Chemical Burn Treatment

Chemical burn treatment should always be taken care of with extreme precaution, and done immediately. Chemical burn treatment might include some typically minor burn treatment. Rinsing the chemical away in water might help minor chemical burns, but sometimes chemical burns are severe and require special attention. Many chemical burns do not require the application of topical antibiotics.

Chemical burns can occur at work, home or school. Unlike other kinds of burns, like contact burns and scalds, chemical burns might occur on the inside of the body. Swallowing toxic fluids, like battery acid for example can cause chemical burns to the esophagus. Some chemical burns do occur on the surface of the skin as well.

Chemical burn treatment often requires the assistance of medical professionals. If chemicals are ingested, or seep into your system through the skin, serious reactions can occur. Any severe injury resulting from a chemical burn, or chest pain, dizziness, shortness of breath and other strange symptoms should be called in as a 911 emergency. To begin the chemical burn treatment while waiting for an ambulance, take the following steps:

-Get the victim away from the chemical.

-Remove any clothing or materials that also came in contact with the chemical.

-Carefully wash away the substance from the affected area. Note: it is important to make sure that the chemical being washed out does not come in contact with other parts of the body or the skin of other individuals around.

-If there are any contaminated solid materials, carefully dispose of them.

-If the chemical has come in contact with the eye, rinse the eye immediately. Continue to drain away the chemical with water for several minutes. See a physician.

When a medical team arrives, they will continue with the chemical burn treatment. If there is something that will counteract the chemical, that will be administered. Intravenous fluids may be necessary to keep blood pressure under control or inject pain medication. Medical professionals will clean out any wounds and properly wrap any severe injuries. Sometimes more water will be used to assist decontamination.

Medical professionals can offer consultation on how to handle chemical burns that occur inside the mouth, and throat.

Serious chemical burn treatment should not be done alone. Taking the steps listed above and calling for help is the best course of action to prevent advanced poisoning and other more serious complications that contact with toxic chemicals might cause.