Elevated temperature is the first signal about the development of the disease. This is a well-known fact. But sometimes its decrease can be observed - hypothermia. What does this condition indicate? What is the danger? Anyway, hypothermia - what is it?
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Let's understand what is hidden under such a mysterious term - hypothermia. What is it and what is it manifested in?
The human condition, in which acute hypothermia of the body is observed , is called "hypothermia". In this case, the body temperature decreases so much that the normal functioning of organs is very difficult. As a result, failures occur in different systems, which can even lead to death if measures are not taken in a timely manner.
In the normal state, the human body constantly maintains a normal temperature. But if cold starts to affect it from the outside, then internal mechanisms are not able to compensate for the heat loss. The temperature begins to drop. Hypothermia occurs. What is it and how dangerous is it, read on.
Reasons for the condition
A person is arranged in such a way that in cold conditions (if the ambient temperature is below 36.6 degrees), the body begins to generate heat. It quickly melts in space. And the body, if it is, of course, not protected by warm clothing, continues to produce.
As a result, there comes a moment when a person gives up more heat than it produces. Due to this imbalance, hypothermia begins to develop. The body gradually cools. A reduced temperature leads to malfunctions and a stop in the work of important organs. It is very important that hypothermia is stopped in time.
The causes of this condition:
- prolonged exposure to cold, moisture, wind;
- wrong clothes;
- human exposure to cold water;
- poor nutrition;
- physical exhaustion;
- disease, trauma, reducing mobility;
- lack of sleep;
- dehydration;
- alcohol consumption.
In this case, most often faced with a similar condition are small children and elderly persons.
Symptoms
You should know that a person develops a violation of thermoregulation very quickly . Symptoms of hypothermia can occur within 1-2 hours from the onset of exposure to adverse factors. After another 1-2 hours, serious failures in the body will occur. And after 2-6 hours, the body can not stand it. Death will come.
Therefore, it is very important to carefully and as responsibly as possible treat a person who has a violation of thermoregulation.
Symptoms indicating the initial stage of body cooling:
- body tremors;
- pale or gray-blue cold skin surface;
- apathy;
- some instability in the legs, a change in gait;
- impaired thinking;
- slurred speech;
- hands and fingers are difficult to do the work, and sometimes can not cope with it.
Later, new signs are added to such signs that signal that a person has received severe hypothermia:
- cold body to the touch;
- Slow heart rate
- stiff muscles;
- respiratory depression;
- confusion of consciousness;
- weakness, drowsiness;
- loss of consciousness;
- when the temperature drops below 32 degrees in the body, trembling disappears.
Pathology stages
Depending on the condition of the patient and the processes taking place in his body, the following stages of hypothermia are distinguished:
- Early The very first sign of hypothermia is trembling. Cooling of the extremities, blue of the lips is observed. A person experiences pain from a cold. Confusion is possible - lack of reaction to instructions, questions, reaction slows down. Some people may show abrupt transitions from agitation to apathy.
- Medium. Body temperature drops to 35-30 degrees. At this stage, trembling may stop. This is a very dangerous symptom. A person begins weakness, numbness. Disturbed behavior, anxiety, loss of consciousness are observed. Such people are not able to help themselves, sometimes delirium appears.
- Heavy. This is a critical stage. With it, the temperature drops to 30-28 degrees. A person loses consciousness. Sometimes he has involuntary movements of his limbs - cramps, muscles are tense, his eyes may periodically open. The pulse is barely palpable, and only on large arteries (20-50 beats / min). Very weak breathing. 4-10 breaths per minute can be taken. The skin integuments acquire a green-blue color. Pupils do not respond to light as a result of brain hypoxia. In such situations, shock and clinical death often occur .
Pathology in children
A child may have a fever for a variety of reasons. Initially, it should be said that hypothermia for newborns and premature babies is not a pathology. This is a physiological norm, since thermoregulation in such crumbs is not yet fully developed. The baby is just beginning to adapt to the outside world. In all other cases, hypothermia in children indicates certain problems in the body.
The reasons for this pathology can be hidden:
- in reduced immunity;
- prolonged illness;
- exacerbation of chronic ailments;
- diseases of the adrenal gland, thyroid gland;
- anemia
- colds;
- vitamin deficiency (usually C);
- severe intoxication of the body;
- oncological diseases.
In addition, hypothermia can provoke:
- insufficiently warm clothes during the cold;
- the baby falls into the water;
- walking crumbs in wet or wet clothes in the cold season;
- prolonged bathing in water, even in summer.
Parents should pay attention to the behavior of the baby. If he sharply became apathetic, listless, does not want to play, has lost his appetite, that is, it makes sense to measure the temperature.
In case of hypothermia, be sure to eliminate the sources that provoked hypothermia. Wrap the child in a blanket, give him a warm drink. To keep the baby warm faster, hold him close to you. The heat of your body will help much faster than the blanket.
First aid
It is important that the person who is close to the victim is a person who knows perfectly well if hypothermia has occurred, what it is and how to act. After all, often the patient’s life depends on the right measures taken in a timely manner.
At an easy stage, it is necessary to carry out the following set of measures:
- The injured person is brought into a warm room. If the clothes are wet, then you should definitely get rid of them. However, undressing a person, it is necessary to dress him immediately so as not to provoke an additional loss of heat.
- It is recommended to wrap the sufferer in warm blankets. You can use heating pads.
- You should know that under such conditions, a person should be warmed not only from the outside, but also from the inside. Therefore, be sure to give a warm drink. However, remember: drinking alcohol with hypothermia is strictly prohibited!
As a rule, after such measures, a mild degree passes without a trace. But the patient should definitely be shown to the doctor.
Severe relief
If severe hypothermia is observed, treatment should be carried out by experienced physicians.
First aid includes activities:
- call an ambulance;
- warming the patient with blankets, heating pads, water bottles (not higher than 41 degrees)
- warm drink if the patient is conscious;
- resuscitation measures in case of cardiac arrest.
Forbidden:
- rub the limbs, this will provoke a shock;
- put the victim in a hot bath, such measures can cause cardiac arrest.
Artificial hypothermia
However, sometimes this condition can be beneficial. For example, local hypothermia is widely used in medicine. This is a condition in which individual organs or parts of the body are cooled. In them, metabolic processes decrease, their need for oxygen decreases. Such hypothermia has found widespread use in surgery. It is used for surgical interventions on the peritoneal organs. Use before surgery for injuries of the foot, hand; when removing cataracts, glaucoma. Local hypothermia is resorted to during reconstructive surgery on the extremities, varicose veins.