A Man’s Guide to Frostbite & Hypothermia
January 04, 2011, By Craig J. Heimbuch 0 comments
Winter’s great. Love the snow – skiing, snowball fights, luge. But there’s some danger to being out in the cold, in particular – frostbite and hypothermia. Recognizing the warning signs and understanding how to treat these two cold-related emergencies just might save you and your family from winter disaster.
Frostbite
According to eMedicineHealth.com, frostbite occurs when tissues freeze. Just that simple. It can happen in as little as 30 minutes and has been known to affect everyone from skiers and mountain climbers to Napoleon’s army as it retreated from Moscow in 1812. The nose, cheeks, ears, fingers and toes are the most susceptible as your body limits blood flow to extremities in cold weather in order to maintain core temperature. Exposed skin is the primary cause, which is all the more reason to bundle yourself and your children up when heading outside.
Symptoms & Treatment
Signs of frostbite include a lack of feeling in the affected area and skin that appears waxy, is cold to the touch or discolored (flushed, white or gray, yellow or blue), according to the American Red Cross.
Treating frostbite is an eight-step process, according to redcross.org.
- Move the person to a warm place.
- Handle the area gently - never rub.
- Warm gently by soaking the affected area in warm water (100-105 degrees F) until it appears red and feels warm.
- Loosely bandage the area with dry, sterile dressings.
- If the person’s fingers or toes are frostbitten, place dry, sterile gauze between them to keep them separated.
- Avoid breaking blisters.
- Do not allow the affected areas to refreeze.
- Seek professional medical care as soon as possible.
Hypothermia
Hypothermia is the condition of the body temperature dropping below normal levels. For most people, the body maintains a core temp of around 98.6 degrees. Hypothermia kicks in when that core temperature drops below 96 degrees. Doesn’t seem like much of a drop, but in terms of the complicated chemistry of the human body, 2.6 degrees lost is akin to nor’easter blowing through your torso.
Symptoms & Treatment
Signs of hypothermia include: shivering, numbness, glassy stare, apathy, weakness, impaired judgment and loss of consciousness, according to redcross.org. And treatment follows a six-step process.
- Call 9-1-1 or a local emergency number.
- Gently move the person to a warm place.
- Monitor breathing and circulation.
- Give rescue breathing and CPR if needed.
- Remove any wet clothing and dry the person.
- Warm the person SLOWLY by wrapping them in blankets or by putting dry clothing on. Water bottles and chemical packs may be used when first wrapped in a towel or blanket before applying. DO NOT warm the person too quickly, such as by immersing him or her in warm water. Rapid warming may cause dangerous heart arrhythmias. Warm the core first (trunk, abdomen), not the extremities. This is important because warming the hands, arms, legs and feet first may cause the person to go into shock.
Watch out for frostbite and hypothermia. Keep you and your family safe and make this a winter to remember for the right reasons.
