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Suggest Treatment For Pain In The Fingers And Arms After Suffering A Burn

Posted on Tue, 27 Sep 2016

Question: I burned three fingers last night when I forgot to use a potholder. I ran cold water on them and have put honey, Vaseline, and aloe vera on them. This morning there are Little areas of red but no blisters yet. However large areas of the top of each finger feels funny to the touch. In addition, my arm aches especially when I move these fingers. Is there a reason my arm aches? Based on what I wrote, should I be seeing a doctor?

Answered by Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (55 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Please attach a pocture of this burn.

Detailed Answer:
Hello.

Thank you for the query.

Can you please attach a picture of this burn? Does it hurt in the burn area?
If you feel no pain of the burned area, and when you touch the burned skin it does not cause any pain, you may have deeper burn than it seems. In such case you should visit a doctor.

Burn pain does not radiate to the arm so it is kind of strange symptom and seems to not be related with the burn.

Hope this helps.
Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (34 minutes later)

Attached are photos. The thumb hurts a little but none Hurt as much as I would expect. The 3 fingers feel more strange than painful. It sounds like I should be seeing a doctor since I am not having pain.

Answered by Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (18 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
No need to see a doctor.

Detailed Answer:
I have checked the pictures. You do not have to see a doctor. The burn is very superficial. That is why you have no pain or mild pain. Just give it few days. It should be no sign of the burn by then.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (14 minutes later)

Just a few follow up questions. I held the hot platter directly from the oven for at least a few seconds because of the shock of how hot it was. Thus I would've expected a bit more burn although I did put my hand under cold water quickly. Each finger at the top does ache and feel strange even though they're not very red. It is hard for me to hold a knife or anything in that hand right now because the fingers do hurt and ache - deeper than just the skin just want to confirm that you don't think this means that there is a deeper need for which I need to see a doctor. I really appreciate that you asked to see photos..

Thanks. How long should I continue to put vaseline or aloe on the area?

Answered by Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (2 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
The burn is not deep.

Detailed Answer:
The pain you feel is actually a very good sign. It simply indicates that the burn was not deep enough to destroy nerves (skin nerves, not those located deeper). So this just proves that its not a deep burn.
Putting burned skin into a cold water can greatly decrease the area of the burn. Probably because you did it, the burn is not as deep as you expect.
Finally deep burn results with a skin destruction so it peels off. Your skin is just reddish. That is why I am pretty sure you do not need medical attention.

Brief Answer:
Few more days.

Detailed Answer:
Few more days will be fine

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar