How to relieve pain from a severe burn (English)

Anyone can get a thermal injury at home. At the same time, it is important to know not only how to provide first aid correctly, but also how to numb the burn in order to alleviate the condition of the victim before the ambulance arrives.

Features of pain relief

Damage to soft tissues from a burn varies in degree. But pain sensations do not always correspond to their level.

The first and second stages affect the superficial layers of the skin. In this case, the nerve endings are injured. They react to a violation of tissue integrity, causing constant excruciating pain.

With deeper injuries (grade 3-4), the damage can reach the bones. The tissues practically burn out and along with them the nerve cells are destroyed. For this reason, a person who has received severe injuries experiences pain when exposed to high temperatures, and then its intensity decreases significantly. After some time, the stage of active regeneration begins, inflammatory processes occur and painful symptoms return. Consequently, with deep burns, the victim rarely needs pain relief. The exception is receiving injuries of varying degrees.

To alleviate the condition of the injured person is one of the main principles of first aid. But this must be done correctly, using special means, otherwise, as a result of illiterate therapy, complications, inflammation and infection develop.

Before taking any action, you should determine:

source of damage;
degree of damage;
characteristics of injuries and their location;
general condition of the victim;
make sure there are no allergies to the drugs used.

The main first aid methods for burns include:

cooling the injured area;
anesthesia;
disinfection;
in case of urgent need, apply a transport gel bandage or film.

Assistance to patients with deep injuries should be provided by a qualified specialist in a medical facility. The use of home remedies in this case is unacceptable.

Cold on a burn

Cooling with water or ice is a well-known method. To improve the condition, it must be used correctly:

Do not use too cold water: the liquid must be cool.
If ice is used, it should be wrapped in a thick layer of cloth and plastic to prevent the threads from sticking to the wound. Its exposure time should not exceed 5 minutes.
The decrease in temperature should be gradual.
Cooling under running water lasts about 20 minutes. This procedure will have a longer lasting analgesic effect and will not harm the affected surface even more.

These rules are based on the fact that a large temperature difference only worsens the condition of the skin. With sudden cooling, the remaining heat does not come out, but spreads into the deep layers of the dermis, which makes the injury more extensive, and tissue death occurs faster due to frostbite.

If the burn is caused by chemicals or grease (oil), you should first carefully remove any remaining residue. Shake off the powder, protecting your eyes; blot the fat with a bandage, and then place the injured area under running water.

Cooling not only relieves pain, but also slows down the process of heat propagation, which prevents extensive tissue damage. Therefore, it cannot be excluded from the list of mandatory first aid measures.

Painkiller pills

The next step is taking analgesics - special medications that block pain.. Before using them, you should make sure that the victim is not allergic to the components and has no contraindications to their use.

The most common medications that are present in every home medicine cabinet are Analgin and Tempalgin. Effective painkillers also include Dollar (Dolaren), Pentalgin, Nise, Solpadeine. All of them have a number of contraindications and side effects, so care should be taken to prevent the victim’s condition from worsening. Some medications may increase bleeding from open wounds.

You should not expect rapid action from tablets: they require time to dissolve and be absorbed into the blood. Therefore, if the victim feels tolerable, it is better to wait for a doctor who will administer the necessary drug intravenously or intramuscularly. If the medicine was nevertheless taken, doctors should be notified about this so that when providing assistance there is no incompatibility of medications.

Local remedies

Local preparations help disinfect the surface and relieve pain. These include ointments, gels, sprays, solutions and foams. They eliminate painful symptoms faster than tablets, reduce swelling, disinfect the surface, and subsequently promote tissue restoration and regeneration. Before applying them, the wound should be treated with one of the antiseptics:

Chlorhexidine;
Miramistin;
Betadine;
hydrogen peroxide 3%;
Furacilin tablet diluted in water.

After this procedure, healing agents are applied. In case of severe burns of III A-IV degrees, their use is prohibited without a doctor’s instructions, since lubrication can cause infection, further injure the affected area, or cause severe pain to the victim. In addition, there is a high probability of overdose of active components due to direct absorption of the drug into the blood, which often leads to disruptions of the central nervous system and the active manifestation of side effects.

For grade 1-3 injuries, such drugs are necessary - they form a protective film and do not allow pathogenic microorganisms to penetrate deep into the wound.

