![]() Your ER provider will evaluate whether you need to be referred to a burn center, or if you need to follow up with a specialized burn provider. They will also likely apply ointment and a dressing to help the skin heal, and keep the area clean. ![]() ER providers are trained in how to estimate that fluid loss, which may need to be replaced through an IV.Ĭleaning and dressing: Providers will properly clean your burns to help prevent infection. The good news is that there are many types of pain medication that can help with this type of pain.įluids: More severe burns can lead to a large amount of fluid loss from the skin. Pain medication: Blistering burns can hurt a lot. Typical treatment for a burn in the ER includes: This can continue to worsen over time and cause life-threatening breathing difficulties. Sometimes the smoke and/or heat can cause injury in your airways. Inhalation burns: If you are near a building or house fire and breathe in any amount of smoke, you should be checked. Electrical burns can affect the way your heart beats, too. This is because electricity can cause burns inside your body that you can’t always see on the skin. So what seems like a small injury at first might become more serious.Įlectrical burns: Any electrical burn (including a lightning strike) needs to be checked out as soon as possible. Chemical burns can also take more time to appear. The following types of burns could be an emergency:Ĭhemical burns: Some chemicals can cause ongoing injury if not properly washed off. It’s also important to consider how the burn happened. This includes people with diabetes or with a weaker immune system. These are also areas where the skin is under tension from movement - like the hands or joints.Īdditionally, you should err on the side of caution and go to the hospital if you have a medical condition that puts you at greater risk for skin infection. These areas may need special care to heal properly because the skin there is more sensitive or prone to scarring - like the face. You should also go to the hospital for a second- or third-degree burn that covers your: You have a second-degree burn that covers more than 10% of your body. There are three main factors that determine if your burn is an emergency:Īny part of your burn looks like a third-degree burn (white or charred) or if it does not hurt to touch it. When should I go to the hospital for a burn? The depth and size of the burn will help you determine if you need to go to the hospital, along with a few other factors. Only measure the part that is blistered, not the part that is just red. The size of your palm - including your fingers - is equal to about 1% of your skin surface. But the easiest way is to use the palm of your hand. There are several ways you can estimate how much of your body is burned. ![]() In general, burns are considered more serious when a second- or third-degree burn affects more than 10% of the body’s surface area. This is because the burn goes deep enough to damage the skin’s nerve endings.īurn severity is also determined by how much of your skin is burned. However, these burns tend not to hurt as much. They can make the skin appear white or charred. Third degree: These are considered “full thickness burns” because they burn through the dermis. ![]() But they differ from first-degree burns because they cause blisters. For this reason, they are known as “partial thickness burns.” They are also red and painful. ![]() Second degree: These burns extend into the next layer of the skin, called the dermis. It’s considered “superficial” because it only affects the outer layer of skin, called the epidermis. There are three main categories:įirst degree: This the mildest type of burn. How do I know if my burn is serious?īurn severity is mainly determined by how deep the burn goes. So we’ll walk you through how to know when you need to go to the hospital or emergency room for a burn. But it can be hard to tell how severe your burn is. Several things determine the severity of a burn: how deep it goes, where it happens on the body, and how it happened. Many more people have minor burns that are managed at home. each year have a severe burn that requires medical care. ![]()
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