Burns Diagnosis

In order to diagnosed minor burns, you can start by visiting your family doctor or general practitioner. Then, according to the severity of damage caused by a burn, you may be recommended to one of the following specialists:

• Aesthetic (plastic) surgeon
• Dermatologist
• Neurologist
• Pain medicine specialist
• Rheumatologist
• Pediatric specialists

When diagnosing a burn, a doctor evaluates the depth and extent of the damage, the degree of pain, the amount of swelling, and signs of infection. Doctors then classify the burn based on the depth and extent of the injury. Using these classifications, a physician can make a clear diagnosis.

Medical exams
Doctors must evaluate the extent of the burn (the amount of skin or body surface area that the burn covers) to assess the risk for such complications as infection, dehydration, and disfigurement. Doctors also consider the location of the burn, the configuration of the burn, medical history and other injures when diagnosing a burn. Doctors may also conduct tests to determine whether the wound is infected.

Burn size - Different systems have been developed to estimate the percentage of total skin that has been burned. However, the size of a burn is usually calculated as the percentage of total body surface area (TBSA) covered by the burn. Popular systems used include the Rule of Nines classification chart and the Lund-Browder classification is more accurate because it allows for BSA changes with age.

Depth of skin and tissue damage - Doctors burn depth by degrees (1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd), although most burns are a combination of different degrees and thicknesses.

First and some second-degree burns can generally heal in days to weeks without scarring. Deep second-degree and small third-degree burns often require skin grafting. Although burns covering half the body used to be fatal, doctors can now treat people with 90% burns. But what’s the best type of treatment for burns? And what happens in emergency cases? Continue reading more about burn care here.