Panthenol

Panthenol is one of the most famous and widespread drugs for skin injuries. The most convenient form of release is spray foam, since application does not require direct contact with the surface, which eliminates the pain of treatment. Thanks to the active component - dexpanthenol - the foam helps reduce inflammation, has a wound-healing and disinfectant effect, stimulates the process of tissue repair without scarring.

The product is completely safe, has no side effects or contraindications, even when treating a child or a pregnant woman. Panthenol is recommended to have in every home medicine cabinet, as they are allowed to treat any skin damage without the approval of a doctor. It does not accumulate in the body. The acids contained in its composition are included in the structure of biological tissues. It can even treat the oral cavity.

Panthenol is also available in the form of a cream, which is suitable for lubricating minor injuries.

Radevit

Radevit is a fortified ointment with analgesic, antiseptic, regenerating and moisturizing effects. It is used not only for burns, but also to treat other types of injuries. At the first application, metabolism in cells is accelerated, the recovery process is activated, pain is quickly neutralized. The ointment eliminates itching, prevents peeling and cracking of the resulting crusts during the healing process.

The drug does not contain harmful substances, so it can be used by pregnant women and children (even under the age of 1 year). Therapy should not last more than two weeks. The shelf life of the product after opening is limited to 3 months. Radevit has a thick, oily consistency, is absorbed slowly and can leave marks on clothes.

Bepanten plus

The active component of Bepanten Plus cream, like Panthenol, is dexpanthenol, so it has similar properties. In addition, the drug contains an antimicrobial complex, quickly relieves pain and cools the surface well. Can be used in the treatment of infants and pregnant women.

Sulfargin

Modern remedies include Sulfargin ointment. It effectively soothes the inflamed surface, disinfects and promotes active healing. When applied to the affected skin, the burning sensation quickly goes away.. The ointment is easily absorbed and leaves no residue. It is recommended to use it as a compress during the treatment process: the composition is applied to the damaged area, covered with a film and bandaged with a bandage. Leave for about an hour. Residues are carefully removed, but not washed off, so as not to disrupt the integrity of the resulting protective film. Compresses should not be applied when providing first aid.

Olazol

Another product in the form of a spray is Olazol. It can be used for an unlimited time, but before applying it, you should rule out allergies to the components (chloramphenicol, anesthesin, sea buckthorn oil) by doing a test on the wrist. The foam can be applied every time the injury begins to hurt badly. Its complex effect allows you to replace several types of medications at once, which makes it profitable and quite in demand.

Intramuscular drugs

It is important to remember that subcutaneous, intramuscular and intravenous injections should not be performed without appropriate preparation. Such analgesics should only be administered by a healthcare professional.

For this reason, they cannot be purchased in pharmacies without a prescription. Medicines in injections are more potent than tablets. They have a number of contraindications. Exceeding the permissible dosage causes respiratory and cardiac arrest. Violation of the process of introducing a particular drug leads to serious consequences.

Emergency physicians often use synthetic morphine substitutes - Promedol and Moradol. They act quickly and safely, but have their side effects. Moradol is not administered to persons under 18 years of age. If there is a threat of life-threatening painful shock, the doctor may inject morphine.

Traditional methods

Some victims or first aid providers often use alternative medicine techniques. Doing this is strictly prohibited. Traditional methods of treatment can be used at home during the healing process of injuries or for first-degree burns.

A compress of grated raw potatoes relieves pain well. The pulp is squeezed out, placed between layers of gauze and secured to the affected area with a bandage. Leave for 15-20 minutes.
Aloe pulp or juice effectively eliminates pain, disinfects the surface and cools it. The plant mass is applied to the damaged area and fixed for 30 minutes.
Lubricating with fermented milk products (kefir, sour cream, yoghurt, fermented baked milk) cools the skin and neutralizes the burning sensation.

Such treatment methods can be used in conditions where quick medical care is not available, for minor closed injuries and only after cooling. They should not be used on open, oozing, inflamed or infected wounds..

Alcohol for burns

Many people believe that alcohol can serve as an anesthetic in any situation. But, from the point of view of medicine and human physiology, this method is not only useless, but also dangerous.

