Burn...scalding tea

Jenwith4kids

Help - not sure what to do for immediate treatment....should I put my sleeve on? It hurts like hell.

Nomatterwhat

Ouch, Jen!!!  Do you have any of your burn medicine left over from your rads that you can put on?  

sas-schatzi

Sorry just saw this ---cool it down with iced water without the ice--cold water immersion..  Keep renewing it with the cold water. Can reduce a thermal burn by two degree's i.e take a third down to a 1st degree , a 2nd degree down to a 0. Trying  is still worth a shot. keep cooling for the next 6-7 hours.

no ointments

 Call local burn unit for instructions while you are cooling it

sas-schatzi

cold water immersion---icewater without the ice. Do for next 6-7 hours or longer if there is any heat felt externally or internally.Keep replenishing the cold water. If water too cold for fingers then slow down on replenishing with cold water(it's a signal it's too cold)

No ointments or salves...................no coverings that will keep the heat in and burning will continue

Cold water immersion can reduce a thermal burn by 2 degrees i.e 3rd>>.1st degree, 2nd degree>>>o

Start now if you haven't already, You are actually still burning. Cooling even now will help

Have someone else Call local burn unit for instructions

Jenwith4kids

So, I went to the ER. It started to blister as we drove up - just a few little ones thankfully. They gave me oral antibiotic, and bacitracin - and they wrapped it loosely. Sas-schatzi, very good point about not keeping the heat in.... not sure tho that I want to unwrap it at this point.... They told me to come back tomorrow.

sas-schatzi

Jen sorry for you trouble. ER determined that the time from the burn to treatment was beyond the useful time of cooling the burn. You run the risk of problems being created by the bacitracin. Topical antibiotic ointments can create more problems than they solve. Problem is the typical s/s's they cause is blistering which can extend to a full blown contact dermatitis. But you have blistering with the probablitiy that more would be evident in the few hours past when seeing the first ones. Follow through with what they've done now. But try and do the following. It's late now, just do what you can

My computers acting up. I was trying to get pics to give you a clue what to look for. Google "Pictures of contact dermatitis and topical antibiotics."

I was able to get one link from Medscape for you to read. Please, make sure to read This is on the topical antibiotics

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/735534

If you have a burn in the future or anyone around you. Strip away clothing fast. If there is any delay pour cold water over the area while stripping. If you can't do cold water immersion as I described in my first post, just keep pouring the iced water without ice over the area. You can also place a towel over the area and keep pouring the cold water over the towel.

In the event of a grease burn, most commonly on the hand or arm. Run cold water over the burn area and use dishwashing liquid to get the grease off. Then do the cold water immersion.

Quick action at the time of the burn is the best to reduce the thickness of the burn---1st, 2nd,3rd degree burn can all be lessened by cooling the burn fast. Real fast. If skin is burned away already though don't do the cooling. 4th & 5th degree burns are beyond the scope here.

Activating EMS is better than driving to ER. They are trained to handle burns and have equipment. May seem that it isn't the best use of EMS, but better to take the safest way rather than delay by driving to ER

If they want to give you a dressing tomorrow to place over the wound area. Ask about silvadine use or silver alginate. They will be able to determine best product by looking at the wound.

If you have a local burn unit, they usually offer outpatient burn care. With this being your LE arm it's a good consideration if one is close.

Good Luck sassy......... I'll check in tomorrow.

sas-schatzi

Jen, I did allot of wound care advice on this old thread. I keep it in my archives to pass on when needed. There is a section that I describe how to use silvadene.

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topic/754935?page=1

Jenwith4kids

Silvadine is a sulfa drug; I'm allergic....

from that medscape article, it seems that contact dermatitis should only be an issue if I have a sensitivity to the ointment which I haven't in the past.... ?????

I will check in tomorrow after my appointment. The good news is that I haven't needed the percocet that they gave me.

Jen

sas-schatzi

Jen with the topicals it can happen any time.  ......too bad about silvadene great drug for burns....  well I'll hold my thought about no pain med need till tomorrow..... have a good sleep, I hate friday nights like this.

Jenwith4kids

well, no pain meds needed beyond advil. But I woke up one big blister. Slathered in bacitracin and covered with a non-stick pad. The only thing I'm po'd about is that the pads they game me last night had mineral oil in them. Had i known that I don't think I would have used it.

at least today is a better day. Leaving soon to go do an ava demo at a woman's self defense workshop.

