If you think ice will help your burn injury, think again

Even though cars today are safer than ever, you are still in danger of suffering a catastrophic burn injury in a motor vehicle accident. In fact, according to the National Fire Protection Association, vehicle fires cause roughly 10% of all civilian fire injuries in the U.S.

If you suffer a burn in a car accident, your instinct may be to apply ice. After all, ice can rapidly cool the skin and provide you with some instantaneous relief. If you think ice will help your burn injury, though, you are probably mistaken.

Ice does more harm than good

Medical professionals have long warned burn victims about the dangers of applying ice to their wounds. These dangers are twofold. First, putting ice on your burn may cause you to sustain additional tissue damage. Second, ice may numb your skin and subcutaneous tissue, causing you to erroneously believe your burn is not as severe as it actually is.

Cool water is a better option

If you are looking for immediate relief from your pain, running cool water over your burn wound is a much better option. Still, cool water only works for minor burns. If you suffer second- or third-degree burns or have burns to large sections of your body, cool water is not likely to help much.

There is no substitute for emergency medical care

Following a car accident, you should do what you can to avoid at-home remedies. Remember, there is no substitute for emergency medical care. When you go to the hospital, you allow doctors to use their skills and equipment to develop a treatment plan that has a much better shot of working.

Ultimately, while you may worry about paying for emergency medical care, knowing you may be eligible for significant financial compensation should put your mind at ease.