Burn and skin injuries can cause death if not well treated. To treat and give first aid to the burn injury, you should know the type of burn injury. Read this article to learn more.
Death cases caused by burning injuries have decreased over the years. However, this does not mean that there are no death cases caused by them. In this article, you are going to know about the common types of burns and how you can take care of the victim before they are transferred to the emergency department for treatment.
It is approximated that there are 45,000 patients who suffer from burn injuries and they need to be hospitalized on a yearly basis. When you have appropriate emergency first aid for burns, you can lower the number of victims in hospitals
The Skin as a Protective Barrier
The skin is the largest organ in the body and it carries out a number of functions. It provides a barrier against any physical injury. It also important for thermoregulation as it plays an important role in the synthesis of vitamin D and the prevention of loss of fluid from your body.
The skin is made up of two layers which are the inner epidermis and the outer epidermis. Both of them have been separated by a membrane. When burn injuries occur, they can lead to damage to the skin and disturbance of your body system.
The best way of describing the burn injury is by identifying its cause:
Thermal Burns
They are caused when someone comes into contact with the hot substances in the form of a liquid, solid, and flame. When the skin comes into contact with these items for a long period of time, the wound will be deeper.
Since other items such as grease and cooking oil have a higher boiling point, the destruction they cause on the skin is colossal.
Chemical Burns
They can destroy the body tissues and continue causing damage if they do not become neutralized. Chemical burns can be caused by acids, alkali, and other organic compounds. Gasoline and disinfectants are the main causes of chemical burns.
Electrical Burns
They can cause death by paralyzing the working of the respiratory muscles within your body. The extent of electrical damage on your skin can fail to be seen during the first week. However, as time goes, the extent of the damage will be visibly bigger.
Frostbite
It is caused when one is exposed to temperatures that are very cold. Each part of your body that is uncovered can be affected by frostbite. If it is not treated appropriately, frostbite can cause deterioration of the health of the affected individual.
Radiation Burns
They are caused when there is high exposure of the skin to radiation rays. Ionizing radiation will take place causing damage to the tissues which can in some cases affect the DNA.
When a person has been affected by the fire, it is important to put in place the necessary first aid and subsequent treatment to help the person to get back to their normal health. Getting first aid burns training will help you to know the appropriate tips to use in case of a burn injury.
Join the American Health Care Academy today and learn more about the lifesaving skills involving skin-related injuries.
