How to Treat Different Degrees of Burns on Humans
Felicia Salgado
Lamar High School
APA Process
Abstract This paper explains how someone who has obtained a minor or major burn can be treated. Since third and fourth-degree burns cannot be treated at home, it includes steps that an aide or a bystander can follow to help the victim, as they wait for a medical professional to arrive. This paper also explains what not to do that could make the wound worse and make it more painful for the injured party. It also includes what each degree of burn might look like and how the victim or bystander can identify them (Burns (First Aid) Symptoms, Treatment, Causes - What is the significance of the amount of body area burned?). …show more content…
This type of burn causes the skin to blister and become extremely red and sore. For many second degree burns, home treatment is all that is needed for healing and preventing other problems. If the wound is mild, the victim can follow steps to treat the wound at home. The injured individual will first rinse the burned skin with either cool running water or by applying cool compresses to the burns on the face or body until the pain stops, which will usually last fifteen to thirty minutes. Rinsing the wound with cool running water lowers the skin temperature and stops the burn from becoming more serious. Just like first-degree burns, the victim will not use ice or ice water because it can cause tissue damage and will also remove any jewelry or clothing that could become too tight if the skin swells. The individual will then proceed by cleaning the wound, but before that the hands must be washed thoroughly. If the injured individual’s hands or anything dirty touches the burn, the open blisters can easily be infected. Next, the victim will gently wash the burned area with clean water, washing some of the burned skin away, and then patting the area dry with a clean cloth or gauze. The last step will be bandaging the burn, but if the burned skin or blisters have not broken open, a bandage may not be needed. The injured party will wrap the bandage loosely to avoid putting pressure on the sensitive skin and will refrain from taping the bandage so that it circles a hand, arm, or leg, because it can cause swelling. The victim will also change the bandage regularly, especially if it gets wet or soiled. If the burn is on a leg or an arm, the individual will keep the limb raised as much as possible for the first twenty-four to forty-eight hours to decrease swelling. The victim will also move the limb normally to keep the burned skin from healing too tightly and not limit
Felicia Salgado
Lamar High School
APA Process
Abstract This paper explains how someone who has obtained a minor or major burn can be treated. Since third and fourth-degree burns cannot be treated at home, it includes steps that an aide or a bystander can follow to help the victim, as they wait for a medical professional to arrive. This paper also explains what not to do that could make the wound worse and make it more painful for the injured party. It also includes what each degree of burn might look like and how the victim or bystander can identify them (Burns (First Aid) Symptoms, Treatment, Causes - What is the significance of the amount of body area burned?). …show more content…
This type of burn causes the skin to blister and become extremely red and sore. For many second degree burns, home treatment is all that is needed for healing and preventing other problems. If the wound is mild, the victim can follow steps to treat the wound at home. The injured individual will first rinse the burned skin with either cool running water or by applying cool compresses to the burns on the face or body until the pain stops, which will usually last fifteen to thirty minutes. Rinsing the wound with cool running water lowers the skin temperature and stops the burn from becoming more serious. Just like first-degree burns, the victim will not use ice or ice water because it can cause tissue damage and will also remove any jewelry or clothing that could become too tight if the skin swells. The individual will then proceed by cleaning the wound, but before that the hands must be washed thoroughly. If the injured individual’s hands or anything dirty touches the burn, the open blisters can easily be infected. Next, the victim will gently wash the burned area with clean water, washing some of the burned skin away, and then patting the area dry with a clean cloth or gauze. The last step will be bandaging the burn, but if the burned skin or blisters have not broken open, a bandage may not be needed. The injured party will wrap the bandage loosely to avoid putting pressure on the sensitive skin and will refrain from taping the bandage so that it circles a hand, arm, or leg, because it can cause swelling. The victim will also change the bandage regularly, especially if it gets wet or soiled. If the burn is on a leg or an arm, the individual will keep the limb raised as much as possible for the first twenty-four to forty-eight hours to decrease swelling. The victim will also move the limb normally to keep the burned skin from healing too tightly and not limit