Chemical burn

A Chemical burn occurs when the skin or other parts of the body come into contact with chemical or organic solutions that cause a damaging reaction. Chemical burns usually leave deep wounds, cause severe pain and, especially in drastic cases, require professional treatment.

What is a chemical burn?

From one Chemical burn In specialist medicine, one speaks when the skin, the mucous membranes or the tissue of the body come into contact with a chemical or organic substance, such as alkalis and acids.

Depending on the composition and concentration of the solution, it can cause more or less severe burns. A distinction must be made here between the solutions and their potential danger, because there are less aggressive and extremely aggressive substances. Two other roles that influence the severity of the chemical burn are the sensitivity of the affected body part and the length of time the skin is exposed to the acid or lye.

Certain areas of the skin are less sensitive than others, which can result in less severe wounds and scars. The most sensitive area of ​​skin is the mucous membranes, which offer little resistance to acids and alkalis.

causes

The main cause is the contact with the skin, the second "cause" is the reaction that the substance develops on it. Acids, for example, lead to a superficial killing of the skin cells, which, depending on the acid type and concentration, can cause wounds and cause superficial clotting and clumping of the cells.

This can best be compared to a burn in which the surface of the skin also clumps and coagulates. However, this means that the liquid can no longer penetrate deeper into the tissue. The situation is different with chemical burns with strong acids (such as sulfuric acid), which penetrate deep into the tissue due to the strong aggression. In doing so, they attack the tissue and the overlying skin layers.

Lye, however, also penetrate directly into the tissue and kill the layers of skin above. However, a lye reacts differently to the proteins of the skin than an acid. The surface does not clump together here, but instead liquefies. This enables the lye to penetrate deeper and deeper into the tissue. The problem here is that chemical burns caused by lye initially appear less drastic, but can have serious consequences.

Symptoms, ailments & signs

The typical signs of chemical burns affect the skin. Chemicals, acids and alkalis can also damage the eyes. Because of the threat of vision loss, this case is very dangerous. Doctors classify symptoms based on three degrees of severity.

Those affected typically feel persistent pain on the surface of the skin. It shows a strong reddening. Bubbles will form within a short time. In severe cases of chemical burns, there is a loss of fluid. Corrosive substances cause poisoning in the bloodstream. This affects the entire body. Shock is possible.

If the eyes are burned, there is often a risk of blindness. Initially, the cornea only becomes cloudy. In addition, there is redness and pain. The eye reacts with a strong flow of tears. Those affected narrow their eyes reflexively. If corrosive substances get into the throat, patients regularly complain of shortness of breath.

The symptoms described can be classified according to increasing severity. Grade 1 is when the skin is reddened. Grade 2 is blistering and damage to the top layer of skin. The destruction of all skin layers without the lowest one is referred to as grade 3.

Diagnosis & course

acid burns show through strong and burn-like redness, through cracked and bloody skin, through a dissolved skin surface and are associated with pain. However, only a doctor can diagnose the severity of the chemical burn and thus initiate the correct treatment immediately.

Because depending on the type of solvent, incorrect or missing treatment can even attack the internal organs or parts of it get into the bloodstream. That is why it is extremely important to alert the emergency service immediately in the event of severe chemical burns, to calm the injured person and to free the affected skin of clothing and the like.

Complications

Dehydration can occur due to fluid loss. In particular, large-scale chemical burns then also cause neurological deficits. If the mouth and throat are affected, there may be difficulty breathing and in severe cases there is even a risk of suffocation.

Chemical burns from alkaline solutions can cause severe damage, particularly to the mucous membranes. The eyes, mouth and throat are particularly at risk, because chemical burns there can quickly lead to a breakthrough and damage the muscles and nerves located under the skin. The skin can then scar, causing permanent damage to organ function.

If the solvent comes into contact with the internal organs or gets into the bloodstream, this can cause serious health complications. In extreme cases, permanent organ damage occurs or blood poisoning occurs. Poisoning cannot be ruled out either. Surgical treatment of a chemical burn always involves the risk of further injuries or infections.

