Dr. Preeta Kamboj

While injuries of any form can be painful, burn injuries are one of the worst to suffer from. While cuts and bruises can be temporarily assuaged with a proper dressing, burns are quite different in this regard. With burns, the damaged tissues will stay on the body and may cause continuous pain. Thus, burn injuries are difficult to treat and they require different strategies for pain management as well.

Treatment methods available for treating pain arising due to burn injuries

1. Apply an anesthetic cream or aloevera gel to soothe the burnt skin. Avoid exposing the skin to air as that will cause painful sensations.
2. Loose gauze or antibiotic ointment must be used to protect the influenced area.
3. Soak the burnt area wound in cold water for about five minutes or more.
4. If the burn escalates or affects a widespread area, seek medical attention immediately.

Pain management factors for burn injuries:

1. Relaxation: During the phase of recovery, burn injuries put immense stress on your body and continue for a long period. Muscle tension is caused by stress that increases pain. Some relaxation techniques are proven to be beneficial to reduce the stress on body.
2. Coping with your pain: Different people have different ways to cope with physical discomfort. Look out for situational aspects which are currently under your control and take it positively. The ‘what ifs’ or wishing that the burn didn’t occur in the first place will not help with your current situation. You should focus on things what you can control like self-rehabilitation, doing your daily exercises, physical therapy treatment or following a doctor’s suggestion of pain management strategies. This will help you cope with your pain to a greater extent.
3. Sleep medications: If your normal sleep routine is hampered, consult your physician for safe sleep medications. Proper sleep is very important for the healing process and even more so in the case of burn related injuries.
4. Antidepressants: Some people may not be suffering from depression, but they might still need antidepressants for relief and sound sleep. A health care provider might prescribe antidepressants as a way to deal with acute pain from burn injuries.
5. Increase the pace of your activities: If you want to rebuild your health and stamina and get back in form soon, focus on the regular physical and mental activities. Exercise regularly, but don’t push yourself too much. Increase your physical activities gradually over time. Unless and until you are fully comfortable, don’t strain yourself too much. Occupational and physical therapists can help you with an appropriate activity program. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Pain Management Specialist.