When faced with a burn, distinguishing it can be difficult; ranging from a minor burn to a serious burn, the first step is to determine the extent of damage to body tissues. There are three burn classifications: first-degree burn, second-degree burn and third-degree burn.
1ST- DEGREE BURN:
This burn is the least serious of burns. Whereas only the outer layer of skin is burned, but not all the way through.
2ND-DEGREE BURN:
This is when the first layer of skin has been burned through and the second layer of skin (dermis) also is burned, the injury is called a second-degree burn.
For minor burns, including first-degree burns and second-degree burns limited to an area no larger than 3 inches in diameter, take the following action:
Minor burns usually heal without further treatment. They may heal with pigment changes. Watch for signs of infection, such as increased pain, redness, fever, swelling or oozing. If infection develops, seek medical help. Avoid re-injuring or tanning if the burns are less than a year old — doing so may cause more extensive pigmentation changes. Use sunscreen on the area for at least a year.
The most serious burns involve all layers of the skin and cause permanent tissue damage. Fat, muscle and even bone may be affected. Areas may be charred black or appear dry and white. Difficulty inhaling and exhaling, carbon monoxide poisoning, or other toxic effects may occur if smoke inhalation accompanies the burn.
For major burns, call 911 or emergency medical help. Until an emergency unit arrives, follow these steps:
Help from mayoclinic.com
1ST- DEGREE BURN:
This burn is the least serious of burns. Whereas only the outer layer of skin is burned, but not all the way through.
- The skin is usually red
- Often there is swelling
- Pain sometimes is present
2ND-DEGREE BURN:
This is when the first layer of skin has been burned through and the second layer of skin (dermis) also is burned, the injury is called a second-degree burn.
- Blisters develop
- Skin takes on an intensely reddened, splotchy appearance
- There is severe pain and swelling.
For minor burns, including first-degree burns and second-degree burns limited to an area no larger than 3 inches in diameter, take the following action:
- Cool the burn. Hold the burned area under cool running water for 10 or 15 minutes or until the pain subsides. If this is impractical, immerse the burn in cool water or cool it with a cold compress. Cooling the burn reduces swelling by conducting heat away from the skin. Don't put ice on the burn.
- Cover the burn with a sterile gauze bandage. Don't use fluffy cotton, or other material that may get lint in the wound. Wrap the gauze loosely to avoid putting pressure on burned skin. Bandaging keeps air off the burn, reduces pain and protects blistered skin.
- Take an over-the-counter pain reliever. These include aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), naproxen (Aleve) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others). Use caution when giving aspirin to children or teenagers. Though aspirin is approved for use in children older than age 2, children and teenagers recovering from chickenpox or flu-like symptoms should never take aspirin. Talk to your doctor if you have concerns.
Minor burns usually heal without further treatment. They may heal with pigment changes. Watch for signs of infection, such as increased pain, redness, fever, swelling or oozing. If infection develops, seek medical help. Avoid re-injuring or tanning if the burns are less than a year old — doing so may cause more extensive pigmentation changes. Use sunscreen on the area for at least a year.
- Don't use ice. Putting ice directly on a burn can cause a person's body to become too cold and cause further damage to the wound.
- Don't apply egg whites, butter or ointments to the burn. This could cause infection.
- Don't break blisters. Broken blisters are more vulnerable to infection.
The most serious burns involve all layers of the skin and cause permanent tissue damage. Fat, muscle and even bone may be affected. Areas may be charred black or appear dry and white. Difficulty inhaling and exhaling, carbon monoxide poisoning, or other toxic effects may occur if smoke inhalation accompanies the burn.
For major burns, call 911 or emergency medical help. Until an emergency unit arrives, follow these steps:
- Don't remove burned clothing. However, do make sure the victim is no longer in contact with smoldering materials or exposed to smoke or heat.
- Don't immerse large severe burns in cold water. Doing so could cause a drop in body temperature (hypothermia) and deterioration of blood pressure and circulation (shock).
