Hypothermia
It’s that time of year again, when we need to be concerned about the extreme cold temperatures. Hypothermia is the term used for cold exposure or low body temperature. Hypothermia occurs when a person’s body temperature falls below 95 degrees. The very young, the elderly, very thin people and the person with heart disease or circulatory problems are candidates for hypothermia.
Signs and symptoms of hypothermia include:
- loss of interest in surroundings
- difficulty in moving
- slow pulse and slow respiration
- confusion
- drowsiness
- loss of coordination
- cold skin
- slurred speech
- uncontrollable shivering
- weakness
The way to prevent hypothermia is to avoid extremely cold temperatures, stay away from windy areas where the windchill factor is high, change wet clothing and wear a hat since much heat is lost through the scalp.
If a person is suspected of having hypothermia, follow the steps:
- Check for signs of circulation, such as normal breathing, coughing or movement in response to stimulation
- Contact the emergency medical system immediately
- If the person is not breathing, start CPR
- Do not rub or manipulate the person’s arms and legs
- If possible remove the person from the cold. If this is not possible, move the individual out of the wind. Cover the person’s head and neck and the individual should be insulated from the cold ground.
- Remove any wet clothing and replace with dry ones.
- Do not give this person alcohol, because alcohol causes the blood vessels to dilate leading to further heat loss.
- Stay with the person until medical help arrives.
A person can be warmed too quickly which can result to heart arrhythmias. That is why you do not want to rub or manipulate the body.