Written on April 21, 2023
A burn is a serious injury that goes deeper than the skin. Burn survivors will tell you that the damage is as much psychological as it is physical. A burn injury doesn't just impact their lives; it changes them. Understanding problems faced by burn survivors, from chronic pain to social anxiety, will help raise awareness and improve the level of care offered to them.
The initial challenges from a burn injury are physical. Burn survivors often have long recovery periods. During this recovery and afterward, they must learn to adjust to wound management, healing skin, repeated reconstructive surgeries, and a different approach to nutrition. These challenges create a new normal for them.
Itching and skin irritation are one of the top challenges reported by burn survivors, according to the Phoenix Society's 2022 State of the Survivor report. A survey of survivors shows that 65 percent experience itchiness and dermatological problems associated with their injuries.
The itching experienced by those with burns goes beyond what most people associate with wound healing. It is due to nerve damage on the skin. The nerves misunderstand the new sensations and respond by creating itching. The itching can get worse at night, interrupting sleep.
Burn survivors who experience intense itching should talk to their healthcare providers. There may be a medication that can help. You can help ease the itching with good skincare, like frequent moisturization, massage, and lukewarm baths. You can also try over-the-counter lotions and creams that provide itch relief.
Wound management doesn't stop when the burns heal. A study published in Advances in Skin & Wound Care found that burn survivors often experience chronic pain from scarred areas.
They must protect these delicate areas from further damage and treat any problems that might arise, like irritation. In addition, they may have to wear protective clothing over new scars and watch them for changes that may indicate a problem.
Some burn survivors undergo reconstruction surgeries and treatments long after their injuries heal. Contracture and deformity are common in burns, and they require correction.
Some standard reconstruction techniques include:
Tissue transfer
Tissue expansion
Delayed primary closure
Skin grafts
In addition, a burn survivor may undergo laser treatment designed to break up hypertrophic scars that can impede their range of motion.
Body temperature regulation, especially overheating, is a common problem after a burn injury. It is something 64 percent of burn survivors face.
There are two issues impacting body temperature. First, some of the body's tools to manage temperature become damaged due to the injury, like blood vessels and sweat glands. There is also less skin surface to release heat into the air and cool the body. In addition, burn survivors can experience a hypermetabolic state. Their bodies burn more energy, and that releases heat.
Burn survivors frequently have to take steps to cool themselves, like carrying a fan or putting cool cloths on the backs of their necks.
That hypermetabolic state also means they must pay special attention to their diets. Without proper nutrition, their bodies will break down muscle mass for energy.
Burn survivors must eat a diet rich in proteins to ensure they have the resources for wound healing and to stay healthy. They become susceptible to infection, low muscle mass, and dangerously low body weight without proper nutrition.
Appetite is an initial concern, as well. While in the hospital, the care team loads them up with calories to help their bodies heal. Once home, they must adjust to a lower calorie level while maintaining proper nutrition.
Burn survivors undergo psychological changes as well as physical ones. They can experience the psychological distress associated with PTSD and develop serious body image issues.
There is a lot to think about after a burn injury. They may worry about their future and how they can afford the long recovery from their accident. In addition, they have to deal with the physical challenges ahead of them, like pain, poor mobility, physical therapy, and even a loss of independence.
Their injury may affect their ability to work, care for themselves and do the things they love. In addition, they can become self-conscious about their appearance and worry that the people they love see them differently.
With all that in mind, it's no wonder they often suffer from the following:
Depression
Anxiety
Poor self-image
Isolation
Difficulty sleeping
Loneliness
Social anxiety
Treatment from a burn injury must go beyond just physical healing. Burn survivors need psychological care, as well. They have experienced trauma and need to heal their minds and bodies. To learn more about what survivors say about their injuries, we recommend downloading Phoenix Society's 2022 State of the Survivor report.