Improper aftercare can lead to wound healing disorders, which often result in scars. If painkillers are used, side effects and interactions cannot be ruled out. Occasionally there are allergic reactions to the materials and drugs used.

When should you go to the doctor?

If a chemical burn occurs, a doctor should be consulted immediately. A chemical burn is an injury to the tissue and must be treated immediately. In the event of contact with acids and corrosive substances, the emergency services should be alerted. In addition, the poison emergency call should be switched on. The chemical burn must be cooled until the emergency doctor arrives.

It is also advisable to leave the area to avoid further burns. Different measures are possible depending on the severity of the burn. In the case of slight chemical burns, as can occur after contact with an aggressive cleaner, one or two check-ups by the doctor are sufficient.

If there are no complications, no further visits to the doctor are necessary. Medical help must be obtained immediately, especially in the case of chemical burns in the eyes, mouth, throat and throat area. Extensive chemical burns destroy the tissue, which can lead to perforations and other complications. The victim should go into shock.

All burns must be flushed thoroughly with sterile liquid. Alternatively, running cold water can be used. Because there is a risk of hypothermia and other complaints, this task should be taken over by an emergency doctor. Ointments or creams may also only be applied after consulting a doctor.

Treatment & Therapy

Depending on the solvent, you can rinse the resulting wounds with plenty of water, but since this does not always have the desired effect, this should really only happen in an emergency without a specialist doctor's instruction. Incidentally, even the emergency service alerted by telephone can give helpful instructions here. A specialist will examine the wound in detail, find out about the type of acid or alkali, and then proceed accordingly.

Some substances must first be neutralized before the wound can be cleaned and treated. Here you reach, again depending on the severity of the Chemical burn, mostly on sterile bandages and possibly also on healing-promoting ointments and tinctures.

prevention

acid burns one can counteract this by carefully handling risky solvents and by always wearing suitable protective clothing. In addition, you should inform yourself about their effect and reaction to skin contact, especially in the case of strong acids and alkalis, and also find out how best to proceed in the event of a chemical burn. This does not necessarily minimize the risk of chemical burns, but in an emergency you know how to act faster and more specifically, which could reduce the severity of the injury.

Aftercare

In the event of a chemical burn, immediate measures play an important role. Since the consequences can be life-threatening in a short time, the focus is on acute treatment. It is usually enough to ensure recovery. Patients must take their own precautionary measures so that the burn does not recur.

However, these do not fall within the medical area of ​​responsibility. If necessary, a doctor can provide information on protective measures with regard to the individual risk situation. If the consequences of a chemical burn remain, the follow-up check is based on the symptoms. If the esophagus is affected, a malignant tumor can develop.

In rare cases, the esophagus even needs to be replaced. Loss of vision is possible if substances get into the eye. The rhythm of the aftercare depends on the symptoms. In addition to a detailed discussion of the signs, the doctor usually also does a blood test as part of the control. Depending on where the burn occurred, imaging procedures or a corneal examination are arranged.

These measures are intended to enable timely intervention should a deterioration in the general condition or complications emerge. If a chemical burn leads to irreparable complications, palliative aftercare may also be indicated. The pain relief via medication then plays the important role.

You can do that yourself

In order to prevent poorly healing wounds and especially scarring in the case of chemical burns, those affected should take measures immediately.

The most important measure is first of all that all clothing that has come into contact with corrosive substances should be removed. Next, the chemical burn should be rinsed with clean lukewarm water for at least 15 minutes. Care should be taken that the acid does not additionally reach healthy areas of the skin. Then the burned area must be connected aseptically. Those affected should absolutely avoid using ointments, powder or the like, because these lead to a worsening of the condition.

If a corrosive substance gets into the eyes, there is a risk of loss of eyesight. Therefore, the affected eye should be rinsed very thoroughly with clean water. It is best for the patient to lie on their back with their head tilted to one side and the affected eye open. Then clean water should be poured into the inner corner of the eye from a height of about 10 centimeters so that the water drains outwards. Care should be taken not to distribute the substance to other areas of the face. The affected eye should then be bandaged in a sterile manner.

If a corrosive chemical has been swallowed, it is recommended that those affected drink water in small sips. Under no circumstances should those affected vomit.