Long-Term Complications of Severe Burn Injuries

Severe burn injuries usually go through all three layers of the skin and cause long-term complications. While some individuals undergo surgery, take medications, or obtain skin grafts to help them cope, adapt, or overcome their burn injuries, others may continue to experience complications that impact their daily routine and lives going forward.

It is crucial to seek immediate medical attention whenever you come into contact with flame, hot liquids, chemicals, or electricity that cause burns to improve the chances of preventing certain complications.

What are the different types of burn injuries?

There are generally three different types of burn injuries, which include:

1. First-degree burns: When a person has a first-degree burn, this means that the first layer of skin, which is called the epidermis, has been burnt. First-degree burns are typically mild and show up as red areas on the skin that are sore. Most people describe these types of burns as similar to a sunburn.
2. Second-degree burns: Second-degree burns usually affect the first two layers of the skin, which are the epidermis and dermis. With these types of burns, individuals may experience redness on the skin, swelling or inflammation, pain, and blisters.
3. Third-degree burns: Third-degree burns are the most severe type of burn that you can suffer. These burns affect all three layers of the skin, which are the epidermis, dermis, and fat. It is not uncommon for third-degree burn injuries to damage the nerves, bones, muscles, ligaments, tissues, hair follicles, and sweat glands. As a result, most people who have third-degree burns no longer have feelings in the area of the burns. Third-degree burns are usually red, brown, black, or even leathery.

What are the signs and symptoms of severe burn injuries?

Identifying whether a burn injury is severe can be challenging, as the full effects may take time to manifest. Regardless of whether you think your burn injury is severe or not, it is crucial to seek medical attention immediately to ensure that you receive a proper diagnosis and medical treatment. Signs and symptoms of severe burn injuries include:

• Numbness
• Swelling or inflammation
• Blisters
• Black, white, or brown patches of skin
• Severe redness
• Excruciating pain (this is not always present in severe burn injuries if the nerves are damaged)
• Skin peeling
• Fluids oozing from the blisters or burns

What typically causes severe burn injuries in Mississippi?

Severe burn injuries can happen in many different ways. These are a few common scenarios on how individuals may develop severe burns:

• Touching a hot object, such as a stove.
• Working around electricity or power lines at a construction site.
• Handling toxic chemicals that are known to cause burns and other injuries without the proper protective gear.
• Dropping a pot of scalding water on your body.
• A fire or explosion occurring while working in a factory setting.
• Using a faulty space heater or furnace.
• Watching someone set off unsafe or defective fireworks.

How to treat burn injuries

If a burn injury victim has severe and extensive burns, they will most likely be sent to a burn treatment center for specialized medical care. At these facilities, there are various types of treatment options available depending on your unique situation. The following are a few of the medical treatments available and often recommended to treat burn injuries:

• Burn ointments and creams
• Pain and anxiety medications
• Dressings and bandages
• IV fluids
• Water-based treatments
• Antibiotics to prevent infections
• Surgeries to repair the burnt skin and improve its appearance
• Physical and occupational therapy
• Breathing assistance techniques and exercises
• Skin grafts

What are the long-term complications of severe burn injuries?

When an individual is diagnosed with a severe burn injury, they have a strong possibility of experiencing long-term complications, such as:

• Serious scarring and disfigurement.
• Chronic pain
• Severe and permanent nerve damage.
• Contractures, which occur when the burnt tissue becomes tight and stiff around the joints.
• Increased fatigue and tiredness.
• Severe itching
• Sleep challenges
• Low self-esteem as well as other mental and emotional difficulties (depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, etc.)
• Hypothermia and trouble controlling and regulating bodily temperature.
• Recurring infections
• Cancer, nervous system illnesses, cardiovascular disease, and other serious medical conditions.

The Mississippi burn injury lawyers at Merkel & Cocke, P.A. are committed to helping clients handle their difficult and complex burn injury cases. Since 1982, we have been fighting for burn injury victims and their right to the fair compensation they need to cover their injuries, expenses, and long-term complications, and we will gladly do the same for you. Please call our office or complete our contact form to begin discussing and strategizing on how to obtain the financial recovery you are owed today. We offer free consultations at our four Mississippi office locations, which are in Jackson, Clarksdale, Greenville, and Oxford, and we look forward to speaking with you soon.