Thanks for your help and good thoughts.

sas-schatzi

Jen,  With your description you had from last night you had a mixed first and second degree burn.  Great about the pain YAY. The complete absence of pain in a burn is an indicator of a third degree burn b/c the nerve endings are dead from the burn. But the tissue would look way different than you described

Still worried that the bacitracin will cause a contact dermatitis. One big blister-- is it the burn or reaction to the bacitracin.  Don't slather---more is not better 

The suggestion re: Outpatient burn center---St. Barnabas in Livingston is the only accredited burn unit in New Jersey. They have an out patient burn care unit. 973-322-5924. Mon-Fri 8:30-5:00. Seriously, if they are close get a referral for wound care. This is the highest best care that you could get in this scenario. Gold standard. But if they aren't close then.....they aren't. Never know they could be next door

Your PCP can do follow-up burn care in the office. If this is your choice, I suggest being seen on Monday.

Also, local wound care centers are a source for wound care and your PCP will guide you.

Sounds like you have a fun day planned. Good Luck! sassy

Jenwith4kids

I was born at St Barnabas! Not far from me, I considered going there but decided to go to "my" hospital instead.

The blister was definitely from the burn. Went for a follow up this am. And by 4:00 it had burst. Still wrapped, feeling ok. Doctor's said it looks like it should. I'm not too worried about it (for now ).

jen

sas-schatzi

jen, small world about St. Barnabas. I pulled the "list of accredited burn units" Glad things are going well. Good Luck. PM if you have a question.

Jenwith4kids

SweetHope

OMG! I can't believe you don't need a pain pill. Gentle hugs.

leggo

Jen, OMG!!!. I don't believe the doctor who said that looks like it should. That is brutal. How are you even sleeping? Can you throw some 2nd-skin pads on there or something? It looks like it would hurt like a mother to accidentally rub it on something. Holy cow.

AmyQ

Jen you poor thing...I hurt for you.

Amy

Jenwith4kids

Oh leggo, thanks for your concern! I have it wrapped... it looks a lot worse than it feels, really - I promise!

leggo

Thank goodness Jen. Stupid tea.

glennie19

oh, Jen,, OW !!  It looks so hurt-y!!  **gentle hug**

SusanSnowFlake

Jeepers, good thing you were able to get fast treatment, hope you heal quickly.

Jenwith4kids

Happy to report that almost two weeks later I am healing nicely. I'm still keeping it wrapped, but it looks so much better and doesn't hurt much. The best news: I don't have any LE swelling (though we all know that can change quickly).

Thanks for everyone's support that night and the following days.

Jen

leggo

So glad Jen! That's gonna leave one helluva mark, huh? 

sas-schatzi

jen glad all is going well sassy

Jenwith4kids

My doc actually doesn't think it will scar too bad. We'll see. It looks better than I thought it would. I've been using my Ava Anderson "boo-boo" stick on it. It's got jojoba, arnica, calendula, tea tree, lavender and chamomile oil in it. Very soothing, and feels "cleaner" than bacitracin.

Jenwith4kids

I can't believe that I have almost no scarring!! The flash on the camera actually makes it look worse than it is.

SweetHope

Wow! That looks so much better. Hope what a difference two weeks makes

sas-schatzi

Jen looked to me like a 2nd degree. They do well. It's the 3rd degrees that are real trouble.

2nd degree's have the potential to be trouble, if the blistered areas get infected. Plus with 2nds they're is pain ....3rd's no pain b/c nerve endings are fried.

Looks great YAY and ---no Le problems exacerbation ...cool.

leggo

Jen! Good job! Now I know who to call the next time I burn myself. That's amazingly well-healed.

SusanSnowFlake

I appreciate your updates. We all have fears about what could happen if we get badly hurt, burned, cut, poison ivy etc on our Le side, at least I do. Seeing your outcome is tremendously helpful.

Very happy you're recovering!

Jenwith4kids

I followed doctor's orders for about 10 days - - kept it wrapped, used bacitracin and covered it with a non-stick pad. Once the blister dried up and the skin was no longer raw, I stopped covering it and used my "boo-boo stick" (an awesome all natural product with jojoba oil, arnica, calendula, shea butter and several other organic oils) and another cream that has aloe, shea, coconut oil and lavender. It only took a few days for it to look like one piece again and now it's just red and looking better every day. The doctor said it probably won't scar!

Thank you so much - everybody - for your support. That was one awful weekend!