Does this really need A&E? (Burn - photo warning)

[panicattackhell]

Burnt myself about an hour-90 mins ago.

Lent back against my bedroom heater, and caught my back on it, just above my hip.

It’s no bigger than my hand span - about 5-6cm diameter I think - but blistered, weepy and still pretty hot to touch.

NHS24 are saying to get it seen at A&E in case it needs dressed/treatment but I’m trying to avoid nipping over there if I can as doubtless be stuck for a very long wait.

Can I avoid A&E or should I take myself over?

You need medical help, sorry. I have not looked at the picture, but going by your description alone, yes, it needs attention.

I'd say No. Keep an eye on it and for other symptoms.
How did you do it?

oops! should have read the opening post

Bigger than a 50p? If yes then off to A&E.

Ouch! Do you have/can you get hold of some cling film to cover it with? I'd do that and maybe ask nurse at GP's office to take a look tomorrow. I'd think the waiting time at A&E on a bank holiday evening would be horrendous. A friend of mine was waiting 9 hours on Sat night for neurological symptoms.

Personally, I wouldn't I would just cover it with a non-adherent dressing and keep an eye on it for any developing infection. It looks pretty superficial

Definitely bigger than a 50p yes, unfortunately.

I.E. yes listen to the professionals. You sought their advice for a reason.

This is what NHS website says, so I don't think it meets the criteria there:

You should go to a hospital A&E department for:

• all chemical and electrical burns
• large or deep burns – any burn bigger than the injured person's hand
• burns that cause white or charred skin – any size
• burns on the face, neck, hands, feet, any joints or genitals

I AM NOT A MEDIC. But would say not - it doesn't look that bad. Can you stand with it under a very cold shower spray until the pain subsides?

The trouble is with burns, you can't go by symptoms, because the less it hurts, the more serious it is. You go by size, and this is over the size of area which triggers an A and E visit.

Yes, my husband burnt himself on Friday, it seems a similar size to yours but on the top of his foot. It looks very sore and a bit superficial like yours so I dressed it and he went to bed, the next morning when I changed the dressing it was soaking wet, the skin fell off and he was in a lot of pain. He’s since had to have a skin graft. The hospital will have specialist dressings, burns are also very very vulnerable to infection.

Burns and scalds - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Standard advice because they can't see the burn so have to advise everyone to seek treatment.

Don't burst any blisters. Make sure it's covered with a simple gauze dressing to be on the safe side.

If it was me, I'd self treat with paracetamol if needed and see how I got on for a while first!

I wouldn’t go. It doesn’t look particularly gruesome, I’d ice it on and off, don’t cover it, just cool it down as much as possible and go and see a pharmacist tomorrow morning for an appropriate burns dressing. Do you have or know of anyone with a first aid kit? One of those green ones usually comes with burns dressing!

I dressed it and he went to bed, the next morning when I changed the dressing it was soaking wet, the skin fell off and he was in a lot of pain. He’s since had to have a skin graft.

This! When burns go bad they go bad quickly and quite spectacularly.

OP I know a long wait in A+E is a pain, but is nothing compared to the potential pain of not seeking treatment in a timely manner.

I wouldn't go. I'd wait and watch.

Please don't put ice on a burn.

Personally, I wouldn't go to A&E tonight for a burn that size. It doesn't look deep or very large. But I'm not an expert.

I'd probably apply some Vaseline or sudocrem and dress it with something that won't pull the skin off then made a decision in the morning.

Well I wouldn’t and I’ve burned myself a lot. I thought the advice was if the burn is bigger than your palm then get medical treatment.

Same.

Have you got a minor injuries? My son burnt the tip of his finger on a bbq. My husband said he was fine - he clearly wasn’t. Took him to minor injuries an hour later and first thing the nurse said was - why didn’t you bring him straight away? There’s special dressings for burns which stop the burn going through the layers of skin and cools it.

If you feel the need to get it seen, do you have a minor injury unit. It doesn't look deep dermal mainy superficial, you will be waiting a hell of a long time in A& E for them just to put a dressing on it, its not big enough to require fluid replacement, it doesn't have any white areas indicative of deep dermal burns which require grafting. The main concern would be getting infected if not covered as you have a little skin loss in a few areas.

Please don't put any creams on it, a non stick dressing is all you need to protect it from sticking to your clothes and help reduce risk of infection.

Sorry I’ve just seen the post I. Quoted said ‘ice it’. Definitely don’t do that, but cool it down for as long as possible is the key. If you can sit in a cool bath for a long time it would stop it burning through layers of skin which is what people are worried about.

I had a similar size burn last year. Covered it the evening i did it (after cold water) in a non adherent dressing then called GP surgery next day. Had a few weeks of dressing, antibacterial cream and careful.monitoring by the practice nurse.

If you don't go to a and e tonight I'd hogely recommend GP practice tomorrow