Now that the weather is finally cooler, the big concern for most people is hypothermia. Hypothermia affects thousands of people each year and, if left untreated, can result in frostbite (which can ultimately lead to amputation) and even death. The best prevention method for hypothermia is to stay warm by dressing appropriately for whatever activity you will be engaging in outdoors.
Hypothermia Symptoms
Hypothermia is defined as the condition of having an abnormally low body temperature, typically one that is dangerously low. Any body temperature that you have that is below the average body temperature is technically considered hypothermia, but the symptoms change with the severity.
According to the Mayo Clinic, mild hypothermia symptoms include:
- Shivering
- Dizziness
- Hunger
- Nausea
- Faster breathing
- Trouble speaking
- Slight confusion
- Lack of coordination
- Fatigue
- Increased heart rate
The symptoms of moderate to severe cases are:
- Shivering, although as hypothermia worsens, shivering stops
- Clumsiness or lack of coordination
- Slurred speech or mumbling
- Confusion and poor decision-making, such as trying to remove warm clothes
- Drowsiness or very low energy
- Lack of concern about one’s condition
- Progressive loss of consciousness
- Weak pulse
- Slow, shallow breathing
Treatment
What To Do
According to NHS, the first treatment for mild hypothermia symptoms is to immediately get them somewhere warm. This is key if to help their condition not worsen. The next thing to do is to remove any wet clothing they may have and dry them. After drying them, wrap them in a blanket, towel, or jacket, focusing on the torso and head, to help them warm up. If possible, give them warm (not hot) drinks and high energy foods such as chocolate. Once they have warmed up, make sure they continue to stay warm.
The treatment greatly varies for moderate to severe hypothermia. The first thing you want to do is call 911. The only safe way to help them recover is to get professional help. Since one of the most common symptoms for the moderate/severe conditions is a weak pulse, performing CPR until help arrives might be a life-saving act.
What To Avoid
There are a few things you should avoid by all means. If you do these things, you may end up further harming or even killing the affected person. You should not:
- put the person into a hot bath
- give them a massage
- put a heating lamp near them
- give them alcohol
If you heat up their body too quickly, their blood vessels will expand too rapidly and decrease their blood pressure. This rapid decrease in blood pressure will make it so not enough blood will make it to their vital organs. This usually results in cardiac arrest and death.
If you need help with a mild case of hypothermia, give us call at (801) 724-9840 and our award-winning doctors will help you in any they can. For more severe cases, just get them to a hospital. Let us know in the comments below if you have had any experiences with hypothermia and how you were treated for it.