The bustling metropolis of Chicago, Illinois, is one of the busiest transit areas on earth. In addition to regular flights to and from O‘hare Airport, there are trains, buses, trucks, SUV’s and cars transporting people and goods between residences, businesses and recreational destinations throughout each day. The sheer volume of individuals involved means that there are also a high number of accidents, some of which involve serious injuries and wrongful death.
Some of the injuries are burns. Anyone who is in an accident and suffers burns should seek comprehensive medical treatment immediately, even if they feel like it isn’t very serious. Burns can do serious damage, so that determination needs to be made by a qualified medical professional. That professional can tell you if the burn is first-degree, second-degree or third-degree, as well as the corresponding treatment that will be needed.
A first-degree burn only affects the outer layer of the skin, which is called the epidermis. A sunburn is an example of a first-degree burn. These burns tend to heal on their own in about a week.
Second-degree burns are more severe and damage a deeper layer of the body called the dermis. Because of that, second-degree burns can require a skin graft, which is natural or artificial skin that covers and protects the damaged area while it heals. They often leave scars.
Third-degree burns are even worse than second-degree burns, burning deeper into the body. They always require skin grafts. Third-degree burns, like second-degree burns, require long-term medical care.
When a person suffers burns, their body will have natural reactions, like inflammation. However, extreme burns are more damaging than the body can compensate for, and that can result in the person with the burns going into shock. There can also be interference with the flow of oxygen in the body and with fluid retention, both of which can cause severe damage if not treated immediately. For all those reasons, seeking medical attention immediately is critical.
Source: National Institute of General Medical Sciences, “Burns,” accessed Jan. 05, 2018