Tips on what to do with a burn injury
Burn is a type of injury to skin, or other tissues, caused by heat, cold, electricity, chemicals, friction, or radiation. [wikipedia: Burn]
Burns can be devastating and very traumatic.
It can trigger a severe form of injury that disfigures and/or kills. As with medical cases, Prevention is the key.
Causes include:
- Flame from petrol, kerosene, gas or explosion from other inflammable substances like insecticide and spirit
- Hot liquids like water, soup, oil etc
- Chemicals
- Electrical burns
- Hot objects like exhaust.
Here are some tips on Prevention:
- Keep hot water and objects away from children. Always put cold water in buckets before adding hot water, not otherwise.
- Do not use phone light or naked fire to operate generator
- Do not use phone while buying fuel or fetching petrol
- Do not use kerosene stove and gas in the same kitchen
- Keep gas cylinder outside the kitchen and pipe it in via the wall
- Do not refill an already lit lantern or stove.
- When you perceive gas, do not light your gas or use a match stick.
- As much as possible keep children away from kitchen
- Insulate electrical appliances and ensure they are switched off before leaving home or going to bed
- Buy a fire extinguisher.
In case of a burn injury,
- Pour water on the burnt surface.
- Do not apply eggs, engine oil, GV or any other substance other than water
- Take the individual to the hospital. Any delay in taking a patient with major burns to the hospital increases the chances of the person dying.
Credit: Dr Elimian Hilary (Surgery resident)
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