Burns

When should you go to the ER for a burn? A third-degree burn damages all layers of your skin and the underlying bone, fat or muscle. While first-degree and second-degree burns can be treated at home or at urgent care, severe burns should be treated at an emergency room.

Goshen Hospital Emergency Department provides fast care for severe burns, including third-degree burns. Offering leading-edge treatments and compassionate care, we are dedicated to the well-being of our community, especially in emergency situations.

If you have a third-degree burn, don’t immerse the burn in water or remove clothing stuck to the burn. Call 911 or come to our emergency room.

Third-degree burn symptoms

A third-degree burn has these symptoms:

• The skin looks waxy or dry.
• Your skin is charred black or white.
• You have little to no pain due to damaged nerves.

Many things can cause severe burns, including electricity, chemicals and scalding hot food, drinks or steam. If you’re not sure of the degree of your burn, make sure to have it checked out by a professional. You should also see a doctor if your burn oozes, becomes increasingly painful, turns red, swells or shows other signs of infection.

Caring for your severe or third-degree burn

When you come to Goshen Hospital Emergency Department, our team works quickly to stabilize your condition. As a Level II emergency center, we are equipped to provide advanced care. Working together with board certified emergency physicians, our nurses are trained in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and can treat shock, which may result from a severe burn. After initial treatment, we may recommend that you be transferred to a higher level trauma center or burn center.