes body heat loss. If the area cannot be immersed, like the face, you can soak a clean cloth and apply it to the burn, being sure to continue adding water to keep the cloth cool.


3. Cover the burn. Use dry, sterile dressings or a clean cloth to help prevent infection and reduce pain. Bandage loosely. Do not put any ointment on a burn unless it is very minor. Do not use any other home remedies, and do not break any blisters. For minor burns or burns with broken blisters that are not severe enough to require medical attention, wash the burned area with soap and water, keep it clean and apply an antibiotic ointment. Remember, some people can be allergic to topical ointments, so if you have any doubts, call your doctor for advice. For a victim of severe burns, lay him or her down unless he or she is having trouble breathing. Try to raise the burned areas above the level of the victim's heart if possible, and protect the victim from drafts.

Treating electrical burns
Call EMS in any case of an electrical burn. Do not go near the victim unless you are sure the power source has been turned off. The burn itself will not be the major problem. If the victim is unconscious, check breathing and pulse. Check for other injuries, and do not move the victim because he or she may have spinal injuries. Cover an electrical burn with a dry, sterile dressing. Do not cool the burn. Prevent the victim from getting chilled. There may be two wounds, one where the current entered the body and one where it left, and they may be deep. Electrical burns can be caused by power lines, lightening, defective electrical equipment,and unprotected electrical outlets.

Treating chemical burns
Call EMS in any case of a chemical burn. Remove the chemical from the skin or eyes immediately by flushing the area with large amounts of cool running water until EMS arrives. Remove any clothes with chemicals on them, and be careful not to spread the chemical to other body parts or to yourself. Chemical burns can be caused by chemicals used in manufacturing or in a lab, or by household items such as bleach, garden sprays or paint removers.

Treating sunburns
Burns caused by solar radiation may be painful and may also blister. Cool the burn. You may want to put a product designed specifically for sunburn on the area; these products usually contain aloe vera and help cool the area and reduce the pain. Protect the burn by staying out of the sun. If you must go in the sun, wear a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 and reapply it frequently. Be sure to cover up any existing sunburn if you are going to be outside again.