How to relieve pain from a burn
Nov 25, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Liu Wenmin
Introduction
Pain from scalds can be quickly relieved through prompt and effective management. Key methods include cooling the area with running cold water, enhancing pain relief with cold compresses, applying topical medications, protecting the wound from irritation, and adjusting body position to reduce pressure. Timely and proper treatment after a scald helps minimize pain and promotes recovery. It is important to raise awareness of scald prevention in daily life, such as adjusting water temperature carefully when using a water heater.
In general, pain from burns can be quickly alleviated through timely and effective measures. The core methods include cooling the affected area with running cold water, enhancing analgesia with cold compresses, applying topical medications for relief, protecting the wound from irritation, and adjusting body position to reduce pressure. Detailed explanations are as follows:
1. Cooling with Cold Water Flush: Immediately rinse the burned area with flowing cold water at 15–25°C for 15–20 minutes. Cold water rapidly removes localized heat, reducing further thermal damage to skin tissue, while also suppressing the excitability of nerve endings to relieve pain at its source.
2. Cold Compress for Enhanced Pain Relief: For small burn areas, after rinsing with cold water, wrap an ice pack in a clean towel and apply it to the burned area for 10–15 minutes. Repeat every 1–2 hours as needed. Low temperature further constricts local blood vessels and reduces nerve sensitivity, thereby enhancing pain relief.
3. Topical Medication for Symptom Relief: Once the wound surface is dry, apply a standard burn ointment such as Moist Exposed Burn Ointment or Silver Sulfadiazine Cream. These medications form a protective film over the wound to minimize external irritation, while their active ingredients act directly on the wound to provide analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, relieving burning pain.
4. Protecting the Wound to Prevent Irritation: After a burn, the skin barrier is compromised and more susceptible to external stimuli that may worsen pain. Gently cover the wound with sterile gauze to avoid friction, pressure, or contact with contaminants. Keep the gauze clean and dry, and change it gently to prevent adhesion and secondary pain.
5. Adjusting Body Position to Reduce Pressure: If the burn is on a limb, elevate the injured part above heart level to promote local blood return, reduce swelling-induced pressure on the wound, and thus alleviate throbbing pain. Avoid keeping the limb in a dependent position or excessive movement that could stretch the wound and increase discomfort.
Timely and proper management after a burn can minimize pain and support faster recovery. It's important to strengthen awareness of burn prevention in daily life—such as adjusting water heater temperatures appropriately and being cautious around hot cookware in the kitchen—to reduce the risk of burns at the source.