- Check for signs of circulation (breathing, coughing or movement). If there is no breathing or other sign of circulation, begin CPR.
- Elevate the burned body part or parts. Raise above heart level, when possible.
- Cover the area of the burn. Use a cool, moist, sterile bandage; clean, moist cloth; or moist cloth towels.
Most schools are back at it already. This means that the school athletes are back at work too and lots of injuries will soon happen: sprains, strains, etc.
The treatment recommendation for a sprain or strain is usually RICE which stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. Unfortunately, by using ice and placing the ice pack directly onto the skin can cause ice burn!
Yes, ice can burn the skin and cause frostbite as well. When treating an injury with ice you need to make sure that you put a towel or sheeting between the ice and your skin. In some cases the ice burns look similar to a sunburn, and may not blister or cause any severe damage. You might realize you have an ice pack burn if you develop blisters, if your skin is yellowish-gray in color, or if it feels numb, itchy or painful with a burning sensation.
Treating Blisters
Treating Blisters
Blistering is a sign of an ice pack burn, just as with heat burns. Treating the blisters appropriately will help avoid infection and further complications. You may develop an open wound as a result of incorrect usage of an ice pack; treat the wound as you would any other, with antibiotic ointments, a barrier substance such as petroleum jelly, and gauze bandages to keep the area moist and free of infection. If the blistered area is large, you might need to change the dressings and re-apply first aid to the area for up to 10 days.
Professional Medical Attention
(212) 684-4700
An ice pack burn or frostbitten area that does not begin to tingle, burn or regain a pinkish hue may be the sign of more extensive damage of the blood vessels and muscles underneath the skin. If the burned area stays numb with skin that feels hard and cold, you may need professional medical attention. Contact your family doctor to determine what course of action to take to avoid complications such as nerve damage and gangrene. Remember, ice is good for injuries but cannot be applied directly to the skin.
For more information on ice burns you can visit our offices at:
205 Lexington Ave New York, NY 10016, 13th St. Urgent Care
Summer
may not be the first season you think of when it comes to being under the
weather, but the warm months can lead to infections, viruses, and
heat-influenced disease. To continue the New York Doctors Urgent Care series of Common Summer Ailments here is another: E-Coli.
Source: Bacteria found in sewage-contaminated lakes and other water
Symptoms: Sudden, severe and bloody diarrhea. Also, fever, gas, loss of appetite, and stomach cramping. Symptoms develop 24 to 72 hours after infection.
Treatment: None. Sickness disappears in a few days.
Most cases of these illnesses are fairly mild, but some can lead to serious complications -- and very rarely, death. Being aware of the causes and signs can help you protect you, your kids, and others -- and ensure your summer fun.
Though we are now in the month of August and Fall is soon to come, there are plenty more Common Summer Ailments to be discussed; such as: Swimmer's Ear.
Swimmer's ear (also called otitis externa) is an infection started by bacteria in the water left inside the ear after swimming. If you spend a lot of time swimming, especially in water with high levels of bacteria, you’re at risk for swimmer’s ear. Children are more likely to get it because they have a narrow ear canal.
Swimmer’s ear can start with discomfort. As symptoms get worse, they can get downright painful. Symptoms include:
• Itching in the ear canal
• Redness inside the ear
• Fluid in the ear
• Feeling of fullness inside the ear
• Muffled hearing
• Increasing pain, especially when wiggling the earlobe
If you notice you or someone you know states: “I can’t hear you” more frequently than normal, it’s good to see a doctor to try to stop the infection from getting worse. Worse could turn into something serious. Fever. Pain radiating in the face, neck and head. An infection that blocks the ear canal. Quite simply, the water left over in your ears after swimming can put you in the emergency room.
Other risk factors for swimmer’s ear include irritants such as aggressive cleaning of the ear canal with cotton swabs or sticking other objects in the ear, using a swimming cap that traps moisture or using hair sprays that get into the ear. People who overproduce earwax are also more vulnerable to swimmer’s ear.
