Burns are one of the most common injuries on an individual’s body is burns that are caused due to household injuries. Burns are characterized as severe skin damages on the skin that can cause the cells in the affected to die. Mostly, people easily recover from burn injuries without any medical help or serious health consequences. But, this depends on the causes and the degree of burns. Severe burn injuries require immediate medical treatment to avoid an emergency. In this article, we bring you some effective remedies to treat a burn.
Intensity of Burns:
Primarily, there are3 different intensities or levels of burn injuries, ranging from level one to level three. The severity and intensity of the injury increases, with every level, marking 1st as the most basic and 4th as the most severe burn injury that can even lead to death, in a very few and rare cases only.
First-degree burns: Here the affected area becomes red, but no blisters develop on the site.
Second-degree burns: Here small blisters are witnessed on the site of an injury. Some of them even tend to blow up like a balloon with water filled inside.
Third-degree burns: Here the site of an injury is witnessed with widespread thickness and a white, leathery appearance. These are the dead skin cells.
Fourth-degree burns: The symptoms are similar to the third-degree burns, but can even extend beyond, causing the skin to melt with visible tendons and bones.
Common Causes of Burns:
- Scalding from hot fluids.
- Chemical reactions.
- Burns caused due to direct contact with an electrical current.
- Fire from a gas stove, matchsticks, candles etc.
- Excessive exposure to the sun.
Complications Caused Due to a Burn Injury:
Risks for complications include:
- Infections
- Blood loss.
- Shock, which often leads to death.
- Burn marks.
- Tetanus: that is a bacterial infection affecting the nervous system. This eventually leads to muscle contractions.
- Hypothermia and Hypovolemia.
- Dangerously low body temperatures.
- Hypovolemia, or low blood volume. This occurs when your body loses too much blood.
Natural Remedies to Treat a Burn
Contents
1.) Tea Bags to Treat a Burn
Tea bags have tannic acid, which helps to draw the heat from the area while keeping it cool and burn free. This makes it an excellent remedy to treat a burn effectively.
DIY-
- Simply soak 2-3 tea-bags in chilled water.
- Dab the soaked tea bag on the burning site.
- Keep on replacing the tea bags after they get warm.
- As an alternative, you can also freeze a few tea bags instead of soaking.
- Place it on the affected area to treat a burn effectively.
2.) Oats to Treat a Burn
Burns can be itchy after healing, this is due to dryness on the site. Oats will help to keep the area moist and prevent dryness, thus helping to initiate a speedy recovery and treat a burn effectively.
DIY-
- Simply soak a few breakfast cereal in your bathtub and add a cup of crumbled oatmeals.
- Fill the bath with lukewarm water.
- Soak yourself in this for at least half an hour.
- This will help to treat a burn, giving the wounds a speedy recovery.
3.) Ice Cubes to Treat a Burn
The ice cube trick is a very effective home remedy to treat a burn. This is because it helps to draw heat from the site and provide instant relief from inflammation and burning sensation caused on the skin’s surface due to burns. It is also the best remedy to treat tongue burns, as no other ointment can be used for such burns.
DIY-
- Simply place a few ice cubes on a thin and clean washcloth.
- Wrap it up and place it on the affected area.
- Continue doing this until the ice cubes completely melt.
- Repeat the remedy until the inflammation is completely gone from the site.
- In the case of tongue burns, place an ice cube on your tongue and let it slowly melt.
- You can also freeze a few fresh fruit wedges and such on them to treat a burn on your tongue.
4.) Vinegar to Treat a Burn
One of the most common and easily available home remedies is Vinegar. This is because it is mostly available in every household. It is also known to provide an instant relief from the burning sensations, thus helping to treat a burn quickly and effectively. Vinegar has astringent and also potent natural antiseptic properties that help to prevent any secondary infection.
DIY-
- Simply soak a cotton ball in organic vinegar.
- Dab it on the affected area.
- Let the skin soak the fluid.
- Repeat the remedy thrice daily until the burn is completely cured.
- This proves excellent to treat a burn and initiate a speedy recovery.
5.) Aloe Vera to Treat a Burn
Aloe vera is among all the other popular remedies that help to treat a burn. It is because of its natural anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties that help to relieve pain and fight infection, thus giving a soothing effect to the burn site. Aloe vera also keeps the area moist thus, preventing the itching caused due to dryness.
DIY-
- Simply scoop out the gel from a fresh aloe leaf.
- Use a cotton ball to apply this gel to the affected area.
- Let the skin absorb the gel, and do not wash it off.
- Repeat the remedy thrice daily.
- This will help you to treat a burn by giving the wounds a speedy recovery.
- Antiseptic creams rich in aloe vera can also be applied to the affected area.
6.) Lemon Juice to Treat a Burn
Lemon juice is known as an effective home remedy to treat minor burn injuries. Also, the juice contains a few natural acidic compounds, which can help to lighten the scars left behind due to severe burn injuries. On the other hand coconut oil, is rich in vitamin E and fatty acids like myristic acid, lauric acid, and capric acid. In addition, the natural antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-oxidizing and anti-bacterial properties to be a great combination to treat a burn. Vitamin E also helps to prevent the scarring left behind after treating the wounds.
DIY-
- Simply dilute lemon juice and apply to the burns.
- You can also rub coconut oil to the affected area.
- Repeat the remedy until the burns are completely healed.
- You can also continue using them the wounds are healed.
- This will help to wear off the nasty scars that are left behind.
7.) Raw Potato to Treat a Burn
Raw potatoes are rich in vitamin C that eventually helps to treat a burn and remove the nasty burn marks. It helps to treat minor skin burns, and due to the natural anti-irritating properties, it also relieves the burning sensation and pain. Regular application can even lower the risk of blister formation on the site.
DIY-
- Simply peel a raw potato and rub on the affected area.
- Repeat the application until the burn completely heals.
- This will help to treat burns by speeding up the healing process.
- As an alternative, you can also grate a raw potato and extract the juice.
- Soak the affected area in this juice.
- Use a cotton ball to apply this juice to the affected area.
- Repeat the remedy until the burn completely heals.
8.) Egg Whites to Treat a Burn
Eggs are rich in Vitamin E and also possess natural healing properties that work best to treat burns and the nasty scars that are left behind after the wounds completely heal. You may not be familiar with the effects but, eggs are a popular natural remedy to treat a burn effectively.
DIY-
- Simply separate the egg white and collect in a bowl.
- Use a cotton ball to apply the egg whites on the affected area.
- Continue with the application unless the wound completely cures.
- You can also use it after the wound is cured, this will help to remove the nasty burn scars.
Preventing the Burns:
- Keep the children away from inflammable stuff.
- Keep the pot handles away from you to avoid accidental spilling of its content on you.
- Always keep a fire extinguisher ready.
- Test smoke detector every month and replace them after every interval of their lifespan.
- Always keep a check on electrical outlets and switchboards.
- Discard the electrical cords with exposed wires.
- Wear sunscreen and avoid peak sunlight as much as possible.
- Clean the dryer lint traps, regularly.