Alcohol increases blood circulation, which can worsen the situation with open wounds and bleeding.
It is incompatible with many medications, changes their properties, reduces their effectiveness, or creates a toxic compound with them that poisons the body.
If the victim is weak, taking alcohol-containing products can lead to loss of consciousness and fainting.

The choice of anesthetic method always remains with the patient or the first aid provider if the victim is unconscious. But, as practice shows, the use of traditional medicines is much safer and more effective. Therefore, your home first aid kit should always contain a reliable remedy that will help out in such an emergency as getting a burn..

A burn is damage to tissue or skin. Such a nuisance occurs due to exposure to high temperature, radiation, radioactivity, electricity, or contact with chemicals. Thermal burns result from tissue destruction caused by hot liquids, solid objects, or flames. Many people are interested in how to numb a burn at home. Let's talk about this further.

Every second person has encountered such a problem in their life, be it thermal, chemical or solar damage. Often, minor burns can be treated on your own at home. But there are also serious ones, which can only be gotten rid of in special institutions with the help of medical workers. Based on the latest data, women are more likely to get burns than men.

Why are women more often?

And all because they cook over an open fire or on unsafe stoves, which can cause clothes or any other thing to catch fire. At the same level, children are also vulnerable to injury. Burns can occur both at home and at work. But according to research, 80% of burns occur at home.

Prevention is better than cure

You can die from such exposure if the victim is not given first aid, or you can remain disabled for the rest of your days. There is a whole list of recommendations on how to prevent burns:

It is necessary to interrupt the body’s contact with a harmful factor, it could be a flame, boiling water, etc. Urgently protect the person from what caused the burn.
Use safer stoves and fuels.
Follow safety rules when using kitchen and household appliances.
It is necessary to ensure that children do not have access to technology.
Reduce the temperature of the tap water.
Do not smoke in bed or use lighters, hide from children.
It is necessary to learn behavior during burns and how to help a person get rid of pain.
In the kitchen you need to use an apron that is made of fabric that does not catch fire.

How to provide first aid?

The first step is to stop burning. Extinguish the fire with water or other liquid, and allow the victim to swing on the ground. You need to rinse with cold running water to reduce the temperature at the damage site.

If a chemical burn occurs, you need to remove the substance and rinse the area well. The victim must be wrapped in something and taken to a medical facility that is closer to the scene of the incident to receive help. If you have a burn, you should not use oils, they retain heat and cause harm to the wound; provide rest to the victim as a whole or only to the affected areas of the body. Give the person a painkiller, after all this you need to assess the degree of damage, that is, the depth of the burn, and figure out what actions to take next.

What absolutely cannot be done?

Before providing first aid, you need to make sure that the danger no longer threatens the person (if the injury occurred due to electricity, then you need to turn it off, if there is chemical damage, then put on protective gloves, and so on). Do not apply paste, oil, or turmeric to the burn area.

You should also not apply ice to the burn site, as it will only worsen the condition of the affected area of skin. You should not rinse the affected area with cold water for a long time, as this can lead to hypothermia; it is forbidden to open blisters until examined by a medical professional, so as not to cause an infection.

You need to wait until the doctor himself applies the antimicrobial ointment or spray. Do not apply anything to the wound, because you can get infected, which will result in an even greater problem for the victim. You cannot use any medications yourself, but must wait for medical help.

Forbidden!

Many people don't know how to get first aid. You cannot use brilliant green, iodine, or alcohol-containing solutions, as this will only increase the pain and worsen the condition of the burn.

Severity

There are four degrees of burns:

1st degree. A minor burn that only affects the outer layer of skin.
2nd degree. Not a severe lesion, but affects a deeper layer of tissue.
3rd degree. Severe burn affecting all layers of tissue.
4th degree. The most severe lesion affecting bones and joints.

1st and 2nd degree burns can be treated at home within 7-15 days. And grades 3 and 4 need to be treated only in a medical facility; the time of therapy depends on the severity of the lesion.

How to numb a burn at home?

