Frostbites: classification, symptoms, first aid, prevention - this is what worries many people with the onset of the cold season. Warm scarves and hats, multilayer clothes do not always protect from the piercing cold wind, and no one canceled the general hypothermia. And if you add here also cold burns that can occur, for example, in the workplace, then the problem becomes really widespread.
The fact is that many of us know only the basics of the foundations, backed up by different popular beliefs, which are not always correct and sometimes can only harm an already injured patient. So first we’ll figure out what frostbite is in general, and then we’ll think about how to deal with it.
Bit of theory
According to the definition, frostbite is tissue damage caused by exposure to cold. Most often, hands, ears, lips, cheeks suffer - those parts of the body that we do not always protect with clothes from all weather surprises. Frostbite of the cheeks, signs and first aid in which we are all familiar, is manifested, for example, in redness of the skin, tingling (this is the easiest case), which people try to fight with rubbing, believing that blood flow will help restore heat transfer. In addition, frostbite can also be caused by the so-called cold burn - this is when a person touches an object whose temperature is much lower than the environment, for example, liquid nitrogen. This is much less common, but still there is a place to be, so you should have at least the slightest idea of cold burns.
Causes
You should start the conversation with reasons, right? In principle, the first signs of frostbite and first aid for them are known to everyone, but at the same time, we do not always believe that there can be serious consequences from a long stay even in the wind. Doctors say that general hypothermia, one of the parts of which is frostbite, can be caused by a number of reasons.
Has anyone thought that excessive sweating can also be the root cause of frostbite? When liquid is released, we freeze much faster, remember the sensations when you leave the water in the summer after bathing. The same can be said about wet clothes - that is why it is not recommended to allow children to play outdoors for a long time in winter - the kids with their snowballs are soaked very quickly. No one has canceled the factors that weaken the body, such as hunger, general weakness, blood loss (here it concerns not only injuries, but also menstrual bleeding). About circulatory disorders, due to which heat exchange suffers, it is not even worth mentioning - this is an obvious fact. Even an uncomfortable posture can cause hypothermia and frostbite. Signs, first aid, prevention worry many people. We recommend you remember: any prolonged exposure to cold can cause injury, so be careful even when it seems that you are not in danger.
Signs
What are the first signs of frostbite and first aid for them?
It should be noted that with any hypothermia, the body goes through several stages. Of course, it all depends on the degree of exposure to cold and the time of this effect - for example, it cannot be said that frostbite may already occur after five to ten minutes in the cold. Signs and first aid in brief are an assessment of the condition of the damaged part of the body and a series of measures taken to maximize the relief of frostbite.
First degree
There are several degrees. The first - the lightest - is characterized by reddening of the skin, tingling, but all this passes after the person has warmed up. The consequences of such contact with cold are peeling of the skin, but nothing more. In principle, many have faced this, so in this situation, despite the sonorous word “frostbite”, signs and first aid in which are well known, you should not panic - everything will go away by itself.
Second degree
We pass to the second degree, which is much less pleasant. Naturally, this is not an instantaneous process. After passing through the first stage, the skin first turns pale, and then may acquire a bluish tint. Sensitivity disappears, and to the touch the damaged parts of the body seem colder than the skin surrounding them. After some time, bubbles appear, very similar to those that occur during a burn - in principle, this is a burn, only a cold one, which was mentioned above. You can’t pierce them in any case - you have to wait a week, or even two, until the skin recovers on its own. No grinding - this will damage the bubbles, which will significantly complicate the healing process.
Third degree
Next comes the third degree. Here, the bubbles are filled with bloody liquid, and the skin under them is blue-brown, which indicates its necrosis. Here you can’t do without consequences - in place of the blisters, scars and scars are guaranteed to remain, moreover, if, for example, hands were frostbite, then damaged nails will be restored already deformed. The body gets rid of dead tissue within two to three weeks, here everything, of course, depends on the degree. After about another month, it takes for complete healing and recovery. So frostbite (stages, signs, first aid, we will definitely consider) can be much more dangerous than banal tingling with redness.
