In fact, burns are a serious medical disorder and are not easy to treat. Because the skin tissue, which is the body's first line of defense, has been damaged by the burn, your chances of getting an infection are greatly increased. If the burn is already infected, immediately see a doctor to get a diagnosis and appropriate medical treatment. In some severe cases, you may need to be treated in a hospital. But don't worry, most minor burns and infections can be treated at home.
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Method 1 of 3: Performing Medical Treatment
Step 1. Check with a doctor
If you suspect your burn has an infection, see a doctor immediately. Your doctor can prescribe appropriate medications and recommend wound care methods that you can do at home. If the infection is severe enough, you will most likely need to be treated in a hospital.
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Some of the symptoms of infection in burns are:
- Fever
- Increased pain intensity
- Swollen and reddened wounds
- Wounds that ooze pus
- The appearance of red streaks in the burned area
- If you find any signs of infection, contact your doctor immediately. Be careful, infections can easily transform into serious health problems and even threaten your life!
Step 2. Test the wound culture to diagnose infection
In fact, the type of bacteria, fungus, or virus that infects the wound will largely determine the method of treatment that needs to be done. To give a proper diagnosis, the doctor will usually take a sample of the wound and test it in a laboratory to get a culture of the wound. This procedure will make it easier for the doctor to identify the type of organism that infects the wound and determine the most appropriate type of antibiotic.
Most likely, the doctor will perform the procedure if your infection is severe or chronic, or if the doctor wants to evaluate the treatment you are currently taking
Step 3. Apply the ointment prescribed by the doctor
Most burns are treated with a cream or gel that is applied directly to the wound. The type of topical medication used depends on the type of bacteria, fungus, or virus that infects the wound. However, most doctors will prescribe Sivadene cream, mafenide acetate, and silver sulfadiazine.
- Do not use silver sulfadiazine if you have an allergy to sulfonamides. Instead, try replacing it with an ointment containing zinc-bacitracin.
- Generally, doctors will not prescribe oral medications (such as pills) to treat burns. Instead, the doctor will prescribe a cream to apply to the infected area, once or twice a day.
Step 4. Cover the wound with a silver bandage (silver dressing)
In fact, silver contains antibacterial substances and serves to prevent the spread of infection, and reduce swelling. Although your doctor may prescribe a cream that contains silver, you can also try bandaging the wound with a silver bandage, such as ATICOAT, while you are undergoing treatment.
- The bandage should be changed every three or seven days.
- Follow your doctor's instructions on how to use and remove the bandage carefully.
Method 2 of 3: Treating Burns at Home
Step 1. Keep the injured area clean
Prioritize this step, whether infected or not. However, if the wound becomes infected, you should follow the doctor's instructions regarding the appropriate method of cleaning and caring for the wound. Maybe you need to clean or soak the wound with water, maybe not.
- If the wound is infected and open, your doctor will likely ask you to soak the injured area in a mixture of 1 liter of warm water with 2 tablespoons. salt for 20 minutes, two to three times per day. If you want, you can also compress the wound with a warm, wet towel.
- If you want to use the wet towel method, make sure the towel is sterilized before and steeped in use. To make the process easier, you can replace the role of the towel with a disposable sterile cloth.
- Sometimes, hydrotherapy is carried out in the rehabilitation stage to clean wounds that have or are healing. Since this method is quite controversial, it is unlikely that doctors will recommend it. In addition, the pathogens contained in the water are also at risk of exacerbating the condition of your infection.
Step 2. Apply honey to the injured area
You certainly know that honey is very useful for accelerating wound healing, killing bacteria, and reducing swelling. Therefore, try to consult the use of honey to treat wounds naturally.
Step 3. Make sure you only use the ointment prescribed by your doctor
If your doctor prescribes a medicated ointment or cream to apply to the infected area, make sure you use it as directed. Never use over-the-counter antibiotic creams without your doctor's approval! Remember, the type of antibiotic used must match the type of bacteria that infects your wound.
Step 4. Avoid activities that can irritate the wound
Your limitations in movement will depend on the severity and location of the injury. Therefore, try to avoid any form of activity that puts pressure on the wound or makes your wound painful.
For example, if the burned area is your right hand, avoid activities that require your right hand, such as typing or grasping an object. Instead, use your left hand
Step 5. Take painkillers
If the infected area is painful, try taking an over-the-counter pain reliever such as acetaminophen. To deal with pain with a very high intensity, the doctor will most likely prescribe a more potent pain reliever.
Do not take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, which can slow the healing process of the infection
Method 3 of 3: Reducing the Risk of Complications
Step 1. Immediately see a doctor if your condition worsens
Fever, vomiting, and dizziness are symptoms of blood poisoning and toxic shock syndrome (TS), both of which can be fatal. If you experience any or all of these three symptoms, contact your doctor or other emergency services immediately!
Step 2. Get a tetanus shot
Tetanus is a serious type of infection that causes progressive muscle spasms and can be fatal if treated too late. Although tetanus toxin generally enters the body through deeper wounds, you are still at risk if you have an open wound of any kind on the surface of the skin. Therefore, see a doctor to check whether or not you need to have a tetanus shot, and whether your body has received the latest vaccine.
- If you've had a tetanus shot before and your wound is clean, chances are your doctor will still ask you to update your vaccine if the last vaccination process took place more than 10 years ago. However, if the wound is very dirty or susceptible to tetanus toxin, you should get a tetanus shot if the last vaccination was 5 years or more.
- If you have never had a tetanus shot before, your doctor will most likely give you an initial dose of vaccination. After that, you should re-vaccinate at 4 weeks and 6 months after the first vaccination process.
- If you have trouble remembering the last time you had a tetanus shot, there's nothing wrong with going back to it just in case.
Step 3. Do physical therapy
If the presence of an infected wound restricts your movement, your doctor will most likely ask you to do physical therapy. In the therapy process, the therapist will guide you to move and process the body in a safe and painless way. By doing physical therapy, surely the range of body movement will be wider after your infection has healed.
Step 4. Do not peel or puncture any blisters or scabs
It is normal for blisters and scabs to form on infected burns and recover slowly. When that time comes, never peel, squeeze, or puncture any blisters and/or scabs that form. Instead, apply an antibacterial ointment to the blister or scab area, then immediately cover it with a clean, dry bandage.
Step 5. Consult a doctor before applying moisturizer to the injured area
Many people apply aloe vera gel and calendula oil to burns to reduce the chance of scarring. However, this method actually cannot be applied to burns that are already infected because of the risk of making the skin more irritated. Therefore, any infection should be treated before you apply any moisturizer to the injured area.
