Kitchen 911 : How to Handle Burns, Cuts and other Cooking Disasters

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Kitchen 911: How to Handle Burns, Cuts and Other Cooking Disasters

You Burn Your Hand While Basting the Turkey (or Draining Boiling Water from Cooking Potatoes)

Run cool water over the area for 5 to 10 minutes, says David John, M.D., associate chair of emergency medicine at Johnson Memorial Medical Center in Connecticut. Avoid home remedies such as butter, which don’t work. Apply an antibacterial ointment before covering lightly with a bandage or gauze, says Bret A. Nicks, M.D., spokesperson for the American College of Emergency Physicians. He also suggests an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen, to manage the pain. Get a tetanus shot within 72 hours of any serious cut or burn if yours isn’t current -- within 10 years if you’re healthy or 5 years if you have chronic health issues.
Go to the ER if: The burn has multiple blisters or the skin appears white or charred and has no feeling in it --a sign of a serious burn. See a doctor if the burned area is larger than your palm or if the burn is on your face or over a joint.

You Slice Your Finger

Immediately rinse under cool running water, use mild soap to clean the wound and then apply direct pressure for five minutes. “These types of cuts do tend to bleed a lot,” says Dr. Nicks. What helps? Keep your hand above your heart to decrease blood flow to the area. Apply antibacterial ointment and a bandage. If the cut is more of a "nick, treat it the same the way, though you probably don't need to keep you hand above your heart.
Go to the ER if: The bleeding doesn’t stop after 15 minutes of direct pressure, or if you’ve lost function in your hand or the wound keepings reopening.

You Bump Your Head

Ice the area immediately for 15 to 20 minutes to reduce the risk of swelling, and take an over-the-counter pain medication such as ibuprofen, advises Dr. John.
Go to the ER if: You’ve lost consciousness -- even briefly – or you have a headache that worsens despite pain medication, or you experience nausea, vomiting, or slurred speech, all possible signs of a concussion

Your Skin Starts Burning after Chopping Hot Peppers

Hot peppers add spice to your meal, but their juices can burn your skin like crazy – a great reason to wear gloves! If your hands start to feel the burn, wash them well with soap and water several times after you cut the peppers to remove their essential oils which cause the burning sensation. “Try to keep your hands away from sensitive areas such as your mouth or eyes so you don’t transfer the oils,” says John. Try an ice pack or a pain medication such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. The pain usually subsides in about hour. If you touched your eyes, flush them with water for 15 minutes.

Your Oven Mitt or Sleeve Ignites

Cooking is the number cause of residential fires on Thanksgiving. If an oven mitt or even a dangling shirt sleeve gets too close to a flame, smother the flames with a pot lid or remember to stop, drop and roll if a bigger piece of clothing catches fire. Otherwise, treat as any other burn: Remove the jewelry or clothing in contact with the burn and run water over the area for 5 to 10 minutes. Cover the wound with antibacterial ointment and a bandage, and take a pain medication, says John.
Go to the ER if: Your clothing has adhered to your skin (it will be too painful to remove yourself), if you have multiple blisters, or if the skin is numb and appears white or charred, indicates sign of a serious burn.

You Puncture Your Finger with a Fork or Knife

The difference between a cut and puncture is a puncture wound doesn’t usually bleed a lot. “But the object [that stabbed you] can carry bacteria deep into the wound, especially if you were cutting up something like raw poultry,” says Darria Long Gillespie, M.D., an emergency medicine physician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Most physicians recommend being seen and evaluated by your doctor within a day. In the meantime, watch for signs of infection such as pus, increasing pain or red lines radiating from the punctured area in the next few days.
Go to the ER if: You notice signs of infection, the puncture is gaping or appears deep.

You Splash Something Dangerous in Your Eye

“Flush the eye with water from the kitchen faucet or spray hose for 5 to 10 minutes or irrigate with a plain saline like solution that’s used to clean contacts,” says Dr. Gillespie. If it’s a chemical substance, like a kitchen cleaner, flush the eye for at least 15 minutes, call 911, and bring the product with you to the ER.
Go to the ER if: You splashed a chemical in your eye, if there’s a change in your vision or if it still feels like something is in there after irrigating (you may have inadvertently scratched the cornea).

You Overeat and Get the Worst Case of Indigestion Ever

If you’re otherwise healthy, an OTC antacid such as calcium carbonate (Tums) or magnesium hydroxide and aluminum hydroxide (Maalox) is fine to relieve indigestion.
Go to the ER if: You feel worse when you’re walking around, you’re in a cold sweat or if you experience nausea, anxiety, or pain in the jaw or arm, call 911. These are all signs of a potential heart attack. “If you have any doubts about whether or not this is indigestion, get checked out. It’s far better to be safe than sorry,” says Gillespie.

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