A burn is an injury to tissue that can be caused by heat, chemicals or electricity. While burns most often affect the
skin, deeper burns can injure tissue well below the skin's surface. In addition, internal burns may occur to the esophagus and stomach when extremely hot liquids are ingested and to the
lungs when hot air is inhaled during a fire.
Minor burns, known as first degree burns, are the most common, accounting for approximately 85% of all burns. Second and third degree burns involve progressively deeper tissue damage and carry with them more serious health consequences including, but not limited to,
infection,
shock and
scarring.
The location of the burn also impacts on its severity. For instance, burns to the face, genitals, hands and feet typically require
hospitalization. Treating the most severe burns may involve the use of a hyperbaric chamber, a device which nourishes the wounds with pressurized oxygen. Burn victims may also require intubation, a procedure in which an emergency
physician or other medical professional inserts a tube into the throat in order to assist
breathing. Other commonly used burn treatment procedures include skin grafts and
antibiotic therapy (both of which help guard against infection) and fluid replenishment.
See Also
- Skin Disorders: Overview
- 1998-2003 Dodge Durangos
- 2002 Toyota Sienna Minivan: Overview
- 2003 & 2004 Honda CR-V SUVs
- 2004 I-95 Maryland Tanker Truck Accident
- Accelerator
- Air Rage: Overview
- Ammonia
- Boats, Personal Watercraft & Jet Skis
- Brakes
- Burns From Hot Water Heaters: Overview
- Cadet and Encore Heaters: Overview
- Car Roof Integrity
- Chlorine
- Chrysler 2001 Dodge Caravan: Overview
- Cigarette Fires
- Dangerous Cleaning Products: Overview
- Clothing: Overview
- Children's Clothing: Overview
- Crane Accidents
- Daycare Abuse: Overview
- Dangerous Decorations: Overview
- Dodge, Plymouth & Chrysler Minivans - Fuel Problems: Overview
- Electric Blankets
- Electronic Muscle Stimulators
- Fire Suppression Sprinklers: Overview
- Fireworks: Overview
- Ford Crown Victoria
- Ford Fire Defect
- Ford Mustang: Overview
- Front-to-Rear Collision
- Front-to-Side Collision
- Furnaces & Space Heaters
- Gas & Oil Pipeline Accidents
- Gas Cans
- Gas Station Static Electricity Fires
- General Motors Vehicles
- Hair-dye
- Head-On Collision With Another Vehicle
- Head-On With Object
- Highland Park Care Center
- High-Speed Police Chases
- Hospital Bed Fires
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Ionizing Radiation
- Kindred Healthcare
- Lawn Care Tools: Overview
- Lewisite (Blister Agent)
- Mattress Fires
- Merit Cigarettes
- Methyl Isocyanate
- Methylene Chloride
- Multi-Purpose Lighters
- Mustard Gas
- NHC Healthcare Center Fire
- Nitrogen Mustards (HN-1, HN-2, HN-3) (Blister Agent)
- Nitrogen Oxides
- Nursing Home & Elder Abuse
- Defective Ovens & Stoves: Overview
- Phosgene
- Plane Crashes, Accidents & Near Misses
- Radiation Therapy: Overview
- Rear End Collision: Overview
- Road Design & Maintenance
- Rollover
- Side Impact Collision
- Skin Peelers: Overview
- Sodium Hydroxide
- Sulfur Mustards H/HD and HT (Blister Agent)
- Sulfur Trioxide
- Tanning Beds
- Titanium Tetrachloride
- Tractor-Trailer Accidents
- Tractor-Trailer Underride Accidents
- Train Accidents
- Vehicle Design / Crashworthiness
- Washer & Dryer
- White Phosphorus