Frostbite can occur even in slight frost or at a plus temperature. This condition requires immediate treatment and hospitalization. Before the ambulance arrives, you need to perform a number of procedures. How to provide first aid for frostbite, what are the features of the treatment of this injury - all this will be discussed later.
Status Description
First aid for burns and frostbite can reduce the likelihood of negative consequences. While the ambulance is on the way, the victim needs to create the appropriate conditions under which the restoration of blood supply to damaged tissues will occur correctly. Otherwise, the consequences of improper actions in the first minutes after the appearance of characteristic signs can be disastrous.
Soft tissue is damaged during frostbite due to exposure to cold. Most often, such an injury occurs on the lower extremities. However, you can frostbite hands, face, ears. With especially severe forms of frostbite, the tissues become dead. When the temperature outside the window drops below -10 º, you can get frostbite. In some cases, if the wind is strong and the humidity is high, frostbite occurs at higher temperatures, for example, -3 º. If a person has low resistance to cold, frostbite can occur already at +2 º.
It’s not worth joking with the weather. Need to dress warmly. Especially if you have to be on the street for a long time. It is periodically recommended to go into warm rooms. However, some people do not even notice that they have received frostbite. They freeze very much, but continue to be on the street. In some cases, this requires work. Often young children do not notice that their limbs are frozen. Parents should monitor whether the baby is warmly dressed, whether he is outdoors for long.
Statistics claim that the overwhelming majority of cases of frostbite on hands or feet are necessary for people who are intoxicated. Overfatigue, a general decrease in immunity, and malnutrition also increase the likelihood of injury. Most often, frostbite occurs in people with pathologies of the cardiovascular system.
Symptoms
The correct first aid for burns and frostbite sometimes allows you to save a person not only damaged limbs, but also life. These are very dangerous conditions. In some cases, it will not be possible to restore blood supply to the tissues. This is due to prolonged exposure to temperature, as well as extensive damage.
Everyone should know the signs of frostbite in order to timely identify a similar situation in themselves or in people who are nearby. Frostbite can have 4 degrees. They differ in severity, consequences and treatment methods.
With slight frostbite, the human body temperature drops to 31-33 º. He feels a chill. The skin becomes pale, sometimes even acquires a blue tint. “Goosebumps” may appear. Also, the pulse drops to 55-60 beats per minute. However, this is the easiest form of frostbite. If a person has been in the cold longer, these symptoms are more pronounced.
Body temperature can drop even more. Drowsiness sets in, the condition becomes inhibited. A person does not understand well what is happening around him. The skin becomes very white. She's cold. At more serious stages of frostbite, breathing slows down. Pulse is reduced even more. In some cases, it was found that the pulse is only 36 beats per minute. This is a critical quantity. If the necessary actions are not taken in time, death may occur. Therefore, what are the first signs and first aid for frostbite, everyone should know. This allows you to save a person's life.
Degree of defeat
First aid to a victim of frostbite should be provided immediately and correctly. Cold acts on the tissue, causing a spasm of the blood vessels first. As a result, they shrink so much that the blood flow just stops. Tissues do not get the right nutrition. The more severe the degree of frostbite, the more serious and irreversible such processes.
Frostbite of the first degree is the easiest. Damaged tissue sites do not die, their blood supply does not stop. However, the skin becomes pale, sometimes acquires a red tint. There is a tingling sensation, a burning sensation. Affected tissues become numb. After providing proper first aid, the damaged areas hurt, itching may occur. This is normal. Blood rushes intensely to damaged areas. Full recovery lasts no more than a week.
The second degree of frostbite according to the description is similar to the previous state. However, the consequences in this case will be more serious. In this case, a person is on the street for a long time. Blisters appear on the skin. Moreover, they may not occur immediately, after one or even two days. A transparent liquid accumulates inside them. Pain in this case is stronger. Full recovery lasts about 2 weeks.
The third degree of frostbite is one of the most severe. In this case, the exposure to cold was prolonged. The consequences in this case may be irreversible. After the person is taken to the hospital, blisters appear on his hands. Only the liquid in them will not be transparent, but bloody. Damaged tissue sites die. If damage is observed on the limbs, the nails leave the fingers. The skin is completely torn away. The treatment lasts about a month. During this time, the tissue covers are restored. However, they look like scars. Nails can grow back, but they are deformed. Sometimes the nails do not grow at all.
First aid for frostbite can significantly reduce the negative consequences. Therefore, you need to treat this very responsibly. The most severe is the fourth degree of frostbite. The processes in the tissues in this case are irreversible. They are completely dying. However, tissue necrosis is not the worst in this situation. Through such damage, an infection easily enters the body. The defeat affects the bones, joints. Gangrene may begin. The limb will need to be amputated as soon as possible. Otherwise, blood poisoning and death are possible.
Main reasons
Children learn signs and first aid for frostbite in schools. In order to prevent the occurrence of such injuries, you need to know the main factors that provoke this condition.
One of the main factors is the weather. Not only low temperatures cause frostbite. The higher the humidity, the faster irreversible processes develop in the tissues . Therefore, you need to close open areas of the body with warm clothing. If the wind blows them, it will be possible to get frostbite faster.
You also need to evaluate the number and type of person’s clothing. If it is not enough, hypothermia may occur, as well as frostbite. In this case, a person may lose consciousness after some time. This can be fatal. Clothing should not be synthetic. This is poor protection against the cold. The skin under synthetic tissues does not breathe, it is covered with sweat. This contributes to the rapid loss of heat by the body.
