Sorry, Health, with all respect to your “health field” connection, the doctor SPECIFICALLY told us to use the silvadene (thank you for the spelling correction,DY) to relieve the PAIN of the burn, as well as for its antibiotic sulfa properties. And relieve the pain (nearly instantly) it absolutely did.
As to the cold water, COLD, not ice water is what I use. I only referred to use of an ice cube, to keep the newly-tepid water cold without having to run cold water again. I would NOT recommend ice water or putting an ice cube on a burn. It WOULD damage the skin. But very cold water is VERY helpful in reducing the damage and further burning of the tissue, and does relieve the pain as long as the finger, hand, etc. is submerged completely. I do not understand WHY that is the case, but I have always found it to be so. I am guessing it would not really work the same way for a third degree burn. But the type most of us get from getting splashed with hot water, or touching a hot pot without gloves (thank you, Golfer, for your good intentions), IS easily controlled with this method, in my (unfortunately)vast experience.