The Dangers Of Frostbite

By Gail Mardew

Countries in the far northern Atlantic like Canada and England experience very cold weather in the large part of the year. Frostbites are therefore not an unfamiliar concept. For people whose work involve frequent stay in the outdoors, this affliction is particularly common, although it may easily be avoided.

Frostbites occur when bodily tissues are damaged due to exposure to extreme cold at a long period of time. Skin and limbs that are often exposed like the nose, ears and cheeks are the parts of the body that often get frostbitten. Insufficient clothing will also allow intense cold to penetrate to the skin and may cause damage to an even greater surface area in the body.

The information center of the US National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, MedlinePlus, has enumerated the symptoms of frostbites. First the person afflicted will feel a tingling sensation in the affected area. As the exposure to cold lengthens in time, the skin will eventually be red raw and very painful when touched. When the frostbite worsens the area will begin feeling hard and cold and will appear pale white. When it enters into its worse state it will then appear black or greenish, indication of gangrene development.

Frostbite is the damage of the skin and the underlying tissues when subject to extreme cold at a length of time. Worst case frostbites happen when the cold penetrates the body until it reaches the blood vessels, damaging them and in the process blocks the flow of blood in the affected areas. This is the reason for permanent damage caused by frostbites. When this occurs, amputation becomes a necessity because gangrene may develop and harm the rest of the body.

If the frostbite has only penetrated skin level then this is just a minor case and there may still be complete recovery. Skin deep freezing will eventually thaw out; but this is a very painful process. The skin goes back to early frostbite state (red and very painful to touch) and as sensation creeps back to the area, a tingling will be felt which could escalate to intense pain as blood is allowed to flow freely again.

Frostbites should be given immediate and appropriate medical attention in order to prevent formation of gangrene. When blood vessels are frozen and restrict the flow of blood, this may lead to permanent cell damage and eventually the dead tissues or limbs will have to be amputated. Hypothermia is also an expected condition for frostbite patients. Trauma will also have to be attended to. Physical trauma may happen on the affected areas, especially on limbs. Emotional and psychological trauma may also occur if the patient underwent grueling situations out in the cold.

Prevention is always better than cure. Avoiding frostbites is certainly more appealing than having to endure the pain of recovery from it. It is necessary to be properly and sufficiently clothed when in a very cold climate. Among the basic winter clothing are thick mittens, mufflers, hats and scarves and water resistant thermal clothing. The ideal way is to wear these clothes in layers to ensure that body heat is preserved and cold is kept out of the body. People not used to very cold climates should all the more follow these SOPs. - 29871

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