There are a number of effective and safe means that can help a person at home:

Cold running water soothes the affected skin and prevents injury from occurring at the burn site. The affected area should be kept under water for 15-20 minutes, this will help relieve the pain a little. This method can be used for burns of 1st and 2nd severity, if there are no blisters. If they appear, they cannot be washed with water.
Washing the burn. You need to take a mild antibacterial soap and clean the affected area. This procedure should be carried out after washing the skin burn area, this will prevent infection and infection.
A bandage will be needed for areas of the skin that come into contact with any surfaces, so as not to contaminate the wound. For it, you need to select a fabric so that it does not stick to the affected area. For grade 1, a bandage is not required, but for other cases it may be necessary; you need to look at the condition of the wound.

Treatment

For burns, the following treatment is carried out:

With a 2nd degree burn, blisters may open, so antibiotics must be used. The use of antibacterial ointments or sprays will help the wound heal faster and rid it of contamination.
Using painkillers for burns will help relieve pain at home. After all, even grade 1 and 2 lesions bring pain and discomfort until they heal. It is recommended to take a pain reliever for skin burns, such as Ibuprofen; it can be used by children and adults.
When exposed to UV radiation, you need to wear such clothing to hide the burn site.
Aloe vera or Kalanchoe are often used - these are plants that have antibacterial properties and help the wound heal faster and protect the affected area from bacteria. For treatment, you need to tear off several leaves from the plant, squeeze the juice out of them and wipe the affected areas once every few hours. You can also grind the leaves into a paste and apply it to the burn site.
Honey has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. A bandage is made with it to sterilize the burn site and get rid of bacteria. Honey also reduces irritation at the burn site and relieves pain.
Burdock root. To prepare the ointment, you need to take it and boil it in water for 40 minutes, then mash the root well and add butter to it in a ratio of 1:4. You need to lubricate the sore spot several times a day.
Potatoes are good for pain relief from burns and recovery. You need to take several raw potatoes and grate them, then apply them to the burn. If you change this compress every 5-10 minutes, this method will help prevent blisters.
Plantain will also help relieve pain from burns. This is one of the best plants that gives a wound-healing and antimicrobial effect. You need to take a few plantain leaves, wash and mash them, apply them to the burn site, wrap them with gauze and leave them overnight.
Tea. You need to take black or green tea and brew it. Then take the tea leaves, apply it to the sore spot and bandage it; this compress should be done 6-8 times a day.
Baking soda is an excellent remedy that should be diluted a little with water until a paste forms. Apply a thick layer to the damaged area and keep until completely dry. After this, carefully shake the baking soda off the area.

What should be in the first aid kit?

To treat thermal burns, ointments are used, for example Levomekol. This medicine heals the wound and has antibacterial properties. In addition, it contains an anesthetic element, which makes it possible to relieve pain in the first days of healing. Povidone-iodine ointment includes active iodine, which disinfects the wound, as well as substances that accelerate tissue repair. The famous “Rescuer” product, made from natural ingredients without the use of hormonal and antibiotic agents, has the same effect, actively regenerating the protective properties of damaged skin.

Conclusion

Such an injury is one of the most severe injuries in which the body as a whole and the burned surface in particular suffers. You already know which painkiller to choose for a burn. The main thing is to be careful and prevent such injury from occurring.

Burns are divided into thermal (from exposure to boiling water, steam, open fire), chemical, radiation and electrical, as well as deep and superficial. There are 4 degrees of domestic and industrial burns, depending on the depth of tissue damage.

In the first minutes after receiving a burn, there may be no pain. But as soon as the shock wears off, the injury site begins to burn and the victim suffers severe pain. To alleviate the condition, it is important to provide first aid correctly.

Photo 1. For 1st and 2nd degree burns, the first step is to cool the damaged area. Source: Flickr (Aikawa Ke)

Features of pain in burns of varying degrees

For 1st degree burns the pain is permanent and does not require pain relief. For 2nd and 3rd degree burns very severe pain appears because the nerve cells that transmit the alarm signal to the brain are affected. With 4th degree burns, necrosis of the deep layers of the epithelium and muscle fibers, including nerve endings, occurs. They all die and do not send any impulses to the brain. Shock may cause no pain at first. The victim must be urgently sent to a burn center for treatment.

At home, only 1-2, sometimes 3 degree burns can be treated.

Incorrect actions in case of burns

Categorically Do not apply any fats to your skin: goose fat or vegetable oil creates a protective film under which thermal processes continue to occur. It covers the burn site with a “cap”, which creates additional temperature in the deep layers under the skin.

