There are mainly three kinds of burns. The degree of burns is determined by the extent of damage that the burn causes. First degree burns are minor while third degree ones are extremely severe. Variety of factors could lead to a burn. They may be chemical, electrical, fire and even sun induced. Boiling or scalding liquids might result in burns as well. The burn type isn t necessarily determined by what causes it. Scalding hot water might cause all the three types of burns; based on the duration of the skin being in contact with the water and how hot the water is. 

Electrical and chemical burns need immediate tending to by a doctor as it might affect the internal body without it being apparent as the damage to the skin is not much. There are also fourth-degree burns. This type of burn includes all of the symptoms of a third-degree burn and also extends beyond the skin into tendons and bones.

First-degree burns: These result in the least skin damage and are also known as  superficial burns  as they only affect the skin s outermost layer. Redness, pain, minor swelling and inflammation are all the symptoms of a first degree burn. As a first degree burn heals, dry skin and peeling takes place. As the skin peels, the symptoms and signs disappear as the burn only manifests on the top most skin layer. It usually takes a week or little more for a first degree burn to heal without any scarring. If the burnt area affects over three inches of skin, or is on the face, then a doctor should be consulted. Home care generally suffices for a first degree burn. Healing time accelerates with rapid treatment of the burn.
Second-degree burns: They are serious as the extent of damage is deeper than the topmost layer of the skin. The skin becomes extremely sore with the formation of red blisters. The blisters might pop open and as time passes, the wound may develop a scab. Proper bandaging is required to reduce chances of an infection. Home remedies should be avoided. The burns usually heal within three weeks.
Third-degree burns: They are the most severe. They extend through each layer of the skin. They might not cause any pain due to the severity of burn as the nerves might get damaged. There might be extreme scarring if corrective surgery isn t done.

Burns - Understanding Its Degrees!

Intestinal distress is usually characterised by discomfort and pain in the abdomen, as well as an irritable bowel. This is generally caused when food does not move fast enough through the food pipe, to get digested in time. In Ayurvedic terms, this undigested, unprocessed food and the toxins that it causes is known as Ama. Intestinal distress includes conditions ranging from heartburn to IBS or irritable bowel syndrome. This is also known as Grahani in Ayurveda. Want to more about treating these conditions, the Ayurvedic way? Here's how!

1. Mustakarishta: This medicine helps in the prevention and treatment of loose motions as well as indigestion that causes gas and acidity.

2. Dadimavaleha: This is generally prescribed for patients suffering from fever along with loose motions, and bleeding, which usually points to infections in the body.

3. Kutajarishta: This concoction is used for treating patients suffering from dysentery, loose motions and mild to severe irritable bowel syndrome. 

4 Pushyanuga Churna: This medicine is used for treating menorrhagia, metrorrhagia, excessive bleeding during menstrual cycles and other digestive disorders.

5. Kutajavaleha: This is usually used during treatment for conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis and piles. It also treats inflammation and bleeding issues. This medicine is also useful in treating patients suffering from anaemia.

6. Sanjeevani Vati: This medicine can be used for treating problems associated with dyspepsia, gastro enteritis and indigestion which can lead to heartburn. 

7. Bilwadi Gutika: Patients who have endured rodent or insect bites as well as gastro enteritis issues can use this medicine for instant relief.

8. Jeerakarishtam: This medicine is used for mothers who have just had babies and need to control frequent stools and indigestion in the post-natal period. 

The use of Ayurvedic medicines necessarily needs the support of other measures like eating a healthy and balanced diet as well as massages and other such tools prescribed under this science. The medicines work towards healing and preventing further eruptions of the ailments. But for the successful treatment of the same, patients of intestinal distress need to remember not to overeat and to have meals on time, and in a routine manner. The meals should consist of cumin, turmeric and easy to digest food as well as plenty of water. Exercise is another important facet of relieving the discomfort felt under such situations.

Treat Intestinal Distress Through Ayurveda

A chemical burn can occur owing to a number of substances, for instance, if the skin comes in contact with strong acids, bases, irritants, gasoline, paint thinner and drain cleaners then it react with your skin. Chemical burns are also termed as caustic burns. The symptoms usually depend on the intensity of a burn, which include redness, irritation, numbness, pain, the skin turning black and dead or even vision loss, if the chemicals come in contact with the eyes.


What are the Do s and Don ts?
Do away with those chemicals, which have caused the burn or wipe off the dry chemicals. It is safe to use towels or put on gloves for this work.
Remove jewelry or any contaminated clothing to avoid further burning and inflammation of the skin.
Rinse off the affected area immediately with cold water. 
Loosely wrap the area with sterile gauze or a bandage.
If required, you can even opt for pain relievers such as naproxen sodium, ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
Consider taking a tetanus injection, but at the same time, ensure that your booster is up-to-date.
Refrain from applying an antibiotic ointment over the burnt area or neutralizing it with an alkali or acid. This may aggravate the burn.


When should you seek an emergency care?
When the person exhibits sign of shock such as shallow breathing, pale complexion or is experiencing bouts of fainting.
When the chemical burn pierces through the upper layer of the skin, occupying an area of above 3 inches in diameter.
When the chemical burn has spread to the buttocks, groin, face, feet, hands, eyes or even the limb.


Chemical Burns - Do's and Don'ts You Must Follow

Dyspepsia is a disorder of the stomach that is characterized by pain in the upper part of the stomach. It is not a single disorder, but is a collection of symptoms such as nausea, burping and bloating. It results when the acid of the stomach comes in contact with the mucosa of the digestive tract. These acids cause a breakdown of the mucosa leading to inflammation and irritation, which leads to indigestion. It may also result from eating disorders or certain medications.

