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?

Good god - absolutely NO ice, creams, sudacreme, Vaseline etc... and lots of people really need to get on a first aid course!!! Tepid water for 20 mins. Cling film and get it seen asap as it looks to have blistered which means you'll probably lose some skin and it WILL need properly dressing.

I'm a student nurse btw.

Personally I’d say no, I’ve had a worst burn than that, which I tended to myself, just keep an eye it doesn’t get infected, I basically used stick on dressing and savalon, until it dried out a bit then let it air. It’s up to at the end of the day… even a walk in centre is probs better than A&e

Have the people asking you why you haven't been to A&E actually seen the photo? Have you panicked and told them something OTT?

You can always go to A&E, and be treated for anything. It's up to your common sense, tbh. But then, it's totally understandable to panic if it was your first time.

They haven’t no, as just 111 nurse so can’t send her a pic - just described the burn to them and they said because it’s open it needs dressing tonight.

Weirdly it’s not at all painful, it was but it isn’t now.

Just go to A&E. You've been told to by a medical professional on 111. Just do what they say. They'll have proper dressings and be able to make it more comformable at the very least. It'll hurt like hell when you try to go to sleep. Save yourself a night of unnecessary misery and just get seen. (Yes I'm speaking from experience, not my finest hour tying my burnt hand to a headboard to try and get some sleep...)

If it's not hurting that is not a good sign and even more reason to go to A&E.

TheGirlWhoLived
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!

This is spectacularly poor advice.

Always where possible cover a burn in clingfilm and keep under running cold water for at least ten minutes.

Run it under cold water for 30 mins op x

Waiting on a taxi now. A&E is only 5 mins across the way, hopefully it’s just a case of triage and home again. 111 nurse said she would call again in 2 hours to make sure I go.

Good, it needs looking at. Honestly I have seen very innocuous looking burns turn nasty, they get infected very easily.

Exactly, this is a sign of deeper nerve damage, if there is less pain.

Triage said looks fairly mild to them but they’ll get someone to check it. Hopefully that just means a nurse and then home. It’s absolutely heaving here.

I burned my foot a couple of years ago. Pharmacist have DH cream and I had to go to A&E three days later and they were very annoyed I hadn’t gone straight in.

please go in as it is quite large.

I burnt myself recently, was seen pretty quickly and they put on a special dressing and the following day on check up the burn had pretty much healed. Also mention that it's not painful as this can be a sign that the burn is deep x

Please DON'T put ice on burns, it can cause more damage than the burn.

Cool the site gently with anything which is of a lower temperature - we swear by used tea bags in our house, not straight out of the tea obviously; we have a small pot into which the bags are put once used, in which they cool to room temp, that way we always have some ready for when I burn myself (a frequent occurrence!).

good lcuk

I don't have any advice for the OP as I am not trained and wouldn't want to give wrong advice. But I am very curious to know why it's not good to put cream on. Does it make the burn site hotter?

Cream acts as a barrier to stop the heat escaping which can extend the damage done. Cream can be used to help with healing, but only after the burning has stopped.

Sitting waiting to be seen. Was busy when I got here but waiting room is quieter now.

Where on earth are people getting the idea to put Sudcreme, Vaseline or Vicks on a burn??

i'm no way medically trained but when you told them it’s an open burn is it not just a popped blister?

I would be more concerned you burnt yourself from leaning on a bedroom heater. Did you not feel it and move immediately? I'd mention that at A&E

Glad you've gone OP. I got a burn on my leg I thought wasn't bad. Went to bed and by morning it had a massive yellow blister. Eventually needed cutting out the tissue and I have a big awful scar there now :/

Oh God patient next to me has just she’s been told minimum 5 hour wait for majors. I’m considering telling them I’ll treat it at home and hope for the best, I have health anxiety and feel like I’m wasting their time. It’s not painful at all, just weepy.

I did but I was stressed at the time, having a panic attack, which is partly why I suspect they’ve insisted I come up as I’ve a history of doing these things with intention, but this wasn’t the case this time, was just a panic attack and wasn’t thinking and lent back.