Are your fingers hard, numbed, grayish, waxy and chilled to the bone? Take care, it may be frostbite. Extreme cold temperatures are affecting the whole region and it’s the exposed areas of the body that can get frostbitten, or one may get hypothermia, but that doesn’t mean that you stay indoors. One always needs exercise and fresh air to stay healthy so let’s discuss a few ways to keep safe, from the chilly weather’s frostbite and also learn more about the frostbite treatment.
Frostbite
Frostbite can damage the skin and can tear apart the cells permanently and it needs only minutes for the skin that has been exposed to get affected by frost bite. According to Taizoon Baxamusa, MD, spokesperson for the AAOS, “It takes only minutes for exposed skin to become frostbitten if the temperature falls below 20 degrees Fahrenheit and the wind is blowing at 20 miles per hour or more. Your hands, fingers, feet, toes, and ears are especially susceptible, so you need to take special care protecting them.” So read on for a few tips to a great winter and no hypothermia:
Appropriate mode of dress
Make sure that you layer your clothes for insulation. At the same time, ventilation is of prior importance and here the loose and light clothing are the answer. The top most layer of the clothes need to be covered by a cloth that is water proof, this will protect the clothes in the misty and snowy weather. Have you noticed that when you wear the gloves the cold air escapes into the arm sleeve through the space left? Why not pull the gloves on to the arm sleeve and stop the air from creeping into the dress?
The head needs to be covered as a lot of heat is lost through the scalp. The feet, hands and head need to be kept protected at all times.
Extra clothing
You can wear two pair of socks to keep your feet warm and make sure to slip on those gloves to warm your chilly hands. Keep looking out for your hands, ears, feet, toes and fingers for any sign of numbness; please tread indoors to avoid any complications. The wet clothing needs to be taken off right away to stay protected from frostbite.
No alcohol
People are under the misconception that caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine are good in very chilly weather. No doubt they provide heat to the body but also expose the skin to thermal injuries.
Frostbite needs to be tended to by a proper professional. Head to a doctor for medical assistance, whenever possible, till then stay indoors.
To keep away from frostbite injuries, read on
After calling out for medical attention, sip some hot tea, soup or warm broth.
Keep the injured or suspected frostbitten areas at an elevated level.
Get into dry and warm loose clothing
Dip the affected area into slightly warm water for about half hour and wait for the sensation to return. Don’t worry if you feel any swelling in the area, or feel pinched and tingled in the process, carry on the good work!
God forbid if the blisters have appeared, tend to them tenderly and wrap sterilized gauze around the area till you get medical attention.
Keep away from the cold snow, no more snow ball games.
The heat from an infra red lamp, heating pad, a radiator, need to be avoided as the skin can burn.
