Burn pain is with the depth of damage, not the cause, it can be thermal (from extremes of heat or cold), chemical (such as acid), or radiant (sunburn, x-rays or artificial ultraviolet rays).

Regardless of the type of burn, inflammation and fluid accumulation in and around the wound occur. A burn is also a break in the skin, and the risk of infection exists both at the site of the injury and potentially throughout the body.

Burns are painful with intensity depending on the extent of the injury. When the skin encounters an excessive heat from chemical, flame, electricity, scalding liquid, steam or radiation including friction a person suffers a burn injury.

If the burn has blisters, redness, and a splochy appearance it is probably a second degree burn.Between 50,000 – 70,000 people are hospitalized for burns every year in the United States.

Pain management for burns can be difficult since burns differ in three types and severity.

First-degree burns are mild burn, resulting pain and reddening of the epidermis (outer layer of the skin).

Second-degree burns affect the epidermis and the dermis (lower layer of skin), resulting pain, redness, swelling, and blistering.

Third-degree burns affects deeper tissues, resulting  white or blackened, charred skin that may be numb.