Frostbite

Before we start talking about frostbite, we advise you to read this article on hypothermia, to get a better idea about this topic.

Frostbite is a damage of skin and body tissues caused by a cold weather. But don’t confuse frostbite with an ice burn. During an ice burn soft tissues get damaged after touching very cold objects and gases. For example, if you pour liquid nitrogen on your hands, or if you hold a cold piece of metal in the winter, and so on. Frostbite begins in limbs, from fingers and toes, nose, cheeks, lips, arms and legs. It happens because body stops to supply these parts of the body with enough blood so that it can protect vital organs from the cold.

Types of frostbite

First of all, parts of the body that are not protected from the cold get a frostbite, however even in warm gloves your hands can freeze. The risk of frostbite increases, when the air temperature drops, reaching -5 degrees Celsius. Circumstances that will make the situation more complicated can be strong wind, dry or humid air, high altitude conditions. In windy weather the effect on temperature is stronger, so it starts so feel like a lower temperature.

High in the mountains the body weakens, immunity decreases. As a result, it is more difficult for the body to overcome external effects. And moisture absorbs heat even faster. Frostbite is often accompanied by hypothermia, or leads to it, in more severe cases.

Frostbite is divided into four degrees:

1. First degree. Hands and feet are cold, pale. If your warm them, they turn red. Possible slight pain and tingling, as well as scratches on the skin. It lasts maximum one week and doesn’t leave any serious consequences.
2. Second degree. On damaged parts of the skin form blisters, filled with clear fluid. Skin turns pale, sensitivity to external impulses disappears. Pain gets worse, you start to feel itching and burn.
3. Third degree. Skin tissues are damaged, necrosis occurs. On damaged parts form blisters filled with blood, with red or blue bottom. Scarring of wounds can last up to one month.
4. Fourth degree. Inner layers of tissues die; in extremely severe cases it reaches muscles and bones. Skin turns blue, and then black. If you warm damaged areas, large swellings will form. A prolonged stay in this state leads to gangrene, in which damaged parts of the body are amputated.

Frostbite prevention

In general, the principle here is the same as with hypothermia, but the following points should be noted separately:

• Wear several layers of clothes, but make sure they are not tight. Don’t tie shoe laces too tight, so that blood freely flows to feet.
• Check the weather before leaving home.
• If possible, warm your gloves, boots and the rest of the clothes before putting them on.
• Shake off snow, frost and water drops from your gloves and boots.
• Take off your jewelry, watch and any metallic objects that touch your body.
• Don’t forget to drink water. Don’t let your body get dehydrated. If you feel thirsty, it means that dehydration has already started. So it is necessary to constantly drink small sips of water.

First aid for frostbite

First of all the victim must be delivered to a warm building or a tent. If it’s impossible, preventive measures must be taken on the spot.

Limbs with a light frostbite degree, when the blood still circulates in tissues and there is no necrosis, can be warmed up with various tools. Touch the frostbitten fingers. If they are still soft, and you can connect thumb and little finger, then the degree of frostbite is still low. In this case you need to:

• Get rid of wet gloves, socks and wear dry ones. You always have extra clothes in your backpack, right? If your boots are soaking wet, wrap your feet in plastic bags and then wear your boots.
• You need to return the blood to your hands, to warm them. Stretch your arms upwards and wave them quickly, with a large amplitude, automatically pumping blood to the limbs.
• Drink warm, sweet liquid.
• Efficient way to warm your hands is to hide them under your armpits or close to inner thighs. These are the warmest parts of our bodies.

In more severe cases skin necrosis occurs, skin tissues don’t receive blood anymore; it becomes impossible to move fingers. In this case you should immediately take the victim to an enclosed space and provide medical treatment.

• Do not warm the damaged area quickly.
• Damaged area must be insulated with several layers of bandage, with a warm soft scarf.
• It is important that the damaged area is insulated. But the bandage should not be too tight, not to stop blood circulation.
• Fix the damaged area and don’t move it.

Stages of frostbite

If you get frostbite, it is forbidden to:

• Drink liquids that contain alcohol and caffeine
• Rub the damaged area with snow or a hard cloth. This way you will increase the likelihood of damage, as well as the likelihood of getting an infection.
• In severe cases, it is forbidden to use external sources of heat: hot baths, heating bags, warming hands near a fire or heater.
• Rub the wounds with oils, alcohol or something else. Avoid traditional medicine methods, especially in such cases, you cannot self-medicate.
• Pick or open swollen blisters.

When should you see a doctor?

At home you can only cure the first degree frostbite. Blisters are punctured and cleaned in a sterile surgical room. In case of third and fourth degree frostbite surgical treatment is necessary, during which dead tissues are carefully removed and sterile dressing is applied. If you don’t follow these rules you might experience some complications, such as penetration of various infections, gangrene and other inflammations.

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Safety tips for hiking in Armenia