Burn hurts when i take it out of water

  • Some of the causes of burns include flame, UV radiation, hot liquids, electricity, lightning and certain chemicals.
  • Major burns are a medical emergency and require urgent treatment.
  • First aid treatment is to apply cold running water over the burn site for 20 minutes.

Burns can be caused by flames, ultraviolet (UV) radiation, hot liquids, electricity, lightning and certain chemicals. All burns require immediate first aid treatment. Partial and full thickness burns require urgent medical attention. Full thickness burns often require skin graft surgery.
There are three levels of burns:

  • Superficial – these burns cause damage to the first or top layer of skin only. The burn site will be red and painful.
  • Partial thickness – these burns cause damage to the first and second skin layers. The burn site will be red, peeling, blistered and swelling with clear or yellow-coloured fluid leaking from the skin. The burn site is very painful.
  • Full thickness – involves damage to both the first and second skin layers, plus the underlying tissue. The burn site generally appears black or charred with white exposed fatty tissue. Very deep burns may damage the underlying muscle or bone. The nerve endings are generally destroyed and so there is little or no pain at the site of the full-thickness burn. However, surrounding partial thickness burns will be very painful.
It can be difficult to tell the difference between partial and full-thickness burns. The depth of a burn is not critical in the initial treatment of burns. An assessment of the extent of the burn is more important initially.
Remove the person from danger and further injury. Hold the burn under cold running water for 20 minutes. If necessary, prevent heat loss by covering unburnt areas.Burnt clothing should only be removed if it does not stick to the burn. Do not remove clothing that is stuck to the burn.Chemicals, such as acids and alkalis, must be washed off with running water for at least 20 minutes but take care not to splash the chemicals onto unaffected skin or other people. A cool shower is ideal.Superficial burns require pain relief, dressings, and regular review to make sure they have not become infected.Do not apply anything other than water to second or third degree burns until they are fully cooled and medically assessed. A major burn is defined as a burn of any depth that involves more than 20 per cent of the total body surface area for an adult and more than 10 per cent of the total body surface area for a child. Major burns are a medical emergency and require urgent treatment. Immediately apply cold water to all affected areas and then call triple zero (000) for an ambulance. A cool or lukewarm shower is ideal.

Complications of major burns

Some of the potential complications of major burns include:
  • injury to lungs from smoke inhalation
  • hypovolaemia – loss of fluid from burnt skin. This may lead to shock
  • heat loss (hypothermia) – since burnt skin is unable to properly regulate body temperature
  • infection.

Treatment for burns

The medical treatment you will receive on admission to the hospital emergency department could include:
  • pain relief. morphine may be required
  • a cool shower
  • intravenous fluids through a drip
  • intensive medical monitoring.

Admission to a burns unit

There are national guidelines that help hospital emergency department staff decide whether you need care in a specialised burns unit.

Some of these guidelines include:

  • for adults – partial or full thickness burns over 10 per cent of the body surface
  • for children – partial or full thickness burns over five per cent of the body surface
  • respiratory burns – lungs or other parts of the breathing system affected
  • circumferential burns – burns that go right around the body
  • burns to hands, feet, face, perineum and joints
  • electrical burns
  • chemical burns.
If the body is not able to heal the injury by itself, skin grafts will be needed. The specifics of skin graft surgery depend on the location and severity of your burns. Skin grafts are usually performed under anaesthetic in an operating theatre.

Self-care for burns

Be guided by your doctor, but general suggestions include:
  • Rest as much as you can.
  • Follow all self-care instructions from your doctor.
  • Try to avoid moving or stretching the area, as you may injure your skin graft.
  • Antibiotics are usually prescribed to reduce the risk of infection. Make sure you take the full course.
  • Avoid getting your dressings wet.
  • See your doctor immediately if you experience any unusual symptoms.

Where to get help

  • In the case of a major burn – or where breathing has been affected – call triple zero (000) for an ambulance
  • Your GP (doctor)
  • Emergency department of your nearest hospital
  • Burns unit
  • Victorian Adult Burns Service at The Alfred Hospital

This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:

Burn hurts when i take it out of water

Burn hurts when i take it out of water

This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:

Burn hurts when i take it out of water

Burn hurts when i take it out of water

This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:

Burn hurts when i take it out of water

Burn hurts when i take it out of water

Content on this website is provided for information purposes only. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not in any way endorse or support such therapy, service, product or treatment and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or other registered health professional. The information and materials contained on this website are not intended to constitute a comprehensive guide concerning all aspects of the therapy, product or treatment described on the website. All users are urged to always seek advice from a registered health care professional for diagnosis and answers to their medical questions and to ascertain whether the particular therapy, service, product or treatment described on the website is suitable in their circumstances. The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website.

Feeling the burn?

Burns are one of the most common household injuries. Each year in the United States, more than 1.1 million burn injuries require medical attention. That’s not to mention the countless minor burns that don’t result in a trip to the doctor’s office.

You need to prepare should you experience a burn at home. These tips will help you safely treat the wound to alleviate pain, stop the infection, and start the healing process.

Minor burns may be common, but that doesn’t make them hurt any less. Read on to find out how to make a burn stop hurting.

Check the Burn

First, run your burn under cool water. Your first instinct might be to put ice or butter on the wound, but that actually hinders blood flow to the affected area. Run your burn under water for at least 15 minutes.

You should then check to make sure you don’t need medical attention. Burns always require medical attention if they are third-degree or fourth-degree.

A third-degree burn will result in large blisters almost immediately. Fourth-degree will go deep into your muscle tissue.

You should also seek medical attention if the burns begin to show signs of infection. Medical professionals should deal with any oozing wounds with a pus discharge.

You can never be too safe with burns. There are over 12,000 deaths related to thermal injury every year. Error on the side of caution.

How to Make a Burn Stop Hurting

After you evaluate the burn, it’s time to deal with the pain. But how to make a burn stop hurting?

Clean the burn with soap and water to protect it from infection. You will then want to take an anti-inflammatory drug. Over-the-counter drugs like Ibuprofen work to alleviate pain and inflammation.

Let the anti-inflammatory sink in. If you are still experiencing pain, you can add some skin lotion to the burn. Skin lotions can promote skin healing and are especially useful for first or second-degree burns.

Skin lotions are also useful to use during the healing process. They can reduce itching that comes in the days after an initial burn.

Avoid using at home remedies to deal with the pain. Things like butter, toothpaste, and hydrogen peroxide disrupt healing and can even make the pain feel worse.

What to Use During Healing

Now that you have dealt with immediate pain, it’s time to let the healing process begin. You can expect your burn to hurt for the next few days while your skin and tissue begin to heal.

You don’t have to be in pain during this process. Take frequent cold showers to help with the pain.

Another thing you can use to deal with pain is aloe vera. Aloe can help your burn heal and can alleviate pain.

You can continue to apply it to your burn for a few days until it heals. Don’t forget to use skin lotion. It not only helps with itching but also swelling.

Your Burn

The best way to make a burn stop hurting is to give it time. Use these tips to deal with your pain and to promote proper healing.

Do you have a burn that requires medical attention? We can help. Contact one of our five urgent care offices to get immediate assistance.