Really bad burn. ouch!

[Brittney]

So i am typing with one hand due to my other hand having no feeling whatsoever.

i was making some pasta today around 2:00 this afternoon and after i got the noodles to the right doneness i went to strain them. i grabbed the pot handle with a mitt because they are stainless steel and get quite hot. I almost dropped the pot so instinctively i went to grab it with my left hand which was uncovered .. i didn't feel it until it was on there for at least a good 2 seconds. i dropped the pan luckily in the sink. i looked at my hand and it had turned white and blistered instantly. i ran it under cool water for a good 20 minutes and then cleaned it with antibacterial soap dried it and took some advil. it is 6:30 now and the pain is horrible and the blisters are getting bigger. i know you arent supposed to ice burns as it shocks the skin and nerves or pop blisters as it can lead to infection but this pain is unbearable has anyone been burnt like this. my whole left palm is a giant blister and i cant even feel anything when touched other than pressure and stinging.

any help or remedies. thanks

 

[Rickman]

GET THE BURNS ON ICE RIGHT NOW!!
I did that once, and it barely blistered!!!

 

[Jenn]

I remember when I worked in a pizza restaurant during my highschool years, that a pizza pan fell on the floor that had just come out of the oven. Without thinking, I reached down and picked it up. I burned my entire palm and fingers and never before had felt so much pain! I can't remember how I treated it, except plenty of cold water and ice.

 

[Brittney]

ouch. ive just been keeping a bowl of cold water handy. soaking it for a few seconds seems to help a bit but not enough. if it isnt better by the am ill make a trip to the er for propper treatment.

 

[AZChins]

I know that I always run cold water over my hand if I burn it at all, that won't help much now. Definitely keep icing your hand.

You poor thing. You didn't need ANOTHER thing to happen right now. I'm so sorry. Take it easy and I hope that you heal up quickly.

 

[Brittney]

I finally gave in and iced it. it feels better mainly because I can't feel anything anymore

I have a urine culture lab tomorrow in class. maybe I can sit that one out.:hmm:

I'm just a walking disaster this month. First the flu, then I take off the right mirror on my car backing out of the garage and now i caught a hot pot. i may need to stay in a padded room for a few more days...

 

[alpayton]

I absolutely disagree with the icing of a burn. Putting ice on a burn can cause frostbite and further tissue damage - especially since the nerves in the skin that sense things are hot/cold and tell you to get away from the hot/cold are already damaged. One of the things they taught us in nursing school about burns is the most serious of burns are painless (nerves are so severely damaged they don't "feel" anything anymore). If I were you, I wouldn't wait until morning to go to the ER...that blister is not going anywhere anytime soon, that is unless you accidentally pop it in your sleep tonight.

With a burn as big as the one you're describing, you really need a doc to prescribe some Silvadene cream and other proper treatments.

 

[AnimalsR4Me]

Silvadene cream is my life line. I'm forever burning myself at my 2nd job, with the grease and grabbing things off of a grill(I'm a cook) and I always have silvadene savv on my hands at the end of the night. I generally run my hands under luke warm water to get the grease off, and to help take away some of the sting, and then I will put some silvadene savv on it, and wrap it very loosely, just to keep things from getting into/onto it. Silvadene will help take away some of the burning sensation, but it won't make it go away entirely, but it will feel better. I would go to the doctor as well.

 

[Rickman]

It's my understanding that if you put ice on it immediatly after burning yourself, it stops further tissue damage, and actually promotes healing!
My wife is a surgical nurse and would have to get into burn victims occasionally, at the University of Chicago. Also worked in the burn unit at Loyola University.
I burned my thumb pretty bad once, held an ice cube directly on it for a couple hours, [at my wife's insistance] and it barely blistered! Minor pain! Peeled in a week, healed in 3!
Worked for me!

 

[BooBoo*TheKiddo*]

Ouchie. Sounds painful. sorry!

