Preventing Burn Injuries: Safety Tips
During early February, we celebrate National Burn Awareness Week. This week provides us with a window of opportunity to raise the alarm and educate our community in ways of preventing burn injuries.
As a leader in emergency treatment in Plano and Mesquite Texas, we see many unfortunate incidents of children, adults, and seniors who suffer bad burns either at home or their job site. Fortunately, many of these accidents are easily preventable.
Preventing Kitchen Burn Injuries
The US Fire Administration provides the following kitchen burn and scalds prevention tips:
- Place hot objects in places where people and especially children can’t pull them down or accidentally knock them over
- Always turn pot handles away from the stove’s edge
- Make sure your potholders are dry. The heat from your cookware can heat the moisture in the potholder and burn you
- Avoid wearing loose-fitting clothes when cooking. Instead, opt for short sleeves and more fitted clothing
- Enforce a kid-free zone that is at least 3 feet around the stove or oven
More Burn Prevention Tips Around the House
- When preparing a bath for your kids or yourself, always put cold water into the tub first and then add the hot water to reach the desired temperature
- Place your iron, hair straightener, or curling iron out of reach while they cool down
- Keep matches and lighters out of kids reach
- Never leave a candle unattended and always place away from objects that can easily catch fire
- Keep hot beverages out of children’s reach.
When to Go to the ER for Burn Injury Treatment
Mild burns will likely not require medical attention. The following is a guide to help you determine if your burn injury is severe enough to require emergency care.
Where is it located?
Burns to the face, eyes, ears, genital area, hands, and feet are more likely to cause permanent damage if left untreated.
For this reason, you always come to Prestige ER for evaluation and treatment if you suffer a burn to any of these areas.
What Degree is Your Burn?
Most 1st and 2nd degree burns won’t require emergency care. However, 3rd and 4th-degree burns are always an emergency.
Surface burns cause mild pain and cause redness in the area. If your skin blisters you likely have a 2nd-degree wound and depending on the size and location, you may need to see a doctor. 2nd-degree injuries are usually the most painful.
If you notice any charring or whitish marks on the skin that is a clear sign of a 3rd or 4th-degree burn, and you should rush to our ER for treatment. Many patients don’t know how severe their trauma is because they don’t feel too much pain, but this is because the injury is so deep it might have damaged the nerves.
How Big is The Burn Area?
Large burn areas are the most dangerous. As a rule, if the burn area is larger than the size of your palm, you need immediate medical attention.
Signs of Infection
One of the most common complications of burns is infection. If you notice any of the following symptoms, please come to Prestige ER as soon as possible as you likely have an infection:
- Increasing pain
- Redness or swelling at the injury site
- Liquid or a foul odor is coming from the wound
Worsening Over Time
Many times, a burn will appear minor, but pain, swelling, and changes in skin coloration and texture increase or deteriorate over time.
When this happens, it’s a clear sign of a deep and potentially dangerous burn that needs immediate medical attention.
At Prestige ER, we are committed to helping improve the well-being of the members of our community. Burns can have a devastating, long-lasting effect on our lives and preventing them should be a priority.
However, we understand accidents happen even when we are careful, and it is for those times that Prestige ER will be of service. We are open 24/7 every day of the year.
