Burns
Do you have any of the following symptoms that require emergency treatment? Call 911 or other emergency services immediately.
- Breathing stops. After calling 911 or other emergency services, begin rescue breathing if the burn victim is not breathing. Go to the Rescue Breathing section of the topic Dealing With Emergencies.
- Signs of decreased level of consciousness develop, such as sleepiness (lethargy), confusion, extreme restlessness, or agitation.
- Moderate to severe difficulty breathing from an airway burn or chemical fumes (smoke inhalation) develops:
- Signs of shock develop:
- Other serious injuries are present.
- Burns extend through the skin to injure muscle and bones (fourth-degree burn).
- Third-degree burns are present over more than 2% of the body.
- Second-degree burns are present over:
Note: If a chemical has been swallowed that may be a poison or may cause burning in the throat and esophagus, call your local Poison Control Center or the National Poison Control Hotline (1-800-222-1222) immediately for information on treatment. When you call the Poison Control Center, have the chemical container with you, so you can read the content label to the Poison Control staff member. The Poison Control Center can help determine what steps to take next.