I'm with Amanda, I wouldn't put ice on it. You should just go to the doctor and have it looked at

 

[Brittney]

I went to the doctor this morning. I have a pretty severe 2nd degree burn but no 3rd degree burns. They just cleaned it really well, dressed it up and put me on antibiotics. It doesn't sting anymore but I am starting to regain feeling in my hand so it is a little bit tender. Looks like I will live though.

 

[nicky]

How is your hand today? Did you see a doctor yet? It is not recommended to put ice on burns. I am also a nurse and I agree with Amanda. It can cause frost bite and further damage to tissue. Cool water is ok, but not cold. There is a very high risk of infection with burns. As long as it is blistered and the skin is not broken the infection risk is very low. The best way to treat a second degree burn (that's what you're descibing) is to wrap it for protection in an attempt to keep the blister from popping and leave it alone. Once a blister pops it is a break in the skin and will allow bacteria to enter. The goal with a blister is to allow the body to naturally reabsorb the fluid. Sometimes Doctors will prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection, but usually do that if it's an open second degree or with 3rd degree burns. Good luck. I hope your hand feels better. And if it does open ask the doctor to prescribe silvadene cream. It really does do wonders to burns with open skin! It'll help it heal and feel better much quicker. Good luck!

 

[nicky]

Oh, sorry Brittney! You must have been typing at the same time as me! LOL. I'm glad to hear that your hand feels a little bit better. It'll clear up in no time.

 

[AZChins]

I'm sorry, Brittney! I

I'm going to have to remember that about the burns. Is it alright to run cool water over a burn immediately after? For some reason I always had it in my head that it is a good idea to cool down a burn as soon as possible to dissipate the heat so it won't cause further damage.

 

[suzi1780]

ouch that really sucks, but glad you are feeling better today

 

[SusieJJ]

When I moved into an apartment I got stainless steel pots and pans and had gas for the first time. So after I boiled some pasta and went to strain it, I just picked up the handle like I always did at home (with coated handles and electric heat). OUCH! The same thing happened to me with the white, then HUGE blister covering half my hand. I ran cold water on it, called my mom and she said to run cold water on it--no ice, no butter (which my father was suggesting from the backround ). She also said to spray some bactine on it. That helped a lot--because it has the anti pain stuff in it too. Took some advil, then my boyfriend went out and got me some aloe gel stuff that had that pain reliever in it too. So I just kept putting that on, and putting cool washcloths on it--which would become warm fast! my palm stayed pretty hot all night and hurt so bad. I know that pain! Not fun!

Glad you're feeling better! And in case you're wondering, the swelling/blistering went down eventually AND all the marks My palm looks totally normal now

 

[alpayton]

I'm sorry, Brittney! I

I'm going to have to remember that about the burns. Is it alright to run cool water over a burn immediately after? For some reason I always had it in my head that it is a good idea to cool down a burn as soon as possible to dissipate the heat so it won't cause further damage.

Yes, cool running water (tap, not a river) is fine to cool a burn. Ice, however, is NOT.

 

[Melissa]

My dad is a firefighter paramedic and you are never to put ice on a burn. He has been burned and treats burn victims before they even reach the hospital.. And has worked trauma and dealt with a lot of burns there too..

You run cool..not cold water and never put creams, butter, toothpaste or anything like that on a burn.. Creams and stuff like that will "cook" your skin more, only making your burn worse.

Glad to hear your hand is doing better.. Ive had 2nd degree burns on my hand too.. Similar way you got yours.. Cooking ramen soup and trying to pour it in a bowl and it spilled and I tried to catch the noodles and water. I had this funky ring on and the hot water burned the shape of the ring into and around my finger.. It blistered in the shape too and a noodle wrapped around my hand and wrist and I had a long skinny noodle shaped blister there too..

Resist the urge to pop the blister.. I had a doctor tell me one time it was ok to pop them as long as you keep them clean and covered after... but Ive heard others say to leave them alone.