Woman's hot water bottle warning after suffering 'horrendous' burns on legs and bottom
A woman has warned others about the potential dangers of hot water bottles after she was left with "horrendous" burns.
Helen Cowell, from Brynamman, had been using a hot water bottle to help with back pain before it opened, leaving her with burns to her legs and bottom.
The 45-year-old explained: "I put it on the side of my leg while I was laying on the couch and it perished in the middle and went all over me.
"I can’t even explain the pain. I was just screaming. The skin was off the back of my legs and my bottom. It was horrendous. I will never forget it for the rest of my life."
The incident happened last April when Helen used boiling water to fill the bottle.
She was rushed to Morriston Hospital by her daughter, as Helen explained: "I was face down, screaming all the way.
"It’s not just a little burn, it’s horrendous. I couldn’t walk properly for a while, because of the nerve damage in my legs, and had to use a Zimmer frame. I’ve got severe scarring - all inside my legs, my buttocks and the back of my calves - and it may never go away. If I wear shorts it’s very visible. Horrible, crumpled, crusty and dry. That upsets me too, but it could have been my face."
The experience has left Helen "traumatised" and she now fears using a kettle, draining boiled vegetables and having a bath - opting for lukewarm showers instead.
She said: "People don’t think about these things. The fear of a boiling kettle – I couldn’t drink coffee or a cup of tea for nearly three months because of the fear. That’s how it has affected me.
"I was in a supermarket the other day and saw this little old lady buying one and I said, ‘Please don’t buy that. If you are going to use them, make sure you use warm water and not hot water.’ Then I showed her my scarring.
"The sad part of it was she said, 'I have to buy them because I can’t afford my heating.’ Which is so sad. Some people are sleeping with them and that gives me so much anxiety. They put them in their bed and cwtch up with them. It doesn’t matter how much air you bring out of them – I did it all properly – it will perish eventually."
Helen has since vowed never to use a hot water bottle again, but acknowledged more people may be using them giving rising energy bills.
"It is hard. I understand why they are using them because it’s expensive to put the heating on right now. But I’d rather put a dressing gown on. And a blanket. Extra layers. That’s all I’m doing from now on. It’s just not worth it. It’s really not."
Safety tips for using hot water bottles:
Check your hot water bottle for signs of wear, damage and leaks before each use.
Ensure that the stopper screws on and stays in place prior to filling.
Don’t use tap water to fill your hot water bottle as the impurities it contains can cause the rubber to perish more rapidly. Use boiled water that has been allowed to cool for a few minutes.
Do not fill your hot water bottle more than two thirds full.
Ensure excess air is expelled before replacing the stopper.
Always use a cover on your hot water bottle.
Do not sit, lie or put excess pressure on your hot water bottle when it is filled.
Do not allow direct contact with one area of the body for more than 20 minutes.
Store away from direct sources of heat or sunlight.
Replace your hot water bottle every two years.
Discussing the use of hot water bottles, advanced practitioner occupational therapist Janine Evans from Morriston Hospital, said: "Ultimately, people are filling them with boiling water, which they shouldn't be doing. Also, people are not checking whether the rubber is perished before filling it. And then the hot water either leaks out slowly, or in some cases it explodes.
"If you have any sort of peripheral neuropathy you should be extra cautious. People with diabetes, for example, often use hot water bottles to warm up their feet. But because of their reduced sensation they don't always notice when the hot liquid is leaking out. So the contact time is longer and they sustain more significant injuries."
Staff nurse John Davies said the burns centre sees 20-30 patients with scalds from hot water bottles every year.
He explained: "Even superficial burns, such as scalds, are very, very painful because the nerve endings are still exposed. The deeper the burn the less the pain, but the more likely you will need skin grafting and be left with a permanent scar.
"During the fuel crisis I think people will be using hot water bottles to keep warm rather than putting the central heating on. They are safe to use if you look after them and learn how to fill and store them correctly."
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