This is interesting! After lubricating the burn site with grease, a huge blister will definitely appear!

You should also not touch the wound with your hands or care items (cotton swabs, swabs) and treat burned skin with iodine, potassium permanganate solution or alcohol-containing tinctures.

How to numb an injured area

After receiving a thermal burn, the victim must give me a pill analgin, ketanol or other medicine from the category of analgesics. As an alternative, for severe pain, you can take an ampoule of novocaine or lidocaine and pour the contents onto a piece of bandage. Apply a generously soaked bandage in the solution to the burned area.

Note! It is recommended to give painkilling injections only for thermal, electrical or chemical burns when unbearable pain occurs.

Cooling the burned area

Heat penetrates deep into the skin after a thermal burn. Cooling the burned area will reduce the depth of tissue damage - the cold will stop the spread of heat deep into the body. At home, you can use running tap water, exposing the affected area under cold running water. In outdoor conditions, use bottled water or apply soft ice for 20 minutes.

It is important! It is better to apply ice from the freezer wrapped in a thick towel. The cold should gradually cool the burned tissue.

Medicines and ointments

Ointments and pharmaceutical anti-burn products are intended for pain relief, protection against infection of open wounds, their healing, softening of the skin and drying of weeping blisters. The most effective medications:

Panthenol. The most effective and affordable pharmaceutical remedy for reducing pain and preventing the formation of a bubble on the burned area in the form of a foam spray. Before use, shake the can thoroughly and apply the foam evenly to the affected area of the skin.
Levomekol. Antibacterial ointment is recommended for use only after the blister bursts and a purulent open wound appears in its place. The components of the ointment penetrate deeply into the tissue and stimulate the regeneration process of the skin.
Syntomycin ointment. It has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, softening, healing and analgesic properties. Immediately after receiving a burn, apply a thin layer of the product. If the affected area is large, it is better to apply a bandage using a napkin generously lubricated with ointment.
Solcoseryl. The Swiss drug is available in two versions: ointment and gel. They differ in their effect on skin cells. It is advisable to use gels in the first stages of treatment, when it is necessary to create a protective film on the wound, start the healing process and dry the discharged fluid. When the wound begins to heal and a new, thin, pink layer of epithelium appears in its place, you need to switch to Solcoseryl in ointment. Its use will help improve tissue nutrition and speed up the healing process.
Bepanten. An effective remedy for burns of any origin: thermal, chemical or resulting from radiation. The main purpose is healing and scarring of shallow layers of burned tissue. Available in the form of lotion, gel and cream.

Folk remedies for pain relief

After the initial treatment, you can begin traditional methods of anesthetizing the burn site:

Raw potatoes cut in half and apply to the sore spot. If the wound is more serious, grate the potatoes, spread the mixture on a soft cloth and make a compress;
Egg white whisk and gently apply to the affected area;
Aloe. Take the thickest leaf of the plant, cut it and apply it to the sore spot;
Laundry soap - also a great way to reduce pain and disinfect the wound. Simply rub the affected area of the body with soapy water while washing.

Features of pain relief from chemical burns

Chemical skin burns occur after exposure to aggressive reagents and chemicals on the skin. They are divided into deep and superficial. A distinctive feature of such burns is the absence of blisters (except in rare cases) and the appearance of a rough ulceration with a dense scab due to the penetration of foreign substances into the deep subcutaneous layers and cell necrosis. Tissues take a long time to heal after a chemical burn, but the skin regenerates poorly. After recovery, scars or deep scars often remain on it.

As a result of exposure to chemicals on the body that cause discoloration, pain, burning and other signs of a burn, the following procedures must be performed:

Releaseaffected area of the body from clothing;
Rinse place of flow water at least 15 minutes, trying to avoid touching the wound as much as possible (with the exception of aluminum powder. If it comes into contact with water, it can ignite);
After washing off the reagent from the body, treat the affected area with a disinfectant mixture, the composition of which depends on the chemical components that caused the burn. If it was alkali, take vinegar and pour a little citric acid into it; if it’s lime, treat the wound with sweet water; and in case of a burn from acids, add half a teaspoon of soda to a glass of water;
Apply cold to reduce pain;
Apply a bandage if necessary.

How to relieve pain from a severe burn (English)

How to relieve pain from a severe burn