Fourth degree
The worst is the fourth degree. There is practically no chance of recovery - the cold destroys not only the skin, but also makes its way to the bone itself. The damaged part of the body turns blue, sometimes a semblance of marbling appears, that is, not a uniform color, but with peculiar darker and lighter impregnations. The affected part of the body reacts to warming quite differently from what we are used to: the development of edema instantly begins. Of course, this stage is associated with the second and third, but bubbles at this stage appear only in less affected areas of the body. Where already the fourth stage is, the sensitivity is completely absent, in addition, the temperature of the skin itself is much lower than the total body temperature. Unfortunately, the consequences are irreversible, it is after passing the fourth stage that they most often resort to amputation. That is why it is important to notice frostbite in time, the signs and first aid for which seem to be obvious. Timely intervention can save a person not only health but also life.
First aid
Now that we have analyzed frostbite, stages, symptoms, first aid should also be studied. Perhaps it’s better to start in stages.
At the first stage, it’s enough just to warm the victim, but in no case can you do it abruptly (many mothers advise their children to place a frozen body area under hot water, not thinking that such actions will be a huge stress for the body - this contrast has a huge impact to the circulatory system). The best ways to warm in this situation - careful massage, breathing, light stroking - everything should be done very carefully so as not to cause even more harm.
First aid for severe frostbite
But with subsequent degrees, everything is far from simple. In no case should you rub, massage and so on - this will violate the integrity of the bubbles that appear, therefore, significantly increase the healing time, as mentioned above. You need to apply a bandage that will gradually warm the body area (cotton, gauze, bandages - anything, but you do not need to moisten or lubricate the bandages with alcohol or something like that). The victim is wrapped in a blanket and delivered to a medical facility - self-help in this situation will not work at all.
A universal remedy is hot drink - it will help to keep warm not only from the outside, but also from the inside. With severe pain, you can also use analgesics.
Not at all funny
With the so-called "iron" frostbite - this is when your child thought of licking metal in the cold and stuck to it, in no case should you use force in attempts to "separate" them. Hot water is all that can gradually heat both the metal and the child, as a result of which after a while the victim will detach on his own. But if there is no choice and you still have to tear it off, then after that you must treat the wound with hydrogen peroxide and apply bandages so as not to infect the infection.
Main mistakes
Frostbite (signs and first aid) in children is no different from all of the above in adults. Will you give your child alcohol to keep him warm? Right, no. So do not give it to an adult, because it will not help the injury, and the patient’s condition can aggravate, and doctors are unlikely to like contact with someone who is intoxicated - this fact significantly complicates the treatment.
Another mistake that the Russian man repeats over and over is rubbing with snow, on the principle of "well, at least something." We forget that snow consists of the smallest crystals of ice, which will once again damage the already affected skin, destroying the capillaries that become brittle under the influence of cold. It is highly unlikely that this will have a beneficial effect on recovery.
Frostbite feet
Probably the most common - frostbite of the legs, signs and first aid in which not everyone knows. Let us try to figure out what to do in the event of such a nuisance using the example of a body part we need so much.
The procedure for frostbite of various degrees is already known to us. Now let's talk about a more serious, outpatient treatment. They struggle with the first degree with electric light baths, and at home they simply apply antiseptic dressings if the skin is still damaged. In the second degree, the medical worker (it is better that he does this) should open the vesicles with a cloudy liquid, then treat the wounds with an antiseptic and apply an antiseptic dressing, which will have to be changed every two hours. When the skin is restored, the patient will also have to undergo a course of physiotherapy. With the third and fourth degree, there is a need to remove dead tissue, so that an operation, even if not large-scale, can not be done. And, of course, antiseptics, without them anywhere.
Finally
In conclusion, I would like to say that frostbite, signs and first aid for this problem is a topic that everyone should be familiar with, at least minimally. No one is immune from the most banal hypothermia, the consequences of which can be much more serious than a mild cold. Even a temporary loss of sensation and slight redness can serve as signals that everything is far from as good as it should be. Keep warm gradually, do not abuse alcohol, dress warmly and always think that cold is a serious danger. Be careful even when it seems that it’s not so cold - and then everything will be fine.