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Post Group: Working Member
Posts: 113
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The Problem Is Im Alive
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A burn is where tissue damage occurs after being exposed to heat, cold, electricity or chemicals.
Heat burns and cold burns are the most similar, and are treated much the same. Heat burns can be caused though direct contant with heat (i.e a hot stove), through radiation (i.e sunburn) or though steam. Cold burns are often known as frost nip or frost bite, and can be caused by direct contact with cold surface or substance, or as thermal burns. Chemical burns can occur from substances that are caustic, and can also cause poisoning if the substance enters theblood strean. Heat, cold and chemical burns often cause mostly external damage, while electrical burns can cause significant amounts of internal damagewhile leaving very little external damage.
There are three different classifications for thermal and chemical burns and four different degrees of burns.
Superficial or 1st degree burns - These burns are minor and only affect the top (or superficial) layer of the skin.
Partial Thickness or 2nd degree burns - These burns are moderate in severity, they affect the top layer of skin and part of the underlaying layers of the skin
Full Thickness or 3rd degree burns - These burns are major in severity, they affect all the layers of the skin and the subcutaneous fat layer underneath the skin.
4th degree burns - This is a type of full thickness burn affects all the layers of the skin and fat, and extends into the underlaying structures of the body such as muscles, tendons, ligaments or organs. This type of burn is rare, but can be seen in extreme cases of thermal or chemical burns, or in the entrance and exit points for electrical burns.
More severe burns are often surrounded by areas of lesser burns, so a 3rd degree burn may be surrounded by areas of 2nd and 1st degree burns.
Heat and Cold burns can cause the following problems and complications:
- Scaring and build up of scar tissue
- Loss of mobility and/or sensation in area burned
- Tissue death (necrosis) and infection
- Amputation of affected limb
- Heart and organ problems (from the chemical released by the burned cells)
- Lung problems (when exposed to a very hot air)
- Coma and death in cases where a significant part of the body is burned
Electrical burns can cause the following problems and complications:
- Tissue death (necrosis) and infection
- Damage to internal organs from the electrical current passing though them.
- Heart arrhythmias (from the electrical current)
- Extreme damage to the entry and exit point of the body
- Burns to internal organs, muscles and other structures
- Bone damage from expose to electrical current
- Seizures, coma and death
Chemical burns can cause the following problems and complications:
- Tissue death (necrosis) and infection
- Lung problems (if material is inhaled)
- Organ damage (from absorption of the chemical into the blood steam)
- Brain damage (from absorption of the chemical into the blood steam)
- Seizures, coma and death
The signs and symptoms of a burn can vary depending on how the burn was caused, and the severity of the burn.
Common signs and symptoms of a thermal burn:
1st degree
Signs
- Redness at area exposed
- Are feels slightly warmer than other areas
- Skin will be soft
- No blistering
Symptoms
- Moderate to mild pain that fades fairly quickly
2nd degree
Signs
- Redness at and around the area exposed
- Blisters will develop over time and have clear/yellowish fluid in them
- Skin will be soft
- Peeling skin (Develops over time)
Symptoms
- severe or maderate pain that fades in a couple of days
3rd degree
Signs
- White or charred skin at the exposed area, with redness around the area
- Immediate blisters
- Skin feels hard, tough or leathery to the touch
- Peeling skin (happens quickly)
Symptoms
- Minimal or no pain at the site of the injury (due to nerves damage)
- Severe or moderste pain aurrounding the area burned
Airway Burns
An airway burn can occur anytime a person is exposed to super heated gases, such as in a fire, or when exposed to steam.
Signs
- Burned/singed facial hair
- Burns to the face or neck
- Discolouration inside the mouth and/or nose
- Coughing, coughing up dark mucous
- Dark or blue tinged lips or finger nails.
Symptoms
- Difficulty breathing
- Pain when breathing
Common signs and symptoms of an electrical burn:
Signs
- Exposed to electrical current
- Areas of thermal burn where current entered and exited the body
Edited by 12vampire34 : January 10, 2008, 2:26 pm
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12vampire34
AKA Didi (Admin On This Site Lol)
Enjoy :) |
January 8, 2008, 4:51 pm