You also need to choose the right shoes for the winter. Fashion trends do not always take into account the climate in each area. Often the cause of frostbite is narrow shoes. It is better to purchase winter boots a size larger. The sole should be thick. If it is less than 1 cm, and there is no appropriate insulation inside, such shoes will not protect from the cold. First aid for frostbite is often required for those people who wear tight tight clothing. If there is a small air space between it and the body, it serves as an additional insulation.
Other reasons
First aid for burns and frostbite may be required at any time. Common reasons for the appearance of such a situation is a person's neglect of the rules of their own safety. Many do not realize how dangerous the cold can be.
The absence of a scarf, hat, mittens or gloves often ends with one or another stage of frostbite. Therefore, leaving home, one must not forget to dress according to the weather. Also, the work of some people or just circumstances can make them stay in the cold without movement for a long time. This must not be allowed. If you can’t leave the cold, you need to try to move, jump and stomp. You can’t stand in one place.
Using alcoholic beverages or drugs, a person loses control of himself. He may leave in an unknown direction, be on the street for a long time. It is very dangerous if a person falls and falls asleep. Surrounding people, if they see a person sleeping in the cold, should call an ambulance, try to bring the person into a warm room.
From overwork or malnutrition can also be frostbite. Such people have a low resistance to adverse environmental factors. Therefore, they are more than others exposed to cold.
First aid for frostbite may be necessary for a person who has been injured. Damage with hemorrhage is especially dangerous. Also, people with heart failure, low blood pressure, cirrhosis, cancer and other serious diseases in the cold season need to dress very warmly. They also often get frostbite. You need to remember this.
First aid
The provision of first aid after frostbite begins the same way for all degrees of this condition. The victim must be urgently taken to a warm room. His further stay in the cold only aggravates the situation. With a mild form of frostbite, you can try to warm the damaged areas with your hands, warm breath. Next, a sterile gauze dressing is applied. However, you need to be sure that a person has a first degree of frostbite. Before this, you need to measure the pulse, visually assess the condition of the skin. If it is red, you can perform similar actions.
With subsequent degrees of frostbite rubbing, rapid warming is contraindicated. In this case, immediately call an ambulance. After that, it is necessary to isolate the damaged tissue from heat. Cover them with a thick blanket or cloth and foil. This will prevent rapid heating.
Also, with a second, third or fourth degree of frostbite, a sterile bandage of cotton wool and gauze is applied. It must be multi-layered. First, a layer of bandage is made, then cotton wool is applied. Then the actions are repeated. If there is no cotton, flaps of clothing made of wool are suitable. The bandage is wrapped with a scarf and a thick cloth on top. Next, the limb must be immobilized. To do this, use boards, bars, plywood or even just cardboard. They are applied over a bandage. Fix such a support with a bandage or other improvised means.
Also, the victim is offered to drink tea, as well as eat. You can take analgin or aspirin. This will expand the vessels, improving blood circulation.
What can not be done?
First aid for frostbite and hypothermia involves a series of actions. You need to know that you can’t take alcohol in this state. It is also forbidden to rub damaged areas with snow.
This leads to the spread of infection, which greatly complicates the treatment. Do not apply heating pads, apply oil, alcohol or grease for grinding.
Actions with "iron" frostbite
In some cases, children ignore their parents' instructions that they should not touch their tongues on iron surfaces. Some want to test this theory empirically. As a result, you can observe "iron" frostbite. To avoid such a nuisance, you need to show the child pictures that depict the consequences of such actions. A good example is much more informative than verbal explanations.
If the child nevertheless committed the action forbidden by the parents, you need to provide simple first aid techniques for frostbite. Ideally, if parents have the opportunity to get a little warm water, they have warm tea with them in a thermos. The fluid should be warm, not hot. It is watered at the junction of the tongue with a metal surface. In this case, it is possible to free the curious victim.
More often than not warm water is at hand. In this case, you need to close the place of contact with your hands and try to warm it with warm breath. Such an action is effective. When the baby can be disconnected from the metal object, you need to rinse the wound with warm water. You can make a solution of water, iodine, salt and soda. They need to rinse the wound. If the damage is significant, consult a doctor.
Treatment
First aid for frostbite can significantly reduce the negative manifestations of this condition. For minor injuries, it is recommended to use special ultraviolet lamps, creams and ointments (prescribed by a doctor). If there are blisters, apply antiseptic dressings.
If the liquid in the bubbles is clear, they are opened. Damaged epidermis is removed. Next, apply a bandage with an antiseptic. Physiotherapy is prescribed. The patient is given antibiotic injections.
When frostbite of the third and fourth stages, dead tissue is removed surgically. In some cases, the damaged limb is amputated. In this case, treatment and rehabilitation lasts several months.
Some recommendations
It is important to know the methods of first aid for frostbite. However, it is better to prevent such a nuisance. If a person feels that he is freezing, he can do some simple exercises. If your face freezes, you need to lean forward and walk a little. While hands rub the skin (not snow).
If your fingers froze, you need to sharply unclench them, as if they were throwing a stone. Just compress them completely is impossible. You can put your hands under your armpits. To warm your legs, you need to roll from sock to heel, try to move your toes, squeezing and unclenching them. You can also jump on the spot.
To keep warm in general, you can perform several squats, running in place. However, you can not sweat. This will lead to even faster freezing. It is better to just go, bend over, if there is no way to get into a warm room.
Having considered the basic recommendations and first aid techniques for frostbite, you can not only minimize the negative consequences, but also save a person’s life.