Burn injuries from a car crash: healing skin and keeping movement
A burn specialist and an occupational therapist on healing and getting back to daily tasks
Fire, hot materials, chemicals or electricity can all burn you in a crash. Some burns look minor at first and turn out to be deeper later. A burn specialist checks how deep, how large and where the burn is, along with your other crash injuries. An occupational therapist focuses on the movements and daily tasks the healing skin will someday need to support. [1, 2]
Get the right level of care
Get emergency care for trouble breathing, or for smoke exposure along with airway symptoms. Electrical or chemical burns also need emergency care. So do large or deep burns, plus burns on the hands, feet, face, genitals or a major joint. [1, 2]
The American Burn Association recommends a consultation in several of these cases. The advice applies most of all when a burn comes along with other trauma. Its referral guide is written for medical professionals. Your own care team can tell you whether a visit with a burn center makes sense. [1, 2]
Let the team know how and when you got burned. An air bag can cause an injury that needs to be checked. Report any eye exposure, smoke you breathed in or clothing that caught fire. Don’t judge how bad a burn is by pain alone. Sometimes a deeper burn hurts less because it has damaged nerves. [1, 2]
Stick closely to your wound care plan
Before you leave, ask the team to walk you through cleaning and covering the burn. Learn how often to change the dressing and what supplies to use. Find out how to manage pain before each change. Don’t pop blisters or use home remedies. [2, 3]
Call your care team if redness, warmth, swelling, drainage or pain gets worse, or if you get a fever. Follow the team’s instructions if they differ from these. Burn care varies with how deep the burn is and where it is. [2, 3]
Keep joints moving as the skin heals
When a burn covers a finger, shoulder or knee, moving that part can feel scary. Ask when it’s safe to move and whether a therapist should teach you exercises or how to use a splint. You want the area to keep working as it heals. Don’t stretch past a limit you were given for another crash injury. Let the therapist know which everyday task matters to you, such as getting dressed or gripping a cup. [1]
Burns that others can see may make social time harder too. It’s OK to ask for support with the emotional side. You can also get help planning a slow return to normal activities. Seeking that help is part of healing. It isn’t vanity. [1]
- Should I have a burn center consultation for this burn?
- What schedule should I follow for dressings, movement and checkups?
- Which changes could mean infection or a deeper injury?
Rewrite the care steps and check them
Sources and further reading
This article is general education from burn care and occupational therapy specialists. Only a medical professional can judge how deep a burn is and how to treat it. Get emergency care for a serious burn or a possible injury from breathing in smoke.
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