SATURDAY, Oct. 13, 2001 (HealthDayNews) -- Got a favorite remedy for burns?
Does it require butter, petroleum jelly, lard or grease? Forget about it.
Ice water or ice packs? Don't go there.
Ordinary tap water is all you'll ever need, a leading burn expert says.
"Cool water lowers the temperature of a burned area and is the ideal first aid," says Dr. William B. Hughes, Director of the Burn Center, Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia. "Unfortunately, most people believe they need to use something more elaborate or a folk remedy they've used in their families for generations. Actually, many of those remedies do more harm than good."
Take ice cubes or ice water, for example. Although either can be temporarily soothing, both are poor choices for relieving the pain of a burn.
"When skin is burned, the nerves in the affected area are often damaged," says Hughes. "If ice is applied, burned individuals can't tell that their skin is getting too cold; they simply know the burning sensation is eased. This can result in the burned tissues becoming frostbitten, an additional injury that complicates burn treatment and recovery."
According to the Chicago-based American Burn Association, more than 1 million Americans are burned each year, resulting in about 45,000 hospital admissions. Approximately 4,500 of those burns are fatal.
And because October is Burn Prevention Month, now is a good time for people to brush up on both treatment and prevention options as they turn up their furnaces and heaters for the colder weather ahead, Hughes notes.
"Preventing burns is a simple matter of common sense and foresight," Hughes says. "In some cases, it requires anticipating what hazards could lead to a burn injury, such as overheated bath water, an electrical short, a blast of steam, or contact with the hot surface of a familiar home appliance. In other situations, it's simply a matter of thinking about and concentrating on what you're doing to minimize the mental mistakes that can ignite a blaze."
Hughes treats hundreds of emergency room patients each year who've made such mistakes -- like checking for gas leaks with a match, working with propane tanks near a pilot light or open flame, or grabbing for the handle of a blazing pan of cooking oil. He advises thinking through any activity involving fire or flammable materials and consciously deciding what to do if an emergency occurs.
Hughes also says it's important for adults with children to anticipate the circumstances that might result in kids inadvertently starting a fire or getting burned.
"Matches, candles, lighters -- all of these are attractive sources of light to a youngster," he says. "Parents and other adults need to use these products safely themselves, store them out of the reach of young hands, and discuss the dangers they pose directly with their children."
Hughes points out that because a child's skin is thinner than an adult's, children are more sensitive to heat and burn more easily. They are also more curious and less cautious about electricity, irons and kitchen stoves, open fires and other heat sources inside and outside of the home.
"Burn prevention involves making an assessment of a child's environment from the child's perspective," Hughes says. "Take a good, long child's-eye view of the world and note how many intriguing things there are that can deliver too much heat, electricity or both. Do whatever it takes to prevent a child from getting burned."
Hughes also recommends paying similar attention to the environments of frail elderly individuals who also may need help to avoid burn injuries.
"Persons prone to falling, to seizures or to unsteadiness in walking need to be protected from exposure to radiators, steam pipes and open heaters," he says. "Protective grills are an excellent and inexpensive way to protect both young and old from coming in contact with dangerous, hot surfaces."
And, Hughes says as a reminder, don't forget that if a burn does occur, there's only one good response before seeking professional medical care.
"Water," he says. "Just tepid, ordinary water."
What to Do: The American Burn Association publishes an annual fact sheet on burn incidence and treatment in the United States. Find out more about how America is celebrating Fire Prevention Week by clicking here.
