Why do patients with full-thickness burns generally not complain of pain?

Why do patients with full-thickness burns generally not complain of pain?

• A. blister formation protects the burn
• B. they are generally not conscious
• C. the nerve endings have been destroyed
• D. subcutaneous vessels are usually clotted

Answer: (C)

Patients with full-thickness burns generally do not complain of pain because the injury extends through all layers of the skin, including the epidermis, dermis, and into the subcutaneous tissue. This deep level of damage results in the destruction of nerve endings in the affected area, which leads to a lack of sensation, including pain. Since pain is primarily transmitted through nerve pathways, the loss of these pathways due to thermal injury means that the patient may not experience painful sensations at the site of the full-thickness burn. In contrast, other factors such as blister formation or consciousness may affect pain perception in different types of injuries but are not relevant in the case of full-thickness burns, where the destruction of nerve endings is the primary reason for the absence of pain.

Patients with full-thickness burns generally do not complain of pain because the injury extends through all layers of the skin, including the epidermis, dermis, and into the subcutaneous tissue. This deep level of damage results in the destruction of nerve endings in the affected area, which leads to a lack of sensation, including pain. Since pain is primarily transmitted through nerve pathways, the loss of these pathways due to thermal injury means that the patient may not experience painful sensations at the site of the full-thickness burn.

In contrast, other factors such as blister formation or consciousness may affect pain perception in different types of injuries but are not relevant in the case of full-thickness burns, where the destruction of nerve endings is the primary reason for the absence of pain.