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| Burns |
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Burns are damage to tissue that can result from exposure to extreme heat, chemicals, electricity, or radioactive material.
For minor burns, natural medicine may be helpful after the burn is cleaned with soap and cold water and gently dried. Because of the risk of infection, topical applications should not be made to blistered or open burn wounds, unless under medical supervision. Extensive burns or burns causing more than minor discomfort should be treated by a healthcare professional
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Symptoms |
Symptoms depend on the severity and cause of the burn but usually include pain and sensitivity to touch. The skin may appear swollen, blistered, dried, charred, weeping, or red, gray, or black-colored
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Causes |
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Burn injury is defined as damage to the skin or other organ from contact with heat, radiation, electricity or chemicals.
Severity or burn depth: The severity of burn injuries are classified by the depth of the burn in three different degrees: first, second, and third.
- First degree burns cause minor tissue damage only to the outer skin layer. The burn is painful, leaving the skin reddish and dry with little swelling.
- Second degree burns damage the first two layers of skin. There is severe pain and blistering (bubbling). The skin is moist, red, and swollen with minimal scarring.
- Third degree burns damage all layers of skin and may also damage fat, muscle and bone tissue. The damaged skin often is left depressed, charred, and leathery. Initially, there may be little pain due to the destruction of nerve endings.
First and second degree burns often heal without much damage and can often be treated at home. Third degree burns cause much greater problems and should receive medical attention. Burns affecting 10% or more of a child’s body or 15-20% of an adult’s body are major injuries and often require extensive skin grafting, constructive surgery, and long periods of rehabilitation and hospitalization.
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Home Remedies |
An immediate remedy for burns would be to apply ice on the affected area. You can also dip the affected body part in chilled water, for about 15 to 20 minutes.
For an effective way to cure burns, apply honey on the affected area and cover it with a bandage.
For instant relief, cut a piece of onion and keep it over the burnt area.
Apply diluted vinegar on the burn. It is very effective in healing burns.
If you have suggestions or know of a proven home remedy add it here in the comment area.
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| Herbal Remedies |
Aloe is another popular remedy for minor burns and a small preliminary study found it more effective than Vaseline in treating burns.1 The stabilized aloe gel is typically applied to the affected area of skin three to five times per day. Older case studies reported that aloe gel applied topically could help heal radiation burns, but a large, double-blind trial did not find aloe effective in this regard.
Calendula cream may be applied to minor burns to soothe pain and help promote tissue repair. It has been shown in animal studies to be anti-inflammatory and to aid repair of damaged tissues. The cream is applied three times per day. Plantain is regarded as similar to calendula in traditional medicine, though usually the whole leaf is applied directly to the burn as a poultice.
Gotu kola has been used in the medicinal systems of central Asia for centuries to treat numerous skin diseases. Saponins in gotu kola beneficially affect collagen (the material that makes up connective tissue) to inhibit its production in hyperactive scar tissue following burns or wounds.
If you have suggestions or know of a proven herbal remedy add it here in the comment area.
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| Wellness Program |
The body repairs and builds new tissues in a process called anabolism. Adequate amounts of calories and protein are required for anabolism, as the skin and underlying tissues are comprised of protein and energy is needed to fuel repair mechanisms. While major injuries requiring hospitalization raise protein and calorie requirements significantly, injuries such as minor burns should not require changes from a typical, healthful diet.
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