How to Treat Frostbite Before Getting Medical Attention
Frostbite occurs when the skin, sometimes along with other soft tissues, freezes due to prolonged exposure to cold. Knowing first aid for treating frostbite before you get medical help can help prevent permanent damage, so here’s what you need to know if you’re out in extreme cold .
You may see frostbite before you feel it.
Our fingers and toes are numb from the cold, so if your limbs start to feel cold, you may not necessarily feel it. Early or mild frostbite may be accompanied by itching or tingling; after that, you will notice the signs visually, whether on yourself or on someone else. Here are the color changes to look out for, in order of severity:
- The skin turns pale yellow or white (moderately)
- Skin becomes firm and looks shiny or waxy (intermediate)
- The skin darkens and turns blue or gray (severe)
When to Seek Medical Help
If you suspect frostbite, go to the emergency room as soon as possible. This includes any of the above discoloration, as well as severe pain, bleeding, or blistering when the skin is heated.
Someone who has caught a cold long enough to develop frostbite may develop hypothermia, a condition in which their body temperature has dropped. Hypothermia is a more serious problem than frostbite , according to the CDC , so try hypothermia first. With severe frostbite, amputation may be required; severe hypothermia can be fatal. People with hypothermia may be confused, tired and slurred.
What to do while waiting for help
The first step to treating frostbite is to gently warm the affected area. Don’t rub your skin ; While rubbing can help warm your fingers or toes, it can also damage your skin further.
If the skin is wet, remove all wet clothing (such as socks or gloves) and dry the area. If possible, move to a warm place; if you are on the street, seek refuge.
To warm your skin, use gentle warmth from warm water or body heat, such as pressing a person’s fingers to the core of their body or to another person’s.
If you are using water, heat it slightly above body temperature, about 105 to 110 degrees. (If you don’t have a thermometer, try by touch. The water should feel like a warm bath, not hot soup.) Too hot water can cause burns in addition to frostbite, which is not very fun. …
It is important to keep an eye on the temperature because someone with frostbite may not know if the heat source is too hot. For this reason, warm water is safer than sitting by a fire or heater; If you need to use one of these heat sources, make sure the person who can feel the warmth can monitor the temperature to avoid getting burned.