How to distinguish the degree of burns

Accidents are very likely to happen in daily life, among which burns are a common accident. There are many reasons for burns. In fact, people are divided into different levels after being burned, but most people don’t know which level they belong to after being burned. Generally, burns are divided into three levels. If you are burned, you must go to the hospital for treatment in time and never deal with it on your own.

How to judge the severity of burns

First injury

Burns only damage the surface of the skin, causing mild local redness and swelling, no blisters, and obvious pain. You should immediately take off your clothes and socks, soak the wound in cold water for half an hour, and then apply sesame oil or vegetable oil to the wound.

Second degree injury

Burns are dermis injuries, with local redness, swelling and pain, and blisters of varying sizes. Large blisters can be punctured with a sterilized needle to drain the water from the edge of the blister, then applied with burn ointment and bandaged with appropriate tightness.

Third degree injury

Burns are damage to the subcutaneous tissue, fat, muscles, and bones, and are gray or reddish-brown in color. At this time, you should wrap the wound with a clean cloth and rush to the hospital immediately. Do not apply gentian violet or ointment on the wound, as this will affect the observation and treatment of the disease.

judge

The severity of burns and scalds is mainly judged based on the location, area and depth of the burns and scalds. Burns or scalds on the head and face, or those not on the head and face but with large area and deep depth, are considered serious. People with severe burns may go into shock or respiratory or cardiac arrest during transfer, and artificial respiration or external chest massage should be performed immediately. When the injured person is thirsty, you can give him a small amount of hot tea or light salt water. Never let him drink a large amount of boiled water in a short period of time, which may cause cerebral edema.

Clinical diagnosis of burns

1. The causes of burns and scalds are different, and their clinical manifestations are also inconsistent. After an acid burn, the surface protein coagulates and denatures, becoming dark in color and hard in texture, so it is easy to overestimate the burn depth. In an alkali burn, the tissue is dehydrated and the fat is saponified, further deepening the tissue damage. Without repeated observation and verification, it is easy to overestimate the burn depth. Electrical burns are often deep. Low-grade fever and prolonged burns may only appear as blister-type second-degree burns, but they often extend deep below the deep fascia.

2. The thickness of the skin in the same area varies due to differences in age, gender, occupation, etc. The depth of burns and scalds varies under the same injury conditions. For example, the depth of burns and scalds in children and women is often estimated to be shallow.

3. The skin thickness varies in different parts of the human body. For example, the incidence of third-degree burns on the soles and back is less frequent than on the limbs. Burns in hair-rich areas such as the head, armpits, and perineum often show a strong ability to heal on their own.

4. The diagnosis of burns and scalds is carried out step by step. Only a preliminary diagnosis can be made in the early stage of burns and scalds. Dynamic observation is required during the clinical diagnosis and treatment process. Finally, after the wound heals, the final diagnosis is made based on the healing time and method. Only in this way can a diagnosis of the depth of burns and scalds be made that is more in line with actual circumstances.

5. The above-mentioned diagnosis of burn depth is greatly affected by human (subjective) factors, so there is often confusion in clinical and scientific research work, such as diagnosing superficial second degree as deep second degree, and deep second degree as third degree. There is a lack of objective comparison standards for the length of healing time, the presence or absence of scarring, and even the need for surgery. Therefore, in clinical practice, it is often necessary to consult with multiple experienced physicians to formulate diagnosis and treatment principles in order to improve the scientific nature of burn and scald diagnosis.