Symptoms
The symptoms of this disorder tend to occur mostly after consuming food and drink. In some cases, the symptoms tend to go away after eating or drinking. The symptoms of dyspepsia are: 
1. You may feel bloated on a regular basis
2. You may experience discomfort in your stomach
3. Loss of appetite
4. You may experience constant burping
5. You may feel nauseous
6. Symptoms of heartburn
7. You may also experience chest pain and breathing difficulties
8. You may be affected by jaundice

Causes
The various causes of dyspepsia are: 
1. Irritable bowel syndrome, which hampers the movement of food through the intestines
2. If you are unable to properly digest dairy products
3. Gastroesophageal reflux disease that results in reflux of the acids of the stomach
4. Any inflammation of the gall bladder
5. Various medicines such as aspirin, steroids and antibiotics may lead to dyspepsia
6. If you suffer from depression or anxiety then it may lead to dyspepsia
7. Excess consumption of chocolate, coffee and alcohol

Dyspepsia may be controlled by modifying your lifestyle. Some of the changes that you may make are: 
1. Don't sleep immediately after eating, wait for at least two hours before you go to bed
2. Avoid spicy foods as they tend to aggravate symptoms of dyspepsia
3. Space out your meals, eat multiple smaller meals instead of few large ones
4. Restrict smoking and alcohol consumption
5. Lose weight as being overweight may lead to dyspepsia
6. Avoid wearing tight clothes 
7. Exercise on a regular basis to keep your body healthy and maintain optimal weight levels

All About Dyspepsia

Burning your skin is a very traumatic experience and can leave behind scars that remind one of the traumatic incident. Scarring caused by burns may fade a little with time but are usually permanent. Apart from affecting your appearance severe burns can also affect the functioning of the body. Burns can make a person withdraw socially by making him or her afraid of how people will accept them with their scars as well as make them depressed about their appearance.

Burn repair surgery can be categorised under two headings: Acute and Reconstructive

Acute repair surgery happens immediately after the burn and deals with large burns and deep burns that affect critical areas. The focus here is to aim for saving of life of burn patient with earliest wound healing with various surgical means.
Reconstructive burn surgery addresses the deformities & scars after the initial burn wounds have healed. The goal here is to improve the appearance of the scars and ensure improvement of functioning. 
There are many types of reconstructive surgeries for burns and the type of surgery best suited to a patient is based on the location of the scar, the extent of scarring and the patient s personal goals.

Skin grafts: This involves the removal of healthy skin from one part of the body and transplanting it to the burn site. This split thickness skin graft include only a few outer layers of skin & full thickness graft involve the entire dermis. This is used in cases of deep burns where full thickness of dermis is affected. Also skin grafts are used for defects following release of burn contracture . 
Flaps: These are thick skin tissues with its own blood supply, used to cover exposed vital structures like vessels , tendons, nerves, bones, etc especially in deep electrical burns of extremities. 
Free flap procedure: In this Microvascular Surgery , muscle, bone or skin is transferred from one part of the body to another to reconstruct huge defects after contracture release or for cosmetic improvement of ugly burn scars. 
Tissue expansion: This involves the insertion of a balloon expander under the skin near the burn scars & deformities. As the balloon is filled with saline, the skin stretches and grows. Once the skin has stretched enough, the expander is removed and the skin can then be used to replace the burn scars & deformities.
This procedure has many advantages as the skin colour and texture are a near perfect match thus reducing scarring to a large extent. However, it is a very slow procedure and can take a few months.

Burn Repair Surgery - How Can It Help To Reduce Deformities & Scars?

The pitta dosha can be balanced by consuming fresh and whole foods, both raw and cooked. These foods are energising, cooling, dry, and have high carbohydrate content. They can effectively deal with pitta by fighting inflammation, absorb excess oil and liquid, and reduce internal heat. Pitta is basically liquid that is light, hot, sharp, oily and tends to spread fast. In light of this, the diet should comprise food that is dense, cool, dry and mild. Due to pitta s substantive nature, a proper diet can help to strike the right balance. 

Here is an overview of achieving a pitta balance to get rid of digestive problems:

Cold food: Surprising as it may sound, food with a low temperature helps in balancing the pitta dosha compared to its hot counterparts. Raw foods tend to have a decreased temperature compared to the cooked ones. Having a good mix of raw fruits and vegetable is, therefore, part of a good a diet. Stay away from all types of caffeine and alcohol while following a pitta diet.
Dense, nourishing and grounding food: Although heavy food might sound ideal to tackle light weight pitta, Ayurveda is the view that heavy food does more harm than good. Food that fits the bill includes root vegetables, cooking oils, grains, milk, and seeds. Since these foods tend to be sweet, it is necessary to ensure that a portion size is kept in mind and one must not overindulge in order to refrain from putting on weight. Food that should be slashed from the regular diet includes processed fast foods, pastries, heavy snacks that comprise chemicals and preservatives, and sweet beverages.
Dry food instead of liquid: Between a semi-liquid and solid meal, the latter should be chosen since it helps in fighting pitta better. Some of the ideal food that fits the bill include pasta, potatoes, beans, oats, millet, corn and other leafy green vegetables. While cooking it is advised that a good quality ghee or oil is used. Some food stuff that needs to be totally slashed from the existing diet includes nuts, cheese, cream, olives eggs and nuts. Mild food:
In terms of food flavours, it makes sense to choose flavours that are gentler and milder in taste such as the ones found in apples, soft cheese, cucumbers and lime juice over sharp flavours such as vinegar, pineapple, old cheese, and pickles. Simultaneously stimulants such as hard alcohol, nicotine, drugs etc. should be completely eschewed in order to avoid indigestion. This is especially true during night-time when the level of indigestion is more due to reduced mobility of the body. 

Pitta - How It Affects Digestion?

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