Everyone Healthy Library
Sunburn
Condition / disease reference page from the Everyone Healthy database.
Connected health information
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Condition overview
Attributes
Linked signs and symptoms
10Each sign/symptom opens its own page and links back to related conditions.
Linked drugs / medications
0No linked drugs are listed yet.
Treatments, therapies and supportive options
10Grouped by treatment type. These are educational database links, not personal treatment recommendations. Evidence labels are shown only where stored in the EH database.
Behavioural changes
1Alternative and complementary therapies
4Alternative medicine
2Vitamins and minerals
2Linked diagnostic tests and investigations
0No linked diagnostic tests are listed yet.
Biological and test markers
0This visual map uses existing EH database links to show biological agents and lab markers reported as increased, decreased, or associated with this condition. These are educational relationships only; test results must be interpreted by a qualified clinician because ranges vary by lab, method, age, sex and clinical context.
No biological marker links are listed yet for this condition.
Introduction / full article
Sunburn
Efficacy of Alternative and Other Treatments According to GRADE* Ranking:
Tea Tree Oil [1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13]:
Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It is proposed only as a weak supportive symptomatic support, and even then, has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present. WARNING: Tea Tree Oil is not recommended for children, pregnant women or mothers that are breastfeeding.
Recommendation: weakly against (There is some evidence that tea tree oil should not be used on burns. There is insufficient evidence to support claims that it helps in the treatment of burns at all.)
Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence
Chamomile (Matricaria Chamomilla) [1, 2, 3]:
Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It is proposed only as a weak supportive symptomatic support, and even then, has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.
Recommendation: weakly against (Available evidence does not support claims that Chamomile helps treat sunburns. In addition, allergic reactions and side effects like cramps, itching, rashes and difficulty breathing can be relatively common)
Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence
Arnica Root (Arnica Montana):
Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.
Recommendation: no recommendation (available evidence shows that Arnica is in no way helpful in the treatment of sunburns)
Grade of Evidence: moderate quality of evidence
Aloe Vera:
Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.
Recommendation: weakly against (studies are conflicting regarding claims that Aloe Vera helps to treat sunburns. Some studies support this claim, while others report that Aloe can delay healing)
Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence
* www.gradeworkinggroup.org
Summary References
Summary References
1. Ades T, Alteri R, Gansler T, Yeargin P, "Complete Guide to Complimentary & Alternative Cancer Therapies", American Cancer Society, Atlanta USA, 2009
3. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-chamomile.html
4. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18816275
5. http://bastyrcenter.org/content/view/972/&page=
6. http://jac.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/62/4/769?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=staphaseptic&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT
7. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2145499
8. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9055360
9. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12451368
10. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9848442
11. Bishop, C.D. (1995). "Anti-viral Activity of the Essential Oil of Melaleuca alternifolia". Journal of Essential Oil Research: 641–644
12. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/tea-tree-oil
13. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-teatreeoil.html