I didn't realize how sucky burns truly are

[kpzra]

Yeah, burns don't hurt much. That's why when my arm was burned as a kids (1st, 2nd, and some 3rd degree thrown in too) I had to get demerol shots in my butt.

[FormerCallingCardRep]

If it is a workers comp claim, you will get paid by workers comp for your time off. It is called a loss time accident. Keep ahold of all the receipts for what meds you have paid for to turn into workers comp for reimbursement.

If you have any questions on general workers comp questions, I can help you. Just keep in mind that each state has some different rules, but I can probably find them for you.

[kansasgal]

Understandable So did the doc just say sorry or did she actually do something like giving you pain meds that work? Grr. I hate these docs who are so worried about drug seekers they make real pain patients suffer. You can't fake a burn.

Silver sulfonimides like Silvadene are the "gold" standard for treating minor burns. It may discolor the skin, but it's temporary (sorta like when silverware oxidizes).

Follow your doctor's instructions and make sure you keep all follow up appointments. It'll take a while to heal, but should heal fine. Call the doc if you think things are not going well.

Hope you feel better soon!

Nope, no pain meds. She doesn't believe that burns hurt that much, and pain meds are SOO overused, according to her. Fortunately, I called my doc and he gave me pain meds.

I am following her instructions (except yesterday, I overused my foot and am paying for it now) and hope it gets better soon, as I need to return to work..I'm not getting paid for all this time off.

[Sapphire Silk]

Something I learned while dealing with a burn from pouring boiling water down my front (2nd degree burns, not fun) is shaving cream. I had a sensitive skin w/ aloe shaving cream and spilled it on the burn on accident. It felt so much better, I covered the whole thing.

I'm not sure I'd use an aloe shaving cream since that has other stuff in it. But a good aloe gel is great for first degree burns, and 2nd degree as long as the blisters have not popped.

I used to keep an aloe plant in the kitchen and would slice open a leaf and use the sap on minor burns until the gel came out.

Thanks guys for the information and sympathy..I needed it, lol. Panacea, the next time (which will hopefully be a LOONNNNGGG time in the future) that I get burned, I will use water instead of ice. I just grabbed the first thing I could reach, which was the ice machine.

I went back to the doc today, and she asked if the tylenol was working, to which I said no..she said sorry. The first degree burns have healed, but the second degree burns are still being treated, still cannot wear a shoe and have been advised to keep off of my foot.

The burns are right on the top of the arch of my foot, 10 centimeters by 6 centimeters, and on the crease of my ankle in front, 5 centimeters by 3 centimeters. Only two of the blisters have burst, we are treating the burns with silver sulfanimide? and anti-bacterial meds, redoing the bandages twice a day. The pain is less now, but still there.

Understandable So did the doc just say sorry or did she actually do something like giving you pain meds that work? Grr. I hate these docs who are so worried about drug seekers they make real pain patients suffer. You can't fake a burn.

Silver sulfonimides like Silvadene are the "gold" standard for treating minor burns. It may discolor the skin, but it's temporary (sorta like when silverware oxidizes).

Follow your doctor's instructions and make sure you keep all follow up appointments. It'll take a while to heal, but should heal fine. Call the doc if you think things are not going well.

Hope you feel better soon!

[kansasgal]

Thanks guys for the information and sympathy..I needed it, lol. Panacea, the next time (which will hopefully be a LOONNNNGGG time in the future) that I get burned, I will use water instead of ice. I just grabbed the first thing I could reach, which was the ice machine.

I went back to the doc today, and she asked if the tylenol was working, to which I said no..she said sorry. The first degree burns have healed, but the second degree burns are still being treated, still cannot wear a shoe and have been advised to keep off of my foot.

The burns are right on the top of the arch of my foot, 10 centimeters by 6 centimeters, and on the crease of my ankle in front, 5 centimeters by 3 centimeters. Only two of the blisters have burst, we are treating the burns with silver sulfanimide? and anti-bacterial meds, redoing the bandages twice a day. The pain is less now, but still there.

[Elspeth]

what Sparky said with a few swear words thrown in for good measure.

Hope you heal quickly!

[Hanzoku]

Er... is a doctor allowed to refuse to prescribe any sort of painkiller when dealing with 2nd degree burns? I would think that would be some sort of failure to provide proper care.

[Food Lady]

I gasped when I read that because I was picturing your skin coming off. I'm so sorry that happened and that the doc was being a jerk, basically discounting the seriousness of the injury. Keep painkillers in your system--NSAIDs if you can take them--because they will keep down the inflammation, and if you lapse, the pain comes back worse. (I deal with chronic pain and sometimes my spine shifts and injures a nerve. I know from experience to keep it in my system ). I shouldn't tell anyone how much, but I take 800 mg ibuprofen every 4 hours. Of course, that dose has been cleared by my Dr. I think you can also call nurse lines to find out what dose is safe for your height/weight.

[SuperRTL]

Something I learned while dealing with a burn from pouring boiling water down my front (2nd degree burns, not fun) is shaving cream. I had a sensitive skin w/ aloe shaving cream and spilled it on the burn on accident. It felt so much better, I covered the whole thing.

[ArcticChicken]

Another thing that I find helps with burns, injuries of any kind, really, is to find someone who's willing to listen to you while you cry about it.

The basic method is to get someone to sit down with you, and then you pay attention to how much it hurts, and scream and cry 'till you can't take it anymore, then have them distract you. Repeat until it stops hurting.

All my evidence for this is anecdotal, mind you, but I swear that not only do my injuries hurt less when I do this, but they also heal faster with less scarring.

[Bright_Star]

Why didn't you soak your burnt foot in water? That's the FIRST thing you do when you get burned. Putting ice on it makes it worse.

[Sapphire Silk]

Burns are excruciatingly painful, esp 2nd degree.

It is not up to your job when you can go back to work. It is up to the doctor. In most states, once you've seen the WC doc, you can follow up with your own doc if you don't like the WC doc. Check your state regs on this; if allowed, go see your own doc.

Burns like this get infected very easily. Be sure to keep it clean, dry, and covered with a sterile, non-stick dressing. See your doctor at once if you develop a fever.

Also, for future reference . . . avoid putting ice on a burn. Ice freezes tissues, which just makes the damage worse.

Use cold water instead.

Hope you feel better soon!

[kansasgal]

I work in a restaurant at the college I attend, and we use a steamer, which heats the food up before it goes on the line to serve. The cabinet is set to 220 degrees.

I was putting food in the steamer yesterday when the cabinet overflowed onto my leg..I held my pants leg out and then grabbed my shoe and sock and ripped them off of my foot because of the pain..and the skin of my foot came off with it.

2nd degree burns on my foot and ankle. I had my co-worker call the boss in from a meeting while I hobbled out to the front and put ice on my foot, they called HR and then they took me to the Urgent Care clinic that they use for Worker's Comp. Where I was told that the doctor didn't believe in painkillers..that they were overused.

I told her that I DID believe in painkillers, I had a burn over 40% of the top of my foot, and that I NEEDED something to take for the pain. She gave me tylenol.

She also told me that she couldn't say whether I could go back to work or not, that was up to my job, but that I couldn't be on the foot and that I couldn't wear a shoe..REALLY. What gives with Worker's Comp? It's like, well, yes, you are injured, and yes, you are in pain, but we don't believe it really helping.

Fortunately, I had some codeine left from a previous surgery (I keep all my drugs, lol) and was able to sleep last night, but MAN does it hurt! I never realized how much a big burn could hurt....