Hypothermia is when the temperature of your body drops below normal because the body\’s heat is lost quicker than it can be produced. The actual freezing of the skin near the surface is called frostbite. These conditions can still occur when the temperature is above freezing providing the wind chill factor is low enough, and the climate is windy and wet. Those who are especially susceptible are the very young, the very old, and frail people who are inactive, possibly due to illness.

Preventative Education

Education is supposed to be the best preventative medicine and yet, even people who have had the blood borne pathogens training manage to stick themselves from time to time. People have a tendency to believe that it can never happen to them until they actually find themselves stranded on top of a mountain, in a snowstorm, or lost in the heat of the desert.

Symptoms of Hypothermia

With little warning, hypothermia can become a serious problem when it sets in before anyone realizes the danger. The symptoms include,
– Severe shivering
– Slurred speech
– A feeling of apathy
– Poor or impaired judgment

Sneaky Killer

The reason Hypothermia is so hard to pinpoint is, as the body temperature drops, shivering may completely cease, the chest and abdomen become cold the breathing slows, as does the pulse. The victim becomes weak and confused. They never realize what is happening before becoming sleepy. Once unconscious, death is imminent.

Avoiding Danger

If your patient is in danger or if you believe you are in danger of hypothermia and frost bite, there are steps that you must take immediately to avoid the danger.

– Find shelter. Look for somewhere warm and dry

– Warm yourself or your patient slowly. If you warm nearly frozen flesh too quickly, you will damage the tissue.

– Keep the person awake and alert. Speak to them constantly and ask questions. If you feel yourself falling asleep, walk around. Do whatever it takes to stay awake.

– Remove wet clothing and replace with dry clothes or cover with dry sleeping bag, blankets, or anything else you can find. Body heat from another person is the best way to warm someone slowly and thoroughly.

– Never drink alcohol during this process. Provide warm liquids, not hot, and foods that are high in calories.

Tricky To Treat

Frostbite is very tricky. Treating frostbite incorrectly can result in more damage to the affected area. Follow these steps for frostbite victims until you can find professional help.

– Never warm frozen flesh unless there is no chance that refreezing will occur. If you or the victims are still in danger of frostbite, warming frozen flesh that will refreeze will do much more damage than waiting until danger of refreezing has passed.

– For small areas, like fingers or toes, warm with breath or place against warm skin, bare skin inside clothing.

– If warm water is available, immerse for 20 minutes at a time in water between 104 and 108 degrees.

– Rubbing the area will cause more damage. Never rub frozen flesh or tissue will come off and damage to underlying flesh could become infected.

Protect Blisters

Keep frostbitten area above the heart if possible and protect any blisters that come up. The blisters are filled with plasma and are the body\’s way to protect the wound and promote healing. Seek professional medical treatment as soon as possible.

Author Bio: For more information please visit our HIPAA HITECH website.

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: plasma,heart,frostbite victims ,alcohol,blood borne pathogens training,Hypothermia