Another to go to A and E or not

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For background I'm 17 weeks pregnant and tonight I put a hot water bottle to my back to ease it. Well, the bottle burst and went all over my back. The water wasn't boiling but it was near enough. I don't want to waste the their time if I could just put some frozen peas to it.

I'd phone 111 and see what they say.

What does it look and feel like? Can someone take a photo for you? How big is the scald?

NHS advice here. NHS advice does indicate you should get it checked.

It won't have harmed the baby (they're very well insulated) but do call 111 if you have significant blistering so they can advise. Not worth going to A&E unless you're in severe pain or the skin is badly damaged (I.e. worse than reddened/couple of blisters).

My friend had a hot water bottle burst on her legs and spent 6 weeks in the burns unit and my husband spilt some broccoli water on his foot, ignored it and ended up with a serious infection. I'd get it checked out.

We don't have 111 here sadly.

I'll try and take a picture if I can.

How much does it hurt?
I don't have any experience or proper knowledge of this but I don't think you need to go to A&E unless you've been scalded and then you'd really know about it and be in such pain you wouldn't be considering not going. I don't think being 17 weeks makes a difference but again this is based on nothing more than "I think". Perhaps phone your midwife if it's your pregnancy that your'e concerned about.
PS sympathies whether it is bad or not.

If you've burnt an area bigger than your palm i.e. That much is red, you should seek medical advice.

Get cool water on it eg from a shower. Don't use frozen stuff. Then see how it looks/feels. If it's blistering very much or a biggish area is very sore then I'd go in. They have the right dressings and care advice to avoid infection.

Ps cool water for at least 10 mins

15 minutes of running cold water - not frozen stuff.

Then reassess.

Phone 111.

Get in a cold shower with the head aimed at your back and stay there for as long as you can bare it. They wrap the skin in some cling film and go to a walk in centre. I dropped a whole cup of hot tea onto my lap recently and went into complete shock but managed to Google as I had absolutely no idea what to do, and this was the advice. I was dressed with a special kind of net-like silicone desssing and the damage was nowhere near as bad as it would have been had I not cooled the skin down immediately. You have my sympathy, the pain from a burn is awful enough without the added stress of pregnancy too x

Do not put ice on it - this can damage the skin further, particularly if there is deeper skin layers exposed and inhibit future healing.

Remove all the clothing covering your back and run cool water across it for 20 minutes - i.e. with a shower head sat in the bath/on the side of the bath if you are able to. This should be done as soon as possible.

If the burn is bigger than your hand, deep or any white skin then go to A&E.

Excuse the picture it was the best I could get.

id be inclined to wait and see. maybe put some manuka honey on it

I've recently been told (by an A&E doctor) exactly what regrouted has recommended - that any time in the four hours following a scald you should run tepid - not freezing - water over it, for twenty minutes by the clock. Are you still in that time frame (sounds like it)? That apparently takes a lot of the heat out of it and will help with scarring. But I think it would be totally reasonable to have it looked at after that - esp as you're pregnant.

Don't put honey on it!

Cool running water for burns, as pp have said.

I wouldn't go to A&E with that- cold water and some paracetamol.

I've run it under cold water for 20 minutes. Fingers crossed now

Is the burn even in texture?
If not straight to ED.

Are there any open pharmacies near you?

Don't put any honey or creams etc on it!
Cold (not freezing) water as others have said.

I once out a frozen gel pack on a burn and ended up getting a freezer burn. Now that bloody hurts!

I did the same with a hot water bottle over my boobs and tummy. It hurt like fuck, so you have my sympathy. I ran cold water over it and then lay with towels soaked in cold water over the burn. A couple of days later I ended up in A&E as it got infected. I think it might be worth going to get checked out and have it dressed properly. If not, see your GP or nurse tomorrow.

Although. I'm pretty sure guidelines are any scald or burn bigger than the palm of your hand should be looked at by a dr.

It can wait till you can see your GP GO if it doesn't feel better by tomorrow. Definitely not an emergency, don't worry. Hope you feel better soon.