Cold Weather

Hypothermia occurs when the body’s core temperature drops below 35°C. At first, hypothermia causes shivering, confusion, and stumbling. With longer exposure, hypothermia can have severe consequences including organ failure and death.

Symptoms of hypothermia

Adults

• loss of muscular control (e.g., difficulty in walking)
• memory loss, slurred speech
• difficulty speaking and drowsiness

Children

• bright red, cold skin
• very little energy

How to treat hypothermia

Hypothermia is a serious medical condition. If you suspect that someone has hypothermia, seek medical attention immediately.

While waiting for medical help:

• Find a warm room or shelter.
• Keep muscles moving.
• Remove wet clothing. Replace wet things with warm, dry clothes.
• Wrap the individual in blankets/dry clothing or reheat the body through skin-to-skin contact with another person.
• Drink warm, sweet liquids.
• Don’t fight shivering, this is one of the ways your body increases its core temperature.
• If a person is unconscious lay them down and avoid shaking them or handling them roughly.

Frostnip and frostbite occur when skin and other tissues freeze and die because blood and oxygen can no longer circulate. Frostnip and frostbite can affect any area of exposed skin, such as the cheeks, ears, nose, hands and feet. Of particular concern is the prolonged exposure of extremities, such as fingers and toes, to cold weather.

Frostnip symptoms

• Red and cold skin; skin may start to turn white, but is still soft.
• Prickling and numbness.
• Tingling and stinging.

How to treat frostnip

If you suspect frostnip, get out of the cold, wind, rain or snow and:

• Remove tight jewelry or clothing.
• Place cold fingers in your armpits, or warm a cold nose or cheek with the palm of your warm hand.
• Do not rub or massage the area.

Frostbite symptoms

• Skin appearing white or grayish-yellow and feeling cold to the touch.
• Skin feeling unusually firm or waxy.
• Pins and needles, followed by numbness.

How to treat frostbite

Frostbite requires medical attention. While waiting for medical help:

• Find warm shelter and remove wet clothes.
• If you can get out of the cold until medical attention is available, you can begin to warm the affected area. If warm shelter is not available and there is a possibility that skin will refreeze, do not try to warm frostbitten skin. You can rewarm by:
  • immersing the affected area in warm but not hot water (the temperature should be comfortable to the touch for unaffected parts of the body), or
  • warming the affected area using body heat. For example, the heat of an armpit can be used to warm frostbitten fingers.
• Do not rub the frostbitten area or massage it. This can cause more damage.
• Do not walk on frostbitten feet or toes, if possible.
• Do not use a heating pad, heat lamp, or the heat of a stove, fireplace, or radiator for warming. Since frostbite makes an area numb, you could burn it.

Frostbite can permanently damage body tissues and severe cases can lead to amputation. A person with frostbite may also have hypothermia. Get immediate emergency medical help if you suspect hypothermia.