Swimmer’s ear can start with discomfort. As symptoms get worse, they can get downright painful. Symptoms include:• Itching in the ear canal
• Redness inside the ear
• Fluid in the ear
• Feeling of fullness inside the ear
• Muffled hearing
• Increasing pain, especially when wiggling the earlobe
If you notice you or someone you know states: “I can’t hear you” more frequently than normal, it’s good to see a doctor to try to stop the infection from getting worse. Worse could turn into something serious. Fever. Pain radiating in the face, neck and head. An infection that blocks the ear canal. Quite simply, the water left over in your ears after swimming can put you in the emergency room.
Other risk factors for swimmer’s ear include irritants such as aggressive cleaning of the ear canal with cotton swabs or sticking other objects in the ear, using a swimming cap that traps moisture or using hair sprays that get into the ear. People who overproduce earwax are also more vulnerable to swimmer’s ear.
To avoid swimmer’s ear, keep your ears dry. After swimming, showering, bathing – anytime the inside of the ear is wet or saturated – tilt and shake your head to drain the water from the ears. You can use a hair dryer to dry out ears; just set the heat to low and keep the heat source far enough away from the skin to avoid causing any burns. You can also:
- Keep from sticking objects into ear, even cotton swabs.
- Avoid excessive earplug use and remove hearing aids often to keep earwax from building up and being pushed into the ear canal.
- Consider using over the counter eardrops after water exposure to prevent swimmer’s ear.
- Consider seeing an otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat doctor) to discuss other solutions if they are prone to swimmer’s ear symptoms.
The summer sun can also affect our skin. Humidity and heat can create an inflammation known as heat rash, an uncomfortable condition caused by blocked sweat glands. The best way to avoid or reduce its occurrence is to keep as cool as possible, expose the affected area to air and wear light cotton clothing. Excessive sweating in the humid weather results in bacterial infections that are characterized by tiny red bumps or blisters on the skin. It is an itchy rash that generally occurs on that part of the skin where the sweat accumulates- like the forehead and the back. Though you may experience intense itching on the inflamed areas, it is important to resist the urge to scratch as it may lead to infection.
How to prevent it?
Have cool showers and wear soft loose cotton clothes. It is advised to wear light pastel colored clothes as they absorb fewer sunrays in comparison to dark colored clothes. Avoid remaining outdoors when the temperatures are at their peak (11am to 4 pm).
How to treat it?
Be in a cooler place and apply calamine lotion on the body after bath. Apply a paste made from sandalwood powder and rose water is also very soothing to the skin.
Natural remedies to soothe heat rash include:
- Mixing one cup of baking soda and four drops of lavender oil and adding this mixture to a tepid bath.
- Applying chilled chamomile tea topically to the area.
As stated in our previous post, sometimes it's hard to tell if an open wound is in need of stitches, which will help the cut heal properly and reduce scarring. If you're not sure whether or not it deserves stitching and want to save yourself an unnecessary trip to the hospital if it doesn't, here are some helpful tips and methods you can use to find out if your open wound is really in need of serious medical attention.
- Most importantly, try to stop the bleeding . Use a clean cloth or slightly damp paper towel, and apply firm pressure to the open wound for about 5 minutes. Remove to check if it's still bleeding.
- If it's bleeding uncontrollably, do not proceed to any other steps and go to the hospital immediately. If the open wound stops bleeding, continue reading.
- Is the open wound caused by a puncture from an object? Usually puncture wounds go into the skin and come back out or the item that caused the puncture can still be in the skin. This is called an "impaled object". Puncture wounds have more of a hole rather than a spread break in the skin like lacerations do.
- Lacerations are similar to puncture wounds since they both cause a break in the skin, but lacerations typically have length and depth unlike puncture wounds. Lacerations are what is commonly known to us as a "cut".
- Is it an accidentally re-opened surgical wound? Surgical wounds are caused by scalpels and are similar to lacerations, but the edges of the skin aren't as ragged and uneven. More in fact, smoothly cut.
