is saltwater good for burns?

Question

I burned my leg about four days ago on the muffler of my b/fs motorcycle. it hurt but seemed fine for two days, i put aloe vera on it (straight from the plant leaf) and that helped, it immediately peeled but the next day it turned black then went back to normal then the next day it turned black again now it is red and looks infected, yellowy-pus like and slightly red and it really hurts, so i've been putting neosporin on it to keep it from being infected and taking ibuprofen and letting it get lots of air. i think its a third degree burn and my muscles ache. i can walk on it but if i stand still it hurts and the only thing that helps is if it's elevated. anyways other than neosporin and aloe vera, what else would help? my boyfriend said saltwater would help heal it a lot so i tried to look it up on the net and couldn't find an answer. anyone else there have a clue?

Answer 1

First off, I've never heard of saltwater as a treatment for a burn. Secondly you need to give that burn some immediate attention. If it's reddened and has yellowish pus coming from it then it's probably infected and needs attention now. If you don't want to seek treatment from your doctor. Then I suggest you clean it with mild soap and water, rinsing it throughly. Then using some peroxide on it. Pat it dry with clean gauze or a clean cloth. After that I'd keep on using the neosporin but use it sparingly. It needs to get some air and scab up. It doesn't sound like a third degree burn but it could be. It sounds more like a second degree burn which can be serious. But not nearly as serious as a third degree burn. Also keep it elevated as this helps reduce swelling. As for the pain, Tylenol or Ibuprofen. If it gets any worse you need to see your doctor immediately. Here's a link for burn care and treatment with good info. The best thing is Silvidine cream but I believe you need a prescription for it. Anyways good luck. Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Salt Water Burns

Answer 3

Saltwater is generally good for drying out something and speeding up the healing but I would recomend seeing a doctor to make sure it isn't infected. Something like that can turn dangerous and something topical oinments are not good for severe burns with the exception of aloe. The Neosporin could be worse for it that not.

Answer 4

I ll tell you how to treat Nair burns and this method works for EVERYBODY. Run some bath water and pour the following items in it: Alcohol, Hydrogen Peroxide, and SALT. Then, sit in the tub for about an hour or so. Not only will this method heal your Nair burns but it will also relieve you of your burning sensation. The ingredients will help prevent any infections.

Answer 5

Yeah, saltwater works for a lot of injuries.

Answer 6

me, personally, I would apply some Lavender essential oil neat. I can tolerate it.

I don't know you so you will have to experiement with it to see if you can tolerate it neat or mix with a carrier oil.



saltwater? I have never heard of that process. salt is a anti-bacterial property so it probably will help keep infections down or eliminated.

Answer 7

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Answer 8

You don't allow e-mail so I'm adding a little something here (this paragraph). My guess is that the reason it seemed fine for two days is that nerves were destroyed (a serious burn) and that stopped you from feeling pain (shortage of good nerves to send pain signals).

A third degree burn is very serious and optimally you should probably see a doctor ASAP if you haven't already. For one, he could probably give you a better idea of whether it is a second degree burn or a third degree burn.

I had trouble with searching at first too. On Yahoo! Search, use:
"salt water" "degree burns"

Before combining "degree" with "burns" it was giving pages that said that salt water burns (burns as a verb rather than a noun).

It seems that gargling salt water might sometimes help with minor mouth burns; maybe this has something to do with the enormous amount of mouth bacteria. But non-mouth first degree and second degree burns seem different, calling for cool, fresh water and not ice or salt water.

I am not certain of the validity of these things and I am unaware of the reasons behind them.

You could also check out: http://ca.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070125223959AA9zRsa

But don't expect everyone necessarily to be right of course.

Before giving Internet info below, one final comment that might not help you anymore depending on your current skin condition: Do NOT make the mistake I made when I scraped my skin after a bicycle fall about 15 years ago. Use things that do NOT stick at all to the injury. Otherwise skin will stick and when you want to remove it, you might lose skin. If you have already made the mistake (using something like cloth), I guess use lots of water to try to remove it gently. A bandaid's pad is an example of using something that WON'T stick (but of course part of the bandaid WILL). Cloth is an example of something that WILL stick.

Now here are some things from the Internet (trust them only at your own risk; sources given BELOW each bunch of info; good luck!):

first-degree burns

signs: Redness of skin, pain, and mild swelling.

treatment: Apply cool, wet compresses, or immerse in cool, fresh water-not ice or salt water. Continue until pain subsides. Leave uncovered.




second-degree burns

signs: Deep reddening of skin. Glossy appearance from leaking fluid. Possible loss of some skin. Blisters.

treatment: Immerse in fresh, cool water-not ice or salt water-or apply cool compresses. Continue for 10 to 15 minutes. Dry with clean cloth and cover with sterile gauze. Do not break blisters. Elevate burned arms or legs. Further medical treatment is required.




third-degree burns

signs: Loss of skin layers. Painless. Skin is dry and leathery. Possible charring of skin edges. Patches of first- and second-degree burns often surround third-degree burns.

treatment: Cover burn lightly with sterile gauze or clean cloth. (Do not use material that can leave lint on the burn.) If face is burned, have person sit up. Watch closely for possible breathing problems. When possible, burned area should be elevated higher than the victim's head. Keep person warm and comfortable, and watch for signs of shock. Immediate medical attention is required.

Source: www.epcs.emory.edu/fire/type-of-burns.html

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The most serious of all are third-degree burns, which require immediate medical attention. Deep and damaging, this burn involves the outer and inner layers of skin and leaves a path of destruction. Hair, nerves, blood vessels, glands, fat, and even muscle and bone can be damaged. The burn appears white or black and is generally painless since nerves have been destroyed. Third-degree burns often result in death, especially when they cover large areas of the body.

Blistering or infected burns, third-degree burns, or chemical and electrical burns require medical attention. For minor household burns, we've got a few home remedies that can treat and help alleviate the symptoms in the next section.

Source: http://www.howstuffworks.com/home-remedies-for-burns.htm/printable

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Second-Degree Burns

Signs: Deep reddening of skin. Glossy appearance from leaking fluid. Possible loss of some skin. Blisters. Treatment: Immerse in fresh, cool water-not ice or salt water-or apply cool compresses. Continue for 10 to 15 minutes. Dry with clean cloth and cover with sterile gauze. Do not break blisters. Elevate burned arms or legs. Further medical treatment is required.

Third-Degree Burns

Signs: Loss of skin layers. Painless. Skin is dry and leathery. Possible charring of skin edges. Patches of first- and second-degree burns often surround third-degree burns.

Treatment: Cover burn lightly with sterile gauze or clean cloth. (Don't use material that can leave lint on the burn.)

If face is burned, have person sit up. Watch closely for possible breathing problems. When possible, burned area should be elevated higher than the victim?s head. Keep person warm and comfortable, and watch for signs of shock. Immediate medical attention is required.

source: www.emory.edu/OXFORD/CampusLife/Departments/Police/fire.html