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Wang Xiang Li
Emergency Medicine
About me
Associate Chief Physician, Chaoyang Central Hospital in Liaoning Province, Emergency Department.
Proficient in diseases
Diagnosis, rescue, and treatment of common critically ill patients in the emergency department.
Voices
What fruit is good to eat for burns?
After a burn, one should consume more high-calorie, high-protein foods that are easy to digest. It is also appropriate to eat more foods that are high in vitamin C content. This is because vitamin C can promote wound healing and prevent infection. Foods rich in vitamin C include kiwi, citrus, oranges, dates, grapes, etc. Besides vitamin C, zinc also promotes wound healing, reduces scarring, and prevents infection. Foods rich in zinc include kelp, sesame, pork liver, oysters, shrimp shells, seaweed, legumes, etc. Avoid spicy and stimulating foods, and refrain from smoking, alcohol, strong tea, and coffee, especially peppers, onions, and pepper powder. This can effectively prevent wound infection and promote wound healing, killing two birds with one stone.
How to deal with burns that have broken the skin?
After a burn that breaks the skin, you can first assess the size of the burned area. For small burns, promptly rinse with cold water for about 20 minutes, or apply a cold compress to the affected area. Then, disinfect and clean the burn site with povidone-iodine, keeping the wound exposed to promote healing. If the burn is extensive, affecting the superficial dermis and reaching shallow second-degree or higher burns, after addressing the site, sterile dressings and treatments such as antibacterial and anti-inflammatory are necessary. Therefore, after the initial simple treatment, it’s crucial to seek professional medical treatment at a hospital promptly.
How to treat baby's burns with blisters
If the burn has just occurred, first ensure the baby is quickly removed from the heat source, and soak the affected area in running tap water or cold water for over half an hour. Alternatively, a cold towel can be used to moisten and cover the wound, which can reduce the thermal damage to the burn area and minimize the formation of weeping wounds. If the blistered area is small, a moisturizing burn ointment can be applied. If there are small blisters, they may be left untreated, but do not break them; this maintains a sterile environment and allows the blister to absorb slowly. However, if it is a large burn area, it is necessary to seek immediate medical attention at a nearby burn unit for proper dressing and treatment of the burn. Additionally, care should be taken to avoid squeezing the burned area and to prevent the wound from getting wet.
Can you drink alcohol after being scalded by oil?
After being scalded by oil, one should not drink alcohol, as alcohol can accelerate local blood circulation at the burn site, thereby worsening local congestion, swelling, and pain, and also prolonging the healing time of the wound. Therefore, after being scalded by oil, it is not advisable to consume beer, spirits, fruit wines, or yellow wine. Patients also need to be mindful of their diet and avoid consuming spicy foods such as raw onions, raw garlic, chili peppers, and leeks, which, like alcohol, can cause an increase in local congestion, swelling, and pain.
How to relieve pain after a burn or scald
Cold therapy is the best way to alleviate pain after a burn. Firstly, you should use running tap water or cold water to soak the affected area for more than half an hour. This can prevent heat from continuing to affect the wound and can dull the peripheral nerves in the area, reducing pain, exudation, and swelling. Secondly, you can apply some dilute saltwater to the wound to relieve pain and reduce inflammation, and then apply burn ointment to the burned area. In severe cases, oral pain relievers such as ibuprofen can be taken, and if necessary, pain medication can be administered via muscle injection. If the burned area is large, it is necessary to go to the hospital for formal treatment in a timely manner.
What to do if the pain persists after a burn?
After a burn, the pain persists primarily because the wound was not properly treated. The most common and simplest method in the early stages of a burn is to soak the burn in cold water or rinse it under running water for over half an hour. This can help wash away the residual heat on the surface, especially making it more effective for acid or alkali burns. Alternatively, you can use an ice pack to cool the area. After cooling, apply some burn ointment. If the pain is severe, pain-relieving medication can be used to treat symptoms, such as ibuprofen. If the pain is unbearable, it is advised that the patient should go to the hospital for timely examination and symptomatic treatment.
Drug allergy symptoms
Drug allergies mainly manifest as skin itching, red rash, and papules; severe cases may experience ulceration, exfoliative dermatitis, in the respiratory system it may present as nasal congestion, breathing difficulties, and laryngeal edema; in the digestive system, patients may experience abdominal pain and diarrhea, sometimes accompanied by joint pain and swelling, immune dysfunction, and the occurrence of allergic purpura. Some drug allergies can cause neurological reactions, such as dizziness and headaches. When a drug allergy occurs, immediately stop using the suspected medication, and simultaneously take anti-allergy medications such as loratadine, cetirizine, or administer diphenhydramine via muscular injection. Oral intake of compound glycyrrhizin capsules may be considered. If there is laryngeal edema, it is crucial to seek prompt medical attention at a hospital, actively manage the allergy, and severe cases may require a tracheotomy for rescue. (Specific medication usage should be conducted under the guidance of a doctor, and medications should not be used without authorization.)
How long will it take for a burn with broken skin on the finger to heal?
When a finger is scalded, local symptoms such as swelling, redness, heat, and pain—an inflammatory response—will occur. The patient will experience significant pain and a burning sensation. Under these circumstances, it is essential to clean the wound promptly to prevent infection. If there is broken skin, it needs to be disinfected with hydrogen peroxide, then rinsed with saline solution, followed by an application of iodine. It is important to keep the skin at the broken site dry and avoid contact with water and contaminants. With such treatment, the broken skin typically forms a scab within about a week. After another week, the skin in the affected area will heal and regenerate.
Symptoms of alcohol allergy shock
Patients with an allergy to alcohol can experience allergic shock, exhibiting symptoms like chest tightness, palpitations, a sensation of throat blockage, breathing difficulties, and a flushed face. Additional symptoms include dry mouth, dizziness, blurred vision, numbness in the face and limbs, and circulatory system failure, indicated by chills, cold sweats, cyanosis, restlessness, a weak pulse, and even a drop in blood pressure. Some patients may also experience loss of consciousness, coma, convulsions, and incontinence. Due to the alcohol allergy, patients may show allergic reactions like skin itching, hives, or other rashes. A minority of patients may also have abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, sneezing, and fever.
Alcohol allergy symptoms
If a patient is allergic to alcohol, the following symptoms may occur: the patient will feel itchy all over, their skin will turn red, and they may experience welts and rashes. Some patients may also experience chest tightness, shortness of breath, palpitations, dizziness, and even fainting, profuse sweating, and transient loss of consciousness. If a patient exhibits profuse sweating along with transient fainting and loss of consciousness, this indicates a severe condition that requires emergency medical treatment at a hospital. Anti-allergic measures should be taken to alleviate the allergy symptoms. Additionally, due to the allergy, the patient may experience a relative insufficiency in blood volume, necessitating fluid replenishment treatment. Therefore, patients with an alcohol allergy should avoid exposure to alcohol to prevent triggering allergic symptoms and endangering their lives. (Medications should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)