Burn Center

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Medicine

Medicine is a drug or other substance used to prevent or cure disease or to relieve pain. Medicine is commonly used for burn patients to help relieve pain or discomfort.

Some of the common medicines or drugs used while a patient is still in the hospital include:

Percocet

Relieves pain, makes you sleepy

Morphine

Relieves pain, makes you sleepy

Versed

Makes you sleepy and forget any unpleasant experiences

Benedryl

Helps relieve itch, can also make you sleepy

Medicines that are frequently given to patients with burns after leaving the hospital include:

Percocet

Relieves pain, makes you sleepy

Doxepin

Relieves itch and helps you sleep

Benedryl

Helps relieve itch, can also make you sleepy

Atarax

Relieves itch, makes you sleepy

Methadone

Relieves pain

Medicines you put on a burn (topicals)

Some burn medicines are creams you put on the burn to help them heal. Many of the medicines used are antibiotics. An antibiotic is a drug that is used in medicine to kill or slow the growth of germs that cause disease.

Some of the cream-type medicines used are:

Silver Sulfadiazine

A white antibiotic cream. The cream is either spread directly on the burn or put on a dressing that covers a burn. It helps fight infection.

Sulfamylon®

A white antibiotic cream. The cream is either spread directly on the burn or put on a dressing that covers a burn. Sulfamylon is generally used only on third degree, deep burns.

Xeroform

A yellow gauze dressing that is put on clean second degree burns.

Unna or Medicopaste Bandage®

Zinc oxide imbedded in gauze. This open-weave wrap dries to form a soft type cast. It can be removed by soaking in water.

Bacitracin

Antibiotic ointment, oily consistency. Used for superficial burns.

Acetic acid

A type of vinegar solution that kills germs. Acetic acid is usually sprinkled over a dressing to keep an area moist. Phrases used to describe this are “keep him in wet dressings for a few days” or “keep her grafts in wets”.