Whether you’ve suffered a bad sunburn, been scalded by hot liquid, or burned your arm on the BBQ grill, each and every burn should be carefully monitored.

Determining if you need to seek medical attention for a burn is difficult because they do tend to hurt badly, and for a long time. To help us with this, doctors classify burns based on degrees – the higher the degree of the burn, the more likely medical attention is necessary.

Two exceptions to this rule exist:

1) If any type of burn happens to someone very young or very old, a medical professional should be consulted.

2) If any type of burn covers a large area, especially a sensitive one, such as the face, groin, or buttocks, this should be evaluated by a medical professional.

Burns by Degree

The degree of the burn is determined by how much of the skin is damaged.

• First-degree burns only damage the outer layer of skin. The first-degree burn will be painful and red, but won’t have blisters. Most sunburns are first-degree burns. Many first-degree burns can be treated at home.
• Second-degree burns are often identified by the blisters that form on the skin. With second-degree burns, both the top layer of skin, and the layer underneath (the dermis) are damaged. Skin will often be swollen, and appear red, shiny, and wet. Quick Care Med providers can evaluate your burn and recommend treatment.
• Third-degree burns have damaged two full layers of skin, and likely destroyed nerve endings. Instead of red, this type of burn will often be brown, white, or yellow. Due to the destroyed nerves, the burn will not hurt as much as the first two, but will require treatment at an emergency room
• Fourth-degree burns are the most serious and are life-threatening. This type of burn not only destroys skin, but also muscles, tendons, and bones.

Treatment for Burns

• For treatment of minor, or first-degree burns, run the burn under cool water for five to 15 minutes, or apply a cool compress to the burn
• Antibiotic ointment may be applied to the burn
• DO NOT USE ice, butter, or other oils on the burn
• Cream containing aloe may help soothe the burning feeling
• Cover the burn with a non-stick gauze
• DO NOT pop blisters. If blisters pop on their own, clean the area, apply antibiotic ointment and keep covered
• Take over-the-counter acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain
Always keep an eye out for infections. If a burn is oozing, getting redder, or appears to be getting worse, visit Quick Care Med right away for assistance.

A Note About Sunburn

Many think of sunburn as just a part of living in Florida, but sunburns can be severe just like any other type of burn.
If a sunburn blisters, or is accompanied by fever and chills, it should be evaluated and treated by a Quick Care Med provider.

To avoid sunburn:

• Apply sunscreen of at least 30 SPF AT LEAST 20 MINUTES before going outside. Sunscreen takes that long to soak into your skin and offer protection. If you apply sunscreen once you’re outside, you can burn in the 20 minutes it takes for it to begin working. Reapply after swimming or every 2 hours
• Wear protective clothing whenever you have to be in the sun. Hats with wide brims, gauzy, breathable fabrics, and sunglasses will help protect you from the harmful rays
• Avoid being in direct sunlight when the sun is directly overhead – between the hours of 10am and 3pm
• Remember that sunburn can occur even on cloudy days, so if you’re outside, it’s best to be protected

The post Does This Burn Require Medical Treatment? appeared first on Quick Med Care.

It is important that every business have a healthcare partner for their occupational health needs that can be counted on to give fair and unbiased assessments with regards to physicals, drug screenings, and worker’s compensation claims.

Quick Care Med’s medical practitioners are highly-trained professionals that can handle your employee medical needs discretely and efficiently, without taking up too much of the employee’s time.

Services Available to Employers

• Pre-employment Physicals and Annual Physicals – ensure that your employees are fit for their positions, and are taking care of their health.
• Drug Screen Testing – Drug and alcohol abuse cost employers millions each year. An impaired employee can cause workplace safety issues, lead to reduced productivity, and increase both turnover and healthcare costs. It is in the best interest of a business leader to conduct random drug testing to provide the safest workplace possible for all of your employees.
• DOT Exams – Our providers in every one of our locations are DOT accredited. We’re ready to provide a comprehensive DOT exam, and employees can get the DOT Physical and Medical Card the same day! We can get employees in and out quickly, and will even accept appointments for DOT exams on request.
• Worker’s Compensation Claims – We can save you a significant amount of money by keeping your injured workers out of the emergency room while providing top-quality care, and with the focus of returning the employee to work. Our medical professionals will make an accurate assessment of the employee’s injuries, document everything as required by your worker’s compensation insurance carrier, and refer the employee to specialists, if that is necessary. Our office staff is well-trained in worker’s compensation requirements and will file all necessary documents in a timely and efficient manner. We will treat your employees with the same compassion and respect that we give all of our patients, and we will get them back to work just as soon as they are able. Plus, with locations all around the area, there’s probably a Quick Care Med clinic close to your employee right now.

Don’t see the service you’re looking for? No Problem! We are happy to create custom employer programs to match your needs. All you have to do is ask!

Let’s get started in a partnership today! To speak with someone, email your company name and inquiring services to info@quickcaremed.com or leave us a comment below to be contacted by a member of our Occupational Health Solutions Team.

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