Office Interior Design Blog |

Living, working and playing in Michigan in the winter can be both fun and dangerous. One of the dangers to watch for is frostbite. The following may help with this danger.

How to Prevent Frostbite

Recognize that by venturing out into the cold, you are risking frostbite. Wind and wetness will drain your body of heat, especially your extremities, with astonishing speed. Stay mindful of the risk. Make sure you wear warm clothing when going outdoors: an inner wicking layer, a middle insulating layer and an outer wind- and water-resistant layer for both your upper and lower body. Be sure you also have gloves or mittens (mittens are better), a hat, and wool or thick fleece socks. Make sure you have clothing that will not lose its insulating properties when wet. The primary offender is cotton; wool is much better, as are many kinds of synthetic fleece. Stay hydrated. Dehydration is a predisposing condition for frostbite and hypothermia. Eat plenty of food, especially carbohydrates, which are quick to digest and easy for your metabolism to turn into heat. Eat small amounts frequently rather than large amounts infrequently. Set a reasonable pace when engaging in vigorous activities. Exhaustion can make treatment and even recognition of frostbite more difficult. Stop and warm your feet or hands if they start to feel numb; this is an early warning of frostbite. Avoid alcohol, which contributes to dehydration and impairs judgment, as well as caffeine and nicotine, which constrict blood vessels and therefore reduce the blood supply to extremities.

 

How to Treat Frostbite

Consider taking a pain reliever such as ibuprofen to brace for the inevitable pain of rewarming. Immerse the affected part in the water (104 and 108 degrees F), taking care that it doesn’t touch the sides of the receptacle. Heat more water, again to between 104 and 108 degrees F. Replace the water in the receptacle once it has cooled to below 100 degrees F. Repeat the heat-and-replace cycle until all discoloration has disappeared and all tissue is once again soft and pliable. This usually takes 30 to 60 minutes. Prepare a bath of water mixed with antibacterial soap. Immerse the affected area for 5 minutes to minimize risk of infection. Air-dry the injured area and gingerly apply aloe vera ointment. Cover the injured area gently with dry sterile gauze and insulating layers. Take extreme care not to let the frostbitten body part refreeze. The biggest danger of rewarming in the outdoors is that the affected area may thaw and then refreeze, resulting in far worse tissue damage than if you delay thawing so that it’s done well and only once. Because refreezing is so undesirable, strongly consider evacuation before thawing. If hypothermia is present along with frostbite, treat hypothermia first. Rubbing the affected area or exposing it to any external heat source other than warm water can cause permanent tissue damage.

 

This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.