First aid for frostbite: what can and can not

What is frostbite

doctors callFrostbite frostbite injuries caused by cold. then a simple mechanismFrostbite: How to Spot, Treat and Prevent It. When the ambient temperature decreases, our body narrows blood vessels outside. This stops the blood flow in the skin and under it, and helps to prevent heat loss, which is necessary for the normal functioning of internal organs.

If it is not too cold or you are in the cold for long, nothing dangerous is going on. Otherwise, poor circulation can become deeper and lead to serious, often irreversible consequences.

In very cold (-15 ° C and below) and windy, frostbite can occur in 5 minutes.

How to recognize frostbite

mild form

Even in the initial stages of frostbite symptoms are quite obvious:

• Affected areas - usually the hands, toes, nose, cheeks, ears - are cold, they are like tiny needles prick.
• The skin loses some sensitivity, numb.
• body part may turn white and then blush.
• Muscles, joints woody disappears accuracy and ease of movement.

This stage is safe. The only problem is that because you can not be aware that frostbite increases loss of skin sensitivity. And here already have the risk of getting seriously injured.

superficial frostbite

Reddened skin was pale again, it becomes hard and waxy. But you may feel a sudden warmth in just the seemingly stiff fingers, ears, nose, and cheeks... It's a bad sign. The body understands that the outer fabric in serious danger, and in a desperate attempt to save their expands peripheral vessels, providing a sharp rush of warm blood.

If at this point to return to the heat, frostbite the skin begins to thaw and, possibly, its color will be uneven - this is normal. Also you can find a strong redness, burning and / or edema, and 12-36 hours after cold injury - peeling, or the appearance of small blisters filled with fluid.

deep frostbite

If time does not escape from the cold, the body will lose hope to warm the outer layers of the skin and again closes the peripheral vessels to preserve the warmth inside. And this is really dangerous.

The skin will become more and more waxy, and the muscles and joints will continue to stiffen. In the cold, these changes are almost painless. But penetrates deep frostbite, poor circulation leads to tissue death. And when you return to a warm situation could become critical: there will be pain and swelling.

After a matter of hours on the skin long grow painful blisters, and tissue beneath them turn black and harden. This means that part of stunned by the cold body withered away.

Restore it, unfortunately, it is almost impossible - perhaps with the help of prosthetics.

How to provide first aid at an initial frostbite

When a mild form of frostbite simply return to the heat and warm up - for example, drink hot tea. Note: Warming should be gradual. It is not necessary to thrust the affected fingers in hot water - a sharp temperature drop can damage the vessels.

Warmed up? You can once again return to the snow and frost.

If, before the heat away, try not to give your body to understand that you freeze and internal organs are threatened. To do this, keep the maximum mobility: go quickly, and then run to the house or actively jump on the ground, beat her hands, pat on the nose, cheeks and ears.

How to provide first aid for superficial or deep frostbite

When it came to the surface or deep frostbite, action scheme is changed.

must not:

• Rub and massage the affected areas. Spastic vessels become brittle, and therefore risk of damage that will lead to the formation of bruises and worsen the situation. On subcutaneous bleeding body react vasoconstriction, lying more deeply.
• Very warm. This again is a bad influence on the spastic vessels. If you want to speed up the warming may be to begin to lower hands or feet in water at room temperature: when cold and so it will seem quite warm.
• Drinking alcohol. Alcohol expands peripheral vessels. As a result, due to a rush of blood to the skin you temporarily become warmer, but the body loses heat hard - possibly hypothermia. Furthermore, once the action of the alcohol is reduced, the body will try to block the loss of heat, "Skhlopnuv" as a lot of peripheral blood vessels that exacerbate symptoms frostbite.
• Ignore. skin lesions and subcutaneous tissue even when frostbite may be irreversible. It is therefore imperative to take measures in time.

Necessary:

• Immediately return to the heat!
• Tracking status and, if the tissue edema lasts longer than a few hours, and blisters on the skin or liquid-filled vesicles, consult a physician. In no case does not puncture the bubbles yourself: bring an infection risk. It has to do specialist (of course if need be).
• As soon as possible consult a physician or the emergency room if you notice a darkening of the skin.
• Take ibuprofen or other pain medication if discomfort when "thaw" seem too strong.
• If the frozen person became ill, he gives no sign of life or darkening of tissue significantly, immediately call an ambulance.

How to prevent frostbite

This point may seem superfluous, but still remind the safety rules.

• Follow the weather forecast, and avoid long walk, if the temperature falls below 15 ° C. Can be dangerous and not so low values ​​if they are accompanied by high humidity and wind.
• Dress for the weather. Ideal - to use the principle of multilayered. In frosty days wear clothes over three layers: a thin bottom, discharge excess moisture and not producing heat (Thermal), dense Breathable medium (works best fleece) and warm top (insulated jacket or jacket with wind and water resistant properties).
• Use protective cosmetics - the so-called Cold creams. They pose on the exposed areas of the skin cold thin fat layer that helps retain the heat and moisture.
• Do not drink alcohol on the streets! Drunk on the knee is not only the sea, but also cold. You risk not to notice danger signs of frostbite and hypothermia. Depending on the degree of the latter is fraught with different consequences: from reduced immunity and the risk to get sick with the problems of the cardiovascular system and other internal organs.
• Especially careful you have to be older people and those who suffer from these or other circulatory disorders (such as diabetics). Also, frostbite can occur faster in young children and people with a low percentage fat in organism.
• Learn to recognize and to react to the symptoms of frostbite. This will help maintain the health of both you and the people around you.