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Winter weather can be nasty and two of the meanest winter
culprits are hypothermia and frostbite.
Hypothermia--When your
body is unable to maintain a core temperature of 95 degrees
F, you begin to shiver, your speech slurs, your breathing
slows, your skin is cold and pale, your coordination
suffers, and you are lethargic and apathetic. Young
children, the elderly, and the ill are the most vulnerable.
Wet, damp clothing, an uncovered head, and inadequate
clothing can contribute to hypothermia. Other conditions
that make an individual susceptible include excessive
consumption of alcohol, cardiovascular disease, and an
underactive thyroid.
To treat hypothermia, bring the person out of the cold.
Remove wet clothing and replace it with warm, dry clothing.
Wrap the person in blankets. Call 911 for emergency
assistance. Provide a warm drink--do not give the person
alcohol.
"Persons pulled from icy water should lay still, be dried
and covered. Movement of the extremities can cause cold
blood to return to the heart, resulting in a
life-threatening change in cardiac rhythm," says Eric W.
Dickson, M.D., Director of the Emergency Medicine Program at
UI Hospitals and Clinics.
Frostbite--Skin on fingers,
toes, earlobes, cheeks, and noses are the most vulnerable to
prolonged exposure to freezing temperatures, wet clothes,
and forceful winds. Blood vessels near the surface of the
skin constrict to preserve internal body heat, reducing
blood flow to the skin. The result is frostbite. Frostbite
ranges from white or yellowish skin accompanied by itching
or burning sensations, numbness, and in the most severe
cases, blistering.
To treat frostbite, bring the person out of the cold.
Remove wet or constricting clothing, including jewelry. Call
911 for emergency assistance. DO NOT rub frostbitten areas
or apply direct heat.
For more information about hypothermia and frostbite, or
for help treating either one, call UI Health Access,
319-384-8442, ext. 104, or 800-777-8442, ext. 104.
For more information:
Listed above are several Web sites that offer additional
information on this topic. University of Iowa Health Care
does not sponsor or endorse these sites, or guarantee the
accuracy of the information contained on these sites. These
links are here for general information only, and should not
be used for personal diagnosis or treatment. If you have any
questions, please contact UI
Health Access.
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Winter survival
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