Cold weather tips from St. Luke's Emergency Department
January 13, 2009
St. Luke’s Emergency Department is reminding Eastern Iowans of the dangers associated with cold weather health hazards such as hypothermia and frostbite.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, hypothermia occurs when the body temperature falls below 95ºF. Nearly 600 Americans die each year from hypothermia.
Victims of hypothermia are most often:
Elderly people with inadequate food, clothing, or heating
Babies sleeping in cold bedrooms
Children left unattended
Adults under the influence of alcohol
Mentally ill individuals
People who remain outdoors for long periods
Symptoms of hypothermia:
Adults:
Shivering/exhaustion
Confusion/fumbling hands
Memory loss/slurred speech
Drowsiness
Infants:
Bright red, cold skin
Very low energy
Frostbite is an injury to the body that is caused by freezing. Frostbite causes a loss of feeling and color in affected areas. It most often affects the nose, ears, cheeks, chin, fingers, or toes. Frostbite can permanently damage the body, and severe cases can lead to amputation.
At the first signs of redness or pain in any skin area, get out of the cold or protect any exposed skin—frostbite may be beginning. Any of the following signs may indicate frostbite:
A white or grayish-yellow skin area
Skin that feels unusually firm or waxy
Numbness
Hypothermia is a medical emergency and frostbite should be evaluated by a health care provider.
