Burns & its Homoeopathic Management

A burn is a tissue injury from thermal heat or cold application or from the absorption of physical energy or chemical contact.
Burns are classified as follows.
Scalds - Result from partial-thickness or deep dermal skin loss.
Fat burns - Usual full-thickness skin loss.
Flame burn - Patches of partial and full thickness.
Electrical burns - Full thickness with deep extensions.
Cold injury - Ice formation, tissue freezing, vasospasm.
Friction burns - Heat plus abrasion.
Ionising radiation - Early tissue necrosis, late or tissue dysplastic change.
Chemical burn - Inflammation, tissue necrosis, systemic effects.

Burn depth depends, in thermal injury upon:

<BLOCKQUOTE>-The temperature of the burning agent.
-The mode of transmission of heat.
-The duration of the contact.

</BLOCKQUOTE>
Superficial burns :
The have the ability to heal themselves by epithelisation above. Epidermal burns look red, are painful, blisters are not present, and they heal rapidly without sequel. Superficial dermal burns are, blistered and painful they should by epithelisation within 14 days without scarring, but sometimes leave long-term pigmentation changes.

Deep burns :
These have lost all adnexal structures and if left can only heal by second intention
with scarring they may be blistered and have a blotchy red appearance with no capillary return on pressure and absent sensation on pinprick.

Effect of burn injury :
Local effects
Tissue damage - cell necrosis or direct cell rupture.
Inflammation - cellulitis.
Infection - by Beta haemolytic streptococci, Septicemia, Bacteremia.

Regional problems in burns :
Circulation - Damage to limb vessel in high tension electrical burn causing oedema and leads to venous obstruction.

Systemic Effects :
Fluid loss.
Multiple organ failure of renal or hepatic function or heart failure.
Inhalation injury – inhalation of products of combustion or a hot gases causes thermal burn to various part of upper respiratory track and chemical burn to the bronchial tree and lungs.
Systemic complications – occurs in association with burns such as Curling’s (gastric or duodenal) ulcer that may result in acute haematemesis, urinary tract infection, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, septic complications.

Clinical Features / Effects of Burn Injury :
Pain – immediate, acute and intense in superficial burns. Little pain in deep burns.
Acute anxiety – severe at the time of injury.
Fluid loss and dehydration – tachycardia from fluid loss
Local tissue oedema – superficial burns with blisters and deeper burns develops oedema in subcutaneous spaces.
Special sites – Eyes may be involved in explosion injury or chemical burns and nasal airway, mouth and upper airway in inhalation injury.
Coma.

Management :
General Management :
First aid

Stop the burning process.
Cool the burned surface immediately for 20 minutes.
Emergency examination performs the order of priorities in the management of a major burn injuries.

A – airway maintenance
B – breathing and ventilation
C – circulation
D – disability, neurological status
E – exposure and environment control – keep warm.
F – fluid resuscitation

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