Why does cold water help burns

Annually, 13, burns injuries are so severe that they are treated in hospital. Burns frequently become infected. Scarring can be disfiguring and is often permanent.

Fatalities total people per year in Britain. One third of adult burns are work-related. Thus, working in a dental practice where chemicals are used, there are extra risks to be aware of on top of the usual workplace burns hazards. However, new research has shown that if a burn is treated in the recommended way, damage and scarring can be reduced. Seventy percent of all paediatric burn incidents occur in children under four-years-old.

Children's skin is especially sensitive and thin so a small child can still receive serious burns from a cup of tea that has been made for more than ten minutes. It is vital that children are protected from heat sources and additional measures taken to reduce the risk of burns. Ten percent of burns affect elderly patients and the mortality rate is significantly higher for these cases. As with small children, older people's skin becomes thinner and more friable.

Often, their nerve endings are less sensitive to the dangers too, so they might not immediately notice that they are being burned. Treatment has previously been to hold the affected area under cool running water for at least ten minutes. This has changed; as of May , the latest advice from the Australian research team at their National Centre for Children's Burns - now adopted by the NHS, British Burn Association and more - is to extend the time that the burn should be treated to a full 20 minutes under cool running water.

The previous recommendations were based upon conflicting published studies and an unproven idea of best practice. The burn researchers in Australia have reviewed published studies and undertaken further work to identify the latest advice for optimal burns treatment.

The research supports that effective treatment of burns ie following the steps given above will significantly reduce tissue damage, hasten wound re-epithelialisation and reduce scarring. Interestingly, research done in the past has had conflicting results and this is partly due to the types of animal used to conduct testing.

Many studies chose rodents as their models, as rats and mice are easily available in laboratories and comparatively cheap to experiment with. However, rodents' skin heals differently to humans as rather than the human process of wound re-epithelialisation skin cell rebuilding , rodent wounds heal via contraction. Studies have often been short-term - so they have failed to consider long-term scar formation.

Current patients are often highly concerned about scar visibility. Decreased requirement for grafting and scar management. It is not clear yet whether the treatment is more effective under running water, or whether the use of a large quantity of continually-refreshed water would also prove beneficial.

However, immersion in a bowl or sink will warm over time. Practically, it is normally easiest to place the burned area under cool running water such as a tap. Wet towels refreshed every three minutes and water spray have been shown to be less effective. The water should preferably be drinkable, to reduce risk of wound infection. Although ice water may be more beneficial for wound outcome including re-epithelialisation and cosmetic appearance , it has frequently led to cases of serious and potentially fatal hypothermia, particularly with larger surface area burns.

However, studies have not yet been conducted on larger animals to test this, so currently cool water remains the recommended temperature for the treatment of burns. This is another area in which previous research has been conflicting and confusing - as recommended times have ranged from 30 minutes to three hours! Studies have shown that the optimal time to run the burn under cool running water is for a full 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, there does not appear to be any further benefit.

People often continue treating their burn to relieve pain. The advice now is to treat the pain separately if it persists, with paracetamol or other analgesia. If for some reason treatment to the burn is delayed: immediate treatment is recommended to reduce tissue damage and help reduce pain. But there is a lot of controversy about how long after the injury treatment can retain effectiveness. Recent studies have shown that even if treatment is delayed for between one to three hours, running the burn under cool running water is still beneficial, improving wound re-epithelialisation and decreasing the amount of scar tissue.

Thirty-seven percent of UK fire departments use water gels instead of cool running water. Seventy-six percent use them in addition to cool running water. Viscous liquid from the gel can interfere with the burn. They may be useful in areas or situations where it is not possible to treat the burn under cool running water. Whilst studies have yet to confirm whether aloe vera could be effective in treating superficial burns and providing pain relief, it has been shown to have no beneficial effect on deeper burns.

Therefore, it is not recommended as a treatment. Cool running water should be run over the affected area for a full 20 minutes. The treatment should be started as quickly as possible ideally within ten minutes. Having taken the recommended precautions, you'll need to decide whether to go to hospital and receive further treatment. The casualty should be monitored for signs of hypothermia; try to keep the casualty warm whilst cooling the burn.

Is showing signs of shock rapid breathing, weakness and dizziness, cold, clammy skin or sweating. These symptoms may be delayed and could indicate damage to the airway, which is extremely serious. Remove the casualty from danger, treat any obvious burns and seek medical attention immediately. Dental professionals must be particularly aware of the danger and treatment of chemical burns. Chemical burns can be caused by acids or bases. This form of treatment has advantages in emergency care for lesser burns, since it is easily available, inexpensive, humane, and promptly effective.

Shulman AG. Coronavirus Resource Center. Our website uses cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing to use our site, or clicking "Continue," you are agreeing to our Cookie Policy Continue. Twitter Facebook. This Issue. August 27, Shulman, M. To properly cool and clean a burn, remove any clothing that covers it.

This may cause more damage to the underlying skin. The best thing to do for a minor burn is to cool it off by running the burned area under cool water for about 5 minutes.

You can also apply a clean, cool, wet cloth. Then clean the area using mild soap, and apply topical antibiotic cream to protect the area from infection. You can cover the area with a sterile, non-stick dressing.

You can take over-the-counter acetaminophen or ibuprofen to ease the inflammation and the pain. Should you ice it to cool it down?