Burn Treatment Specialist Q & A
If you have sustained a burn injury and require treatment, come to Columbia Clinic Urgent Care. Our professional medical staff is here to help you mend your injury in no time at all. For more information, contact us or book an appointment online. We have convenient locations to serve you at Tibbetts St Portland, Stark Street Portland and Tigard, OR.
Table of Contents:
What is the correct treatment for a burn?
How do doctors treat severe burns?
How long will it take for a burn to go away?
Everyone experiences a burn at some point in their lives. While most are minor and only affect the top layer of skin (1st degree burn), some can penetrate deeper and cause permanent damage if not treated properly. Second degree burns affect the second layer of skin, third degree burns affect the third deepest layer, and fourth degree burns, the most severe, occur deep within the skin and often cause nerve damage.
Burns, even minor ones, can be very painful. A minor burn can take several days to heal, while a more serious burn may only completely heal after several weeks or even a few months.
The burned area may feel tight and hard while it is healing. To prevent loss of motion or loss of function in the area, it is important to continue to move the area as the burn heals.
You have a greater risk of infection when your skin is damaged by a burn. To prevent infection and help the burn heal, keep the wound clean and change the bandages regularly.
Although burns can leave permanent scars, taking good care of the burn as it heals may help prevent bad scarring.
Even though the doctor has checked you carefully, problems can develop later. Get medical treatment right away if you notice any problems or new symptoms.
Follow-up care is an important part of your treatment and for your safety. Be sure to fulfill all of your appointments, and call your doctor or nurse if you are experiencing problems.
Initial care and treatment of burn injuries significantly impacts healing, function, appearance and outcomes. The appurtenant treatment for a burn patient is dependant upon the severity of the burn. For more serious injuries, treatment by a team at a hospital burn center with special capabilities for managing burns is essential for proper treatment and prevention of further complications.
Minor or less serious burns still may require specialized treatment. This is due to common complications likely to develop as a result of the burn, such as infection, joint contracture impairment, scarring and risk of repeated exposure.
Doctors will clean the burn site, dress the wound in a sterile gauze and apply antibiotics. Further specialized care is required for more complicated situations and more severe burns, such as burns affecting a larger area, or burns affecting deep into the layers of skin.
The duration of a burn will depend on its severity. A general guideline is this:
– Superficial burns last three to six days.
– Superficial partial-thickness burns usually heal within three weeks.
– Deep partial-thickness burns usually take longer than three weeks to heal.
– Full-thickness burns only heal at the edges by scarring without skin grafts. A skin graft is an extremely thin layer of skin that is taken from an unburned area and placed on a badly burned area.
If you or someone you know has sustained a burn, come to Columbia Clinic Urgent Care today! Our kind and caring professionals are experienced in treating burns and can help you heal faster! To speak with one of our specialists, contact us or book an appointment online. We serve patients from Tibbetts St Portland, Milwaukie OR, Oak Grove OR, Stark Street Portland, Fairview OR, Happy Valley OR, Gladstone OR, Cedar Mill OR, Tibbetts Street Portland OR, West Linn OR, Aloha OR, Tigard OR, Lake Oswego OR, Tualatin OR, Oregon City OR.