Burns

[Everything Mac]

Well after a good three or four years the inevitable happened again yesterday and I had a fairly decent burn while forging. Didn't lose my finger prints like last time but it hurt rather a lot.

I didn't have an immediate response burn kit, but after an hour of running it under the tap and a trip to boots for burn gel and a burn kit that seemed to do sod all; what would you recommend I keep as an emergency burn treatment kit?


This burn was an inch or so long down the pad of my thumb.


Cheers

 

[Goatboy]

Here's the Red Cross LINK. They recommend cling film. Also keep some burn gel in your kit, but cooling it in water is very important.

Hope you're OK?

 

[MongooseDownUnder]

A product called Burn-Aid works really well you can get it as a gel or an impregnated pad.

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[Wayne]

First point is to avoid burning yourself in the first place.

Once it happens rapid cooling is necessary remove any rings etc that might cause issues later. Compartment Syndrome. Can be an issue with full circumference burns.

First action is to cool with running cold water. Any drinking quality water will do. Large area burns infection is an issue. Make sure you cool the burn for a sufficient time. Flesh is a poor conductor of heat so when it gets hot it stays hot. A cold pack can help. Once cool apply any of the recommended burn creams or dressings. Do not burst any blisters. if the burn is approx the area of your palm then a trip to hospital is recommend.

You have burnt yourself so its going to hurt a lot. Pain relief can be any of your normal over the counter medications that you usually tolerate. For example a loading dose of paracetamol and a NSAID wouldn't be unreasonable unless you have had issues in the past. Gastric issues, clotting etc. Always consult your GP or pharmacist is you have any questions about medications.

 

[Dornorn]

Picked up a bad burn recently as well stupidly trying to fill two metal cups at the same time full of boiling water (not to self put them on the floor before pouring!). I needed antibiotics, burns get infected very quickly especially when you are outside doing mucky jobs like bushcraft. I found Savlon hydrocolloid sterile dressings to be really good, they keep the wound wet which promotes fast healing and less scaring than if you let it scab over. The doctors used Flamazine cream which contains silver sulfadiazine looking into it I'm not convinced that it helps but that's what the doctors used along with generic wet gauze and softpore dressings. Back in the day when I scolded my foot they used pads of really thick honey, weird but it worked like magic and I've got virtually no scars from it not sure why they don't use that any more. Aloe Vera and aftersun works very well on minor burns where the skin is intact. For my kit I have the savlon plasters and acriflex antiseptic burn cream (Which is not brilliant), like you will be really interested to see what others recommend and after recent events I feel I want to have a proper burns kit with me. As far as I'm concerned I believe there really is no better thing to do than plunge it in water and leave it there for a long long time until you can get seen by someone with prescription meds. Hope that helps a bit.

 

[Wayne]

Flamazine cream is a bit old school wouldnt be my first choice. Still that's what makes first aid interesting very few absolutes.

 

[xavierdoc]

Flamazine cream is a bit old school wouldnt be my first choice. Still that's what makes first aid interesting very few absolutes.

It can also cause staining/pigmentation effects so isn't recommended for facial burns. That said, when I was 12 (28 yrs ago) I failed in an attempt to "blow fire" using a mouthful of lighter fluid; lit my whole head, hands and clothing. I remember flamazine being used on my face then and I don't have any pigmentation changes or staining.

Also worth bearing in mind is that if a burn doesn't hurt it is not a good sign, implying full thickness. Often the perimeter of full thickness burns will have a partial thickness zone, which will hurt.

Seeking specialist advice is, as already mentioned, advisable for burns covering an area of your hand (approx = to 1% of total surface area) but also burns to face, hands, genitals, over joints and chemical burns (alkalis, acids etc).

 

[ged]

Well after a good three or four years the inevitable happened again yesterday and I had a fairly decent burn while forging. Didn't lose my finger prints like last time but it hurt rather a lot.

I didn't have an immediate response burn kit, but after an hour of running it under the tap and a trip to boots for burn gel and a burn kit that seemed to do sod all; what would you recommend I keep as an emergency burn treatment kit?

A bucket of water very close to the risk area. Then you can get the burned skin under water ASAP and you won't have to rush to the nearest tap, potentially increasing the risk of injury.

A good knife, in case you want to get clothing off in a hurry. It might be better not to peel skin off with it. It might be better to leave the clothing on, but maybe not if it's on fire -- I used to get that a lot when I was doing a lot of welding.

