Alternative Therapies for Burns Treatment

PCL 11 – Betty burns her hand
Amber Hartley

Alternative therapies for treating burns

There are many folk-remedies suggested for treating burns, ranging from honey and oatmeal, to various herbs designed to speed healing. We must, however, look at some studies which test the effectiveness of these alternative therapies in order to determine which may be useful.

One study (Matheson et al., 2001) looked at the effect of an oatmeal paste as a dressing for burns. The focus of the study was assessing oatmeal’s effect on pain rating, itch rating and antihistamine use during burn healing. The subject group consisted of 34 patients, with the control group receiving liquid paraffin dressing, and the test group receiving the liquid paraffin dressing in conjunction with 5% colloidal oatmeal cream. The findings were that the test group reported half as many itch complaints as the control group, and half as many anti-histamine requests.

Another study (Starley et al., 1999), examined the effect of mashed papaya on burn infection rates. In the cohort of 32 subjects, the control group received standard care, while the test group had a papaya paste applied to the burn. The findings were that the burns treated with papaya paste needed less debridement.

A study in 1997 (Patterson, Ptacek, 1997) examined the effect of hypnosis on pain caused by burn injuries. The control group received standard care, while the test group received standard care and hypnosis. The study consisted of 61 subjects, and found that patients with high initial pain ratings experienced decreased pain after undergoing hypnosis, in comparison with the control group.

Two studies conducted by Field et al. (1998, 2000) looked at the effects of massage therapy on the healing of burns. Test groups received massage for 20-30 minutes (twice a week in the 2000 study, once daily for one week in the 1998 study), on top of the treatment received by the control group.
Findings of the 1998 study included decreased salivary cortisol levels and increased positive behaviours in the test group, while findings of the 2000 study show that the those receiving massage therapy had decreased itching of the burn site, decreased pain, and decreased depressed mood.
The subject groups for these studies were 20 patients (2000) and 28 patients (1998).

One study conducted in 2001 by Fratianne et al. examined the effect of music therapy on burn healing. This involved a music therapist improvising song lyrics which referenced patient’s imagery patterns, and deep breathing exercises. The subject group was 25 patients.
The study found that the music therapy decreased pain.

The important thing to note about the above studies is that all have very small subject numbers. This casts doubt on their reliability and indicates that further, more extensive trials are necessary before these treatments can be expanded into mainstream practise.

Aside from those treatments considered formally in trials, as discussed above, a number of other remedies may have some efficacy in treating burns, or are often considered to have some use. These include:
§ Aloe – although this is often recommended, there is no evidence to support this, and some evidence states that it is ineffectual.
§ St. John’s Wort
§ Comfrey root
§ Tea tree oil
§ Nutritional support: vitamins A, C, E, zinc and B-complex, essential fatty acids
§ Traditional Chinese Medicine approach: eat foods that remove heat and toxins, nourish yin, and promote production of body fluids. These foods include mung beans, kidney beans, lima beans, soybeans, cucumber, potatoes, summer squash, sweet potatoes, barley. In addition to this dietary support, fresh ginger, potatoes and cucumbers are considered to reduce pain and swelling if applied directly to the burn.
§ Pulp of fresh pumpkin (used as a poultice)
§ Calendula tincture
§ Raw honey – according to a study in India, raw honey and gauze may be more effective than conventional types of bandages, with results indicating faster healing and lower infection rates
§ Potato peel
§ A herb called ‘gotu kola’, claimed to speed healing and reduce scarring
§ Chamomile
§ Goldenseal


References:
Spencer & Jacobs, (2003). “Complementary and Alternative Medicine: an evidence-based approach.” Mosby Inc. USA.
The Gale Encyclopaedia of Alternative Medicine, (2001) vol 1. “Burns”
Bratman, S. (2007), “Complementary and Alternative Health: the scientific verdict on what really works.” Harper Collins, London.