12 Most Common Causes of Burns

Posted by admin in Uncategorized Jun 28th, 2010

ironing

The sudden pain felt when a fiery hot object touches your body is unmistakable. Your skin is your largest organ, and when it’s harmed, it loses its ability to fight infections – which can lead to dire consequences. You can’t underestimate the severity of a painful burn, and treatment must be sought immediately after one has occurred. According to the American Burn Association, roughly 500,000 people receive medical treatment for burn injuries each year, and many burn-related accidents, 43 percent, occur inside the home. Here are a handful of items that are most commonly responsible for burning their unsuspecting users.

Clothing Irons
If you use a clothing iron on a regular basis, you’ve probably burnt yourself on more than one occasion. There may not be another dangerous item that we feel just as comfortable using. But not many have mishandled it like former major league pitcher John Smoltz, who scalded himself while attempting to iron his shirt – while wearing it.
Curling Irons
A high percentage of burns are caused by curling irons. Many women have paid a high price for curly-haired beauty, enduring burns to their faces, arms and hands. And many of their sons and daughters have hurt themselves by grabbing curling irons they didn’t know were hot. Straightening irons have also been known to cause a burn or two.
Barbecue Grills
It’s a rite of passage for American males to suffer a burn caused by the open flame while grilling steaks, hamburgers and hotdogs. The scar left behind is certainly much more acceptable than a beauty mark caused by a curling iron. However, injuries from grilling can be much more severe simply because there’s direct contact with fire.
Ovens
Have you ever instinctively reached into 300-400 degree oven to retrieve a dish that was near completion only to realize that you forgot to put on your oven mitts? If you’ve learned the hard way that forgetfulness isn’t an option when dealing with hot kitchen appliances, your duties as head chef were likely halted for an indefinite period of time. Stovetops are also dangerous because burners (apt name) can easily be mistaken for being off after they’ve been left on.
Pots and Pans
Cooking can be dangerous. Pots and Pans conduct heat and take a while to cool after they’ve spent time in the oven or on a stovetop. Additionally, boiling water or any other liquid cultivated during the cooking process is harmful to your skin. Pots that sit atop a stove are vulnerable to being knocked over; this is a cause of many spill-related burns.
Fireplaces
Lighting a perfect fire is a difficult task. It takes just the right amount of wood and/or gas to make it burn in a controlled manner over a long period of time. In the process of tending to the fire, many adults burn themselves by coming into contact with the flames. The barrier doors of a fireplace also reach high temperatures; not unlike the surface of a hot stove.
Radiators
When a radiator is located inside of your home, the possibility exists that you or your housemates could suffer a burn with inadvertent contact. Some radiators can heat up to 150 degrees, making them especially harmful to young children. Fortunately, you can purchase an attractive radiator cover that would serve to prevent human contact while removing it from sight altogether; thus improving the safety and decor of your home.
Tea/Coffee Cups
We’ve all heard the stories about frivolous lawsuits undertaken by greedy lawyers on behalf of clients who scalded themselves with fast food coffee. Of course, nobody needs millions of dollars to treat such burns. But if you were to have experienced that kind of pain, you’d be looking for someone on whom to take out your anger too.
Microwaved foods
Popcorn enthusiasts know all about the hot burst of steam that arises after opening a package that’s fresh out of the microwave. Many over-exuberant popcorn lovers who just couldn’t wait to munch on the salty goodness have burned their arms and hands. Prospective popcorn devourers have also endured corneal abrasions caused by peering directly into the bag of steam.
Light bulbs
It’s a common mistake for people to change light bulbs too soon after they’ve burnt out without allowing them to cool, causing painful blisters and thus limited use of their hands. Exposed light bulbs that aren’t covered can be dangerous – as harmless as they seem.
Fireworks
New Year’s Eve and Fourth of July celebrations are incomplete without heavy doses of fireworks. Many of the people who pop fireworks receive heavy doses of pain meds by the end of the night because they’ve burnt themselves. In serious cases, second degree burns are incurred, causing the skin to blister and become extremely red.
Cigarettes
Smoking gets a bad rap because of what it can do to your lungs, but have you considered what it can do to your skin? Cigarette burns seem innocuous; however they can be quite painful. The cherry can reach more than 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit – not something you’d want touching your skin regardless of its small size.