Massachusetts Personal Injury Library
Burn Injuries Can Be Extremely Painful (Part B)
Second and Third Degree Burns
These injuries will be more painful than first degree burns; with the third degree burn injuries possibly requiring prescription pain medication, including narcotics. Some burns are so severe that patients will require heavy doses of prescription pain medications through an IV.
According to WebMD.com, “Burn pain is difficult to control because of its unique characteristics, its changing patterns, and its various components. In addition, there is pain involved in the treatment of burns as the wounds must be cleansed and the dressings changed. Studies show that the management of burn pain can be inadequate requiring more aggressive treatments for pain.”
Types of Pain Treatment for Burn Injuries
- Aspirin and acetaminophen
- Antibiotic creams and/or oral medications
- IV pain medication (could be narcotics)
- Exercise
- Pressure Garments
- Burn Clinics
Pain Coping Techniques
- Meditation
- Counseling or meeting with a psychologist
- Chronic pain education classes
Resources for burn victims can be found at the American Burn Association, Burn Recovery, and the Burn Survivor Resource Center websites. Patients will be dealing with pain as well as possible psychological problems due to the scarring left behind by the burns. Even if the victim doesn’t feel like they have any lingering emotional issues from the accident and resulting burn damage, it would be wise to at least have a meeting with a counselor or psychologist just to assess the victim’s mental status.
In many cities throughout the United States, there are “Burn Clinics.” These can provide survival resources for the victims of burns. Burn clinics usually help with wound care, irrigating the wound, packing and dressing the wound, and teaching the patient how to do these things for themselves. Many often offer support groups with other burn survivors. Talking with others who have also experienced the trauma can be helpful for burn victims.
If you have suffered a traumatic burn injury due to someone’s carelessness, call us today for a Free Consultation with one of the finest Boston personal injury attorneys.
