February 8, 2017

Thermal Burns – What you need to know

By Jonathan Damashek

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According to EMedicineHealth, thermal burns are caused by any hot or heated source or from chemical reactions that release heat. These include burns caused by flames, scalding, electrical burns, and radiation burns. Thermal burns are very common, especially in children, and tend to increase during the winter due to the use of stoves and other types of heaters.

Most of these injuries are minor, but when they are severe, they can be extremely painful and leave substantial and permanent marks and injuries on different parts of the body. The degree of the burn depends on how many layers of the skin are affected. You should call 911 if a burn victim has problems breathing, if he or she has experienced a large amount of smoke exposure, or is unconscious.

When the thermal burn is minor, you can treat it at home by holding the burned skin under cool running water until pain diminishes, covering it with a sterile non-adhesive bandage without applying butter or other ointments which can cause infections. You can also treat the pain with ibuprofen (Motrin), acetaminophen (Advil), or naproxen (Aleve). Do not apply ice, it can lower body temperature and cause even more damage.

If proper precautions are taken into consideration, most of the accidents that cause these injuries can be prevented. As the saying goes, it’s “better to be safe than sorry”. Teach your children to be careful when they are near hot surfaces, flames or other sources that can cause thermal burns. And have an exit strategy if a heating source cannot be controlled. Make sure to pay attention to our heating safety tips that will help you avoid accidents.

If you or a family member suffer severe thermal burns, contact us immediately for a free consultation. We will analyze your case and explain you your legal rights.