Among the many credentials I hold, one of them is ABLS. Coupled with my work experience I humbly offer the following. Health IS correct in saying that Silvadene has no intentional analgesic properties. it is simply an anti-bacterial preparation. If you have applied it and found that you no longer have pain, it is likely that you wouldnt have had the pain even without it. the purpose of applying an anti-infective agent on a burn is because your usual defenses against infection (your skin) has been compromised. Almost and topical antibacterial prep will be effective at this. the reason Silvadene is popular is that because it works across a broad variety of organisms. (not to be confused with “broad-spectrum” antibiotics) “Mycin’s” target most “common” organisms that normally live on the skin, so its a bit narrower in scope.
That said, here is some advice from just another post on the internet. Anything more that a minor (un-blistered) burn on the hands or feet should bee seen by a physician. Any burn that encircles and limb should go to an ED, EVERY TIME!! Chemical burns should go to an ED, EVERY TIME!! This includes things like that horrible Israeli oven cleaning product that should be illegal.
In general, minor burn treatment focuses first on stopping the burning process. For fat/grease/oil based burns this can be difficult as fat is hydrophobic and can still be hot enough on the surface of the skin even after a quick rinse. As for covering them afterward, it depends on the severity and area of the burn. Remember, burned skin offers you no protection from organisms outside the body. Even a minor burn can get horribly infected. Hygiene, hygiene, hygiene……
Some general rules on dressings:
1)If dressed, a non-adherent pad will allow drainage of fluids from the burn and still not stick when you change the dressing
2) Change the dressing if the burn is weeping. Nothing fosters bacterial growth quite like bodily fluid festering outside the body
3)Most any topical anti-bacterial will work, consult a physician if you should be putting any on at all.