UPDATE....any nurses/Dr's out there? DaniRN?

It's a long story, but a friend of the family who is a plumber came over today to fix our heat, but when he was showing me how to turn the valuve to empty the hose to the burner, boiling hot water shot out with great force and ended up shooting all over my legs! I couldn't get away from it quick enough and now I have huge red prickley burns on both of my thighs. I have been icing them for 2 hours now, but they are still very painful. What should I do? Do I need to go to the dr/hospital? I am scared. My DH is at work right now.

Thanks for your help!
lora

I am not a Dr. or a Nurse, but it sounds like you might need to get a prescrip. for Silvadine (sp?) cream or some type of inflammatory....

Have you taken any advil or pain reliever for the pain?

Hope you are ok!!

from webmd.com

Most burns are minor. It is common to get a minor burn from hot water, a curling iron, or touching a hot stove. Home treatment is usually all that is needed for healing and to prevent other problems from a minor burn.

People think of burns as injuries to the skin, but burns can also injure many other parts of the body, such as muscles, nerves, lungs, and eyes. Burns are defined as first-, second-, or third-degree, depending on how many layers of skin and tissue are burned. The deeper the burn and the larger the burned area, the more serious the burn is.

Infection is a concern with all burns. Home treatment steps for cleaning and caring for a minor burn will reduce the risk of infection. Deep burns with open blisters are more likely to become infected.

First, stop the burning. The first step with any burn is to stop the burning to prevent a more severe burn.

Liquid scald burns (thermal burns). Run cool tap water over the burn for 10 to 20 minutes but do not use ice. Remove any jewelry or clothing at the site of the burn.

If you are going to see your health professional soon:

Cover the burn with a clean cloth soaked in cool water.
Do not put any salve or medication on the burned area.
Do not put ice or butter on the burned area.

A first-degree burn is a minor red burn of the top layer of skin. A sunburn is an example of a first-degree burn. The skin looks red and will turn white (blanch) when you press on it, then turn back to red. The burned skin might hurt and be slightly swollen. You may feel like you have a fever.

First-degree burns usually heal with home treatment in about 3 to 5 days. They do not usually cause scars.

If one or more of the following symptoms occur during home treatment, use the Check Your Symptoms section to evaluate the symptoms:

New symptoms, such as pain, limited movement, or numbness develop.
Any breathing problems develop.
Signs of infection develop, such as:
Increased pain, swelling, redness, heat, or tenderness at the site of the burn.
Red streaks extending from the burn toward the body.
Pus or bad-smelling drainage that continues to form at the burn site.
Fever of 100°F (37.78°C) or higher.
Your symptoms become more severe or frequent

chippatrid

thanks for the info. Of course my first reaction was to ice it an have been doing so for the past few hours. It figures that the article said not to use ice. I'll try some cool water and call my Dr.

Thanks to everyone else! I'm still in pain and took the advil advice. I am going to wait until my DH gets home to drive me to the Dr. if they tell me to come. Since the burn is on my legs, I don't want to drive. walking proves to be a bit painful.

I can't believe my luck! I'll let you know what happens.

Lora

your welcom. Let us know how things go and how you are feeling.

thanks ladies! My DH will be home in 15 min or so! The advil seems to have stopped most of the pain. I will go to the Dr. as soon as he gets in!

Lora

Too bad he's a friend of the family, you might have an nice LAWSUIT on your hands

Thank you to all your lovely ladies! I am doing just fine. I did go see my Dr. and he told me to keep cool compresses on it, take advil, and to put aloe on it. Now, the burns just look like a slight sunburn.

Nubride: LOL! I wish we could sue! The plumber has done so much for us that I couldn't even think of it- and cheep! (beside being our family's friend!).

Again, you ladies are the best!
Hugs to all!

Lora

Glad you're feeling better

thanks Danielle. It was sweet of you to offer a ride also!

Lora

Yikes! Glad you are OK