Premium Nahrungsergänzungsmittel | artgerecht

Burn Therapy: Treatment and Rehabilitation

Burn therapy covers all medical measures used to treat burn wounds. The goals are wound healing, infection prevention, and restoration of normal skin function.

Regular tips about health Regular tips about health

Things worth knowing about "Burn Therapy"

Burn therapy covers all medical measures used to treat burn wounds. The goals are wound healing, infection prevention, and restoration of normal skin function.

What is Burn Therapy?

Burn therapy refers to the complete range of medical, nursing, and rehabilitative measures used to treat burns, scalds, and related thermal injuries. Treatment is guided by the severity of the burn, the total body surface area affected, and the overall health of the patient. The primary goals are to restore skin function as fully as possible, prevent infection, and minimize scarring.

Classification of Burns

Burns are classified by depth, as this directly determines the treatment approach:

Degree 1: Only the outermost skin layer (epidermis) is affected. Symptoms include redness, pain, and no blister formation.
Degree 2a: Superficial damage to the dermis. Blisters form, pain is intense, and spontaneous healing is possible.
Degree 2b: Deep dermal burn with blisters and reduced pain sensation. Skin grafting is often required.
Degree 3: Full-thickness destruction of all skin layers, no pain (nerves are destroyed), surgical intervention is necessary.
Degree 4: Involvement of muscle, tendons, or bone; life-threatening and always requires surgery.

Causes of Burns

Burns can result from a variety of external factors:

Thermal causes: open flames, hot liquids (scalds), steam, contact with hot surfaces
Chemical causes: contact with strong acids or alkalis
Electrical causes: electric current injuries
Radiation: UV radiation (sunburn), ionizing radiation
Friction: heat generated by mechanical abrasion

First Aid for Burns

Correct first aid is critical for recovery. Key steps include:

Immediately cool the burn with lukewarm (not ice-cold) water for 10 to 20 minutes
Remove clothing and jewelry, provided they are not stuck to the wound
Cover the wound with a sterile dressing to prevent infection
Do not apply home remedies such as oil, flour, or toothpaste
For large or deep burns: seek immediate hospital or burn center admission

Conservative Treatment

Minor burns (degrees 1 and 2a) can often be managed conservatively:

Wound care: Cleaning, disinfection, and covering with appropriate wound dressings (e.g., hydrocolloid or silver-containing dressings)
Pain management: Analgesics such as paracetamol or ibuprofen
Moist wound treatment: Promotes epithelialization and faster healing
Antibiotics: Applied topically or systemically if signs of infection are present

Surgical Treatment

Deep burns (degrees 2b to 4) generally require surgical intervention:

Necrosectomy (debridement): Surgical removal of dead tissue to promote healing and prevent infection
Skin grafting: Coverage of the wound area with the patient's own donor skin (split-thickness or full-thickness graft) or skin substitute products
Escharotomy: Incisions in circumferential burns to restore blood circulation
Fasciotomy: Release of muscle compartments in cases of compartment syndrome

Treatment at a Burn Center

Severe burns are treated at specialized burn centers. Indications for admission include:

Burns covering more than 10 to 15 percent of total body surface area
Deep burns to the face, hands, feet, or genitals
Inhalation injury from smoke or hot steam
Electrical burns
Pre-existing conditions that impair healing

Burn centers provide interdisciplinary care involving burn surgeons, intensive care physicians, physiotherapists, psychologists, and nutritionists.

Intensive Care Measures

Extensive burns can cause life-threatening shock due to massive fluid loss. Essential intensive care measures include:

Fluid resuscitation: Infusion of large fluid volumes calculated using standardized formulas (e.g., the Parkland formula)
Mechanical ventilation: Required in cases of inhalation injury or loss of consciousness
Nutritional therapy: High-calorie enteral or parenteral nutrition to meet elevated metabolic demands
Infection control: Strict hygiene protocols and antibiotic therapy when indicated

Rehabilitation and Follow-Up Care

Rehabilitation is a core component of burn therapy and should begin as early as possible:

Physiotherapy: Maintaining mobility, preventing contractures, and rebuilding muscle strength
Occupational therapy: Restoring daily function, especially after hand burns
Scar management: Compression therapy with pressure garments, silicone sheets, scar massage, and laser therapy if needed
Psychological support: Helping patients cope with trauma, changes in body image, and social reintegration

References

Herndon, D.N. (Ed.) - Total Burn Care, 5th Edition, Elsevier (2018)
World Health Organization (WHO) - Burns Fact Sheet (2023). Available at: www.who.int
American Burn Association - Practice Guidelines for Burn Care (2021). Available at: www.ameriburn.org

Building Blocks for a Healthy Life

As an integrated manufacturer, we develop & produce evidence-based, patented, and non-patented formulations. We work exclusively with plant and natural extracts according to the strictest purity & quality standards.
The combination of science & modern technology with the laws of nature creates solutions consistently tailored to humans – for the highest good: health.