Cling film, in case it's serious. You don't really need a knife for it but you've got one now anyway. It doesn't need to be close by, it will probably get peppered with holes and melted if it is.

Telephone, in case it's really serious.

I wouldn't bother with the preparations from Boots and suchlike, most of the time they're just making a few bob selling Snake Oil.

 

[Everything Mac]

Cheers guys. I'll look into those shortly.

Unfortunately burns come with the territory when you're playing with hot steel. As I said I've not had a burn I'd write home about for a good number if years now. Last one was pretty serious, lost the finger prints on my index and middle finger as well as my thumb of my left hand. Rather sore.

This one was a combination of to many things being too hot and falling all over the place. It should have been avoidable.

The burn is only an inch or so long but probably made worse by being on the pad rather than somewhere with less nerve endings.

Ged a bucket of water by the fire is standard practice and it was the first thing my hand was in.
Last burn I had a while back I put my hand under the cold tap until my hand went numb, I don't recall having anything to show after that but the cold tap doesn't get very cold here for some reason.

Something tells me holding ice is bad but I forget why?...

any cold pack recommendations?

I really ought to get on a first aid course.


Cheers
Andy

 

[Wayne]

You need to insulate any ice with a damp cloth to prevent a cold injury. Same for amputations. Wrap the fingers in a cloth before chilling.

Any reusable cold pack for sports injuries or cool box blocks wrapped in a cloth will help you keep the burn cool whilst your seeking help. First action is always cool the limb with running water if available.

 

[shaggystu]

....A good knife, in case you want to get clothing off in a hurry......

Being able to remove clothing in a hurry is a good idea, but a pair of "tuff cut" shears http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trauma_shears would be a much more sensible way of going about it.

Cheers,

Stuart.

 

[rckape]

I happen across quite a few burns in line of work. The treatment we apply is a dressing called waterjel, it's mostly water thickened with a tiny amount of tea tree oil either in a small gel sachet or dressings ranging from 4" square up to a full body sized sheet.

When I've been unlucky myself i find keeping a good layer of fresh gel on the burn really helps, the gel soaks into the burn, cooling and rehydrating, therefore easing the pain.

The use if burns gel remains contentious in emergency medical circles. With some hospitals preferring the use of cling film first then gel (to aid in burn categorisation) some preferring gel then film and others no gel at all. (do not apply cling film to a burn before cooling it! - the burn could still be hot enough to melt the film! Neither the receiving hospital nor the patient will thank you for that).

I have a friend who is a senior paramedic and some years ago he approached several a&e consultants and each provided him with a different treatment path.

I have rambled my way into a bit of a confusing post for which I apologise. However, I have used gel directly on to the burns and experienced the benefits, I will continue to do so until a definitive treatment path is agreed upon.

 

[Ronnie]

99% pure aloe vera gel - it's effects on burns is genuinely miraculous.

 

[wingstoo]

Also never wrap the injured part with cling film, just lay it over the top and lightly secure.

Our work first aid kits have the watergel sachets in them because of the use of blowlamps and hot metals.

I guess pain is good to a degree, it means that the nerve ends weren't destroyed by the heat.

Also remember that if the burn is bigger than a 50p coin it should be seen by the hospital staff.

 

[carabao]

Water water water cling film always, cling film keeps the wound clean

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

Minor burns eg a few mm, I find with hazel gel is great relief.

 

[Graveworm]

Cooling first then treat. Running water is the best way to cool. As has been said cover afterwards with cling film to keep clean (And stop the pain caused by moving air) then seek medical help for larger burns or special category burns. Watergel etc is a substitute for running water, as there are lot of occasions where you may not be able to keep the burn under running water, but it is not as good. There are unctions and ointments that can help with the healing but they are for after it has been cooled.

 

[Salaud]

Picked up a couple of belters on 2 fingers the other day and after a couple of hours being driven nuts by them, Googled it to try and find some advice, honey was recommended, sceptically I gave it a try and to be honest the results exceeded all my expectations, I was astounded at how effectively it killed the pain, when the blisters formed the next day it was clear to see just how good a pain killer it was, I had 2 blisters the size of 5p pieces on 1 finger and 1 about the size of a 10p on the other..... I cut the fingers of an old rubber glove filled them with honey shoved the fingers in and taped them to my hands.. The pain escalated for about 5 minutes and then just stopped.. Brilliant stuff honey !!!

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