On Sat, 12 Jun 2004 20:42:53 -0400, "Bob (this one)" >
wrote:

>
>
>> Bob, how long ago did this occur? I can definitely tell you that
>> keeping a body part on ice for four hours is not taught anymore for
>> burn treatment. Cold water until the burning sensation subsides
>
>About 10 years ago. I wasn't taught anything about burn treatment, I
>saw that this thing worked, so I did it.
>
>I don't mean this to sound as brusque as it seems, but I can tell you
>that being burned is an excruciating pain and anything that stops it
>is fine with me.
>
>I kept the hand cold until it didn't hurt anymore; not always in ice.
>First, ice, then ice water and then cold tap water. Then, when it
>didn't hurt any more, I stopped.
>
>> is all you need, don't use ice as it can cause further tissue
>> death.
>
>I guess I didn't understand the potential for that, but at that time,
>I didn't care if I lost some tissue as long as I didn't have to endure
>the pain. She told me to keep it cold but to give it a breather every
>few minutes. That's when I could find out if it was still painful.
>While it was hurting, I kept it cold. After it wasn't, I stopped.

That is the right thing to do, just alternate between the cooling and
not cooling.

>
>That hot oil on the back of my hand was astoundingly painful; it
>literally hurt so badly that I couldn't breathe or talk for a while.
>Found myself trembling as the shock began to wear off; not from the
>cold on my hand. The burn covered the area between my wrist and the
>beginning of my fingers, side to side; a good 4 inches by 4 inches
>splashed with hot oil.
>
>I kept it cold until it didn't hurt anymore and unless there's a
>better way to deal with it, would do exactly the same today. I just
>wanted that literally searing pain to stop. I've had some very serious
>injuries in my life, but nothing hurt as bad as that burn.

When they don't hurt you are really in trouble....

>
>> Burn treatment has evolved quite a bit in the last few years....
>
>What's suggested nowadays? It's not a subject I keep up on. Probably
>ought to look into it.

My earlier post is the recommended home treatment for superficial and
partial thickness burns without the skin being broken...take a look
and see if that makes sense, cooling too long or with material that is
too cold is worse than not cooling at all. By immediate cooling you
reduce the tissue degradation...

>
>Pastorio