When a friend or family member suffers a catastrophic medical event, he is often at a loss for the best way to show concern and to o
ffer support. An article in The Pheonix Society focuses on the needs and issues of burn victims. Here are some specifics dos and don’ts for hospital visits and
Critical Burn Care: The Early Stages
What is the biggest challenge facing doctors in the first days after a burn injury? Fluid loss.
When a victim suffers severe burns, much of his skin may be gone and to put it very simply, his capillaries begin to leak. Instead of sticking together, keeping blood inside of the vessel, the tissue cells separate
Debridement of Burn Wounds
Following a burn, dead tissue provides a breeding ground for bacteria to grow and bacteria can lead to infection. The dead tissue will eventually fall off as part of the skin’s natural healing process. However, when burns are particularly severe, the natural healing process can take too long. Surgeons must act to reduce the risk
Stem Cell Discovery Brings New Hope for Burn Victims
Scientists have found the stem cells that produce all the different cells of the skin. The discovery offers a promising development for wound repair or skin transplants. Stem cells are original cells that have the potential to regenerate tissue over a lifetime. The skin has three different types of cells — hair follicles, inter follicular epidermis, and moisturizing
Surgical Interventions to Release Burn Swelling
Victims with full thickness burns, as discussed here, on their arms and legs experience tremendous swelling from the fluids necessary to heal. The swelling puts pressure on the nerves and tissues of the healthy sections of the burned limbs. The pressure may cause a complete loss of blood flow and tissue damage to the
Filing A Lawsuit — What Evidence is Needed?
When a person is injured, the initial investigation might not provide all of the answers. For example, when a product such as a Blue Ember gas barbecue grill causes an injury, victims and investigators want to know: “When was the manufacturer first aware of the problem? And, should they have warned earlier about the potential
Dealing with Pain: Virtual Reality Devices Assist Burn Victims
When burn victims are resting (most of the time), opioids (morphine and morphine-related chemicals) are adequate for controlling their burn pain. In sharp contrast, during wound care such as daily bandage changes, wound cleaning, staple removals etc., opioids are not enough, not even close. 
Researchers at Harborview Burn Center in Seattle have developed a
The Burn Pain Myth: “full thickness burns are not painful because the nerves are destroyed”.
Full thickness (third and fourth degree) burn victims suffer pain:
- Nerves may partially function.
- Burns on arms and legs cause swelling and pressure on the nerves and tissues of the healthy sections of the burned limbs.
- Repeated painful interventions to prevent infection and promote healing.
Burn pain worsens over time:
Unlike other types of
Partial Thickness and Full Thickness Burns
Overview of burn depths
Partial thickness burns:
First degree burns (superficial):
- May blister and peel in a few days (ie. sunburn).
- Heals in 3-6 days
- Generally no scarring
- Topical creams provide relief
- Antibiotics not needed
- Drink water
Second degree burns (deeper partial thickness):
- Blisters are typical.
- Heals in 14-21 days.
- Blisters provide