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Hypothermia
Effects
of the Cold.
- Hypothermia;
A Brief Description.
-
- Hypothermia,
(sometimes mistakenly referred to as exposure), is a condition that develops when your heat mechanism
cannot cope with the conditions you are in. Your metabolism gets slower, the body temperature
drops. You will soon becomes drowsy, confused and
your movement will become unsteady. You don't have to
be shivering in order to have hypothermia.
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-
- Physical
Symptoms of Hypothermia.
- Temperature:
- [in
Fahrenheit]
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- Symptoms:
-
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- 98.6
- 95.0
- Sensation
of chilliness and numbness of skin
occurs.
Shivering begins and the patients ability
to perform tasks is impaired,
immobile and fumbling hands. Fatigue
and poor coordination begins.
-
- 95.0
- 91.4
- Excessive
shivering, difficulty in speaking.
Sluggish thinking and amnesia begins
to appear, with mild
confusion and apathy. Skin
will look pale and will be cold
to touch. Patient may lose of contact with
the surrounding environment,
-
- 91.4
- 87.8
- Shivering
decreases, replaced by muscle rigidity.
Erratic movement and loss of ability
to clearly. patient is unable to
stand still, hallucinations may
begin. Lose of contact with surrounding
environment
-
- 87.8
- 85.2
- Patient
stops Shivering and the muscles
become rigid. Also he/she becomes very
irrational and
starts to stupor. Pulse amid respiration
begin to slow, pupils start to dilate,
the skin turns bluish
and the patient becomes drowsy.
-
- 85.2
- 78.8
- Patient does
not respond when spoken to. Pulse
becomes very erratic and the reflexes
do not function.
The patient will only be semi-conscious
and the heart starts to fibrillate.
-
- 78.8
- & Lower
- The
patients heart and respiratory system
will begin to fail, this will cause
ventricular fibrillation.
resulting in probable brain and
lung hemorrhage, death may be apparent.
-
- Patients
have been saved with core temperature
as low as 75.0,f. Best chances of
recovery are by diagnosing
and treating hypothermia early.
although there may not be a pulse
or breathing, the patient
- can be
revived. The extreme cold will cause
a reaction in the nervous system
that can help the patient.
-
- by
Smokey Sturtevant.
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-
Cause
of.
- There
are three major factors that cause hypothermia: Cold,
Wind and Water. In a
- cold environment the body
must work harder to keep warm. Contact with cold air,
water, snow, ground or wet/damp clothing will cause
heat loss due to conduction.
-
- Wind
will cause the body to lose heat due to convection.
This can and will be accelerated due to evaporation.
Loss of heat by evaporation is a large contributor to
hypothermia.
- Wet skin or clothing will cool the
body very quickly, especially in windy or/and cold conditions.
if a person is submersed in water body heat will
be lost due to conduction
- and convection. Death will
occur in a water temperature of 32 degrees in approximately
- 15
minutes.
-
-
-
Prevention
of.
- Dress
properly for current and possible weather conditions.
Be aware and prepared for sudden changes in weather,
especially at higher elevations. Wear a windproof/waterproof
garment. Have extra clothing available. A large
portion of body heat is lost through the head so wear
a hat. Wear suitable waterproof boots, and wear woolen
socks, (carry
- extra pairs). Avoid getting overheated
as this causes perspiration thus causing you to
- cool
down, very quickly. Wear layers, as this will enable
you to add or remove clothing
- when required. Always
carry extra clothing. Better to have more, than not
enough.
-
- Sit
out bad weather, it's better to wait it out rather than
been overtaken by a severe heavy storm. Do not
push on through the night, make camp early and rest
thoroughly.
- you can continue the next day safely. Don't
get exhausted as this promotes heat loss. Don't get
in over your head, stay within your experience and training.
If your experience
- is limited to lowland trails,
in moderate weather conditions, don't go into higher,
mountainous country in winter.
-
-
Treatment
of.
- Prevent
any further loss of heat, shelter from the wind and
weather.
- Replace
any wet clothing with dry. But, Don't strip completely.
Remove any wet garments one at a time and replace
it with a dry one
- Insulate
patient from the ground.
- Place
warm material around the patient, covering the neck,
head and body; But do not cover face
- Warm
patient gradually, (if indoors warm the room up as well).
- If
in extreme hypothermia, place warmth in the pit of the
stomach, the arch of the back, in the armpits and between
the thighs. This is where the blood is near the surface.
- If
the patient is breathing but unconscious, place the
patient in the recovery position.
- If
the patient is Conscious, give the patient hot sweet
drinks. (BUT, Do Not Give Them Any Alcohol).
- If
possible, remove
patient from the cold environment. Hospital treatment
maybe required.
- The
patient is not cured when normal temperature is reached.
The body heat must be built up until the patient can
generate it own heat internally.
- Remember;
Hypothermia won't just go away, so it's important to
treat the patient
- Quickly. You should be aware of the
condition of each member of your team, as well as
- your
own condition. Be aware of the early symptoms of hypothermia
and administer treatment early.
Finally,
Learn about hypothermia and other conditions. Know the
causes,
the warning signs and treatments. Learn how
not to get cold.
And
Remember:
If you have any concerns about health
of any member of your team,
Don’t hesitate.
It’s better to be safe than sorry.
If Not Sure, Ask.
Be Smart,
Be Cool, Be Prepared.
Always Seek Medical Advice ASAP.
Never
assume that a patient suffering from hypothermia is
dead.
even if the patients breathing and heartbeat appears
to have stopped.
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