- Is the open wound an avulsion? Avulsions are caused by skin being torn in sections, flaps or numerous areas torn away completely with no skin.
- Is it an abrasion? Abrasions are scratches, scrapes or minor cuts that go no deeper than the epidermis, the top layer of skin. However, determining if it needs stitching is the depth of the abrasions. If it's a deep cut, then it would be a laceration or can be an avulsion, depending on the shape.
- Now that you've got a good idea of what kind of wound you have, evaluate if the open wound needs stitching. Here are three ways to do so:
- Look at the depth of the open wound. Is the open wound deep enough to where you can see yellow, fatty tissue? Is bone exposed? Is there a lot of flesh exposed? Is the wound more than 1/4 inch (6 mm) deep? If so, the wound can be eligible for stitching.
- Look at the width. Can the wound be pulled together easily or pinched together with ease? Usually a bandage and gauze can do this for you, and the wound can scab over in less than 12 hours by itself to start healing. However, if the wound is too wide to be held together with bandaging easily, then it will need stitching as this will pull the skin together so it can heal correctly.
- Look at the location of the open wound. If the open wound is located on a specific area of the body where there is a lot of movement involved, it will most likely need stitching to prevent re-opening of the wound caused by movement and stretching of the skin. For example, an open wound on the legs or fingers (especially where joints connect) would be eligible for stitches whereas an open wound on the forehead would not really need stitching. However, the other two steps apply and should all be taken into consideration together, even if it's a cut on the forehead. Depth and length play a big part in the determining of stitching also. Keep this in mind.
- How long has it been since you have had a tetanus shot? Tetanus shots last no longer than 5 years and then you'll have to be re-vaccinated. If it's been longer than 5 years since you've had a tetanus shot, go to the hospital. While you are at the hospital, you can have the doctor evaluate the cut also to see if it will need stitching.
- There are also numerous types of wounds that should always immediately have the attention of a doctor such as: Animal or human bites
- Debris that are unable to be removed from the wound. Puncture wounds also qualify for this if the object cannot be removed without help from medical specialists.
- Uncontrollable bleeding. If so, immediately call an ambulance.
- If you or the victim is diabetic.
- Edges of the wound cannot be closed together.
Help and images from Wikihow.com
We have all heard of the nasty stuff, but what can you do to prevent it, and treat it?
The first step is learning to identify what Poison Ivy looks like, so you can avoid it. Since poison Ivy takes on many different appearances, it can be a bit tricky. The old saying of "leaves of three" does ring true. So learn its appearance and avoid it! Below are some pictures of how Poison Ivy may look.
The rash that appears is typically linear, or in patches. It is red with small blisters.
If the rash does appear, the treatment focuses on the reduction of symptoms(itching) and letting time pass for it to resolve on its own. Some self-treatment methods are baths or showers, antihistamines, Calamine lotion, or OTC Hydrocortisone cream.
Any of the following should prompt you to seek medical care:
If you are looking to do some yard work in an area that possible has Poison Ivy, cover up, from head to toe. If you are going to be attempting to cut or remove the Poison Ivy in any way, also wear a face mask.
If your think you have been exposed, before the rash starts, immediately wash yourself in a COLD shower, to try and remove the oil before it soaks in. Wipe down all of your shoes with Alcohol, wash all of your clothes twice in hot water.
Remember that pets cannot have a reaction from Poison Ivy, but they can carry the oil on their skin or fur. So if they have been in areas with Poison Ivy, you should cover up, and bathe them immediately, as to not spread the oil around your home.
If the rash does appear, the treatment focuses on the reduction of symptoms(itching) and letting time pass for it to resolve on its own. Some self-treatment methods are baths or showers, antihistamines, Calamine lotion, or OTC Hydrocortisone cream.
- Rash covering large areas of your body
- Rash involving your face, particularly your eyes or mouth
- Swelling of eyes or mouth
- Shortness of breath, chest pain, or burning in chest
- Rash is persistent despite over the counter remedies
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