First aid in case of frostbite

Winter frosts with windy, cold weather are returning more and more often. Due to a long stay on the street, many can not avoid frostbite, that is, a strong freezing of the subcutaneous tissue under prolonged exposure to low temperatures. More often than not, the hands, feet, nose, ears suffer.

As with any other ailment, frostbite has its own symptoms. In order to determine frostbite, you need to carefully examine the most vulnerable parts of the body. If the skin has acquired a pale color, it has become very cold, and when touched, there is an increased hardness, then practically with a 100% probability it is possible to diagnose frostbite. After warming, damaged areas of the skin begin to turn red, and then painful sensations appear.

First aid for frostbite should be provided as quickly as possible. With the defeat of the auricles, fingers and other parts of the skin, first aid with frostbite reduces to a few simple actions. To begin with, it is necessary, at least, to leave the cold and move to a warm room, or even better immediately go to a medical institution, whose specialists can prevent negative consequences. In case of damage to the frostbite of the ears, nose, fingers, uncovered areas of the face and body, you should immediately cover them for prompt warming with gloves, a scarf or other warm-up items.

Some people think that rubbing frozen hands or face, you can slightly improve the situation, and often enough to perform such actions, the snow is running. Rinsing frostbitten places is not the most correct way of warming, moreover, they should not be subjected to additional mechanical damages at all. As a rule, with frostbite there is also some swelling. In order to remove this symptom, if possible, keep the swollen limbs in a raised state.

To ensure that the first help with frostbite is not in vain, it is recommended that thawed areas be carefully wrapped to avoid repeated hypothermia. In the case when the sensitivity does not return for a long time after warming, it is necessary to seek medical help. It is very important to know that it is impossible to heat damaged parts of the body if there is the slightest chance of freezing again. If at the moment the help of professionals can not be provided, it is advisable to use warmed pieces of matter for warming, applying them to the damaged areas. First aid in case of frostbite of hands and feet is to lower them into warm water. It is important to take into account that hot water is inadmissible, because it can only exacerbate the situation.

Sometimes it happens that as a result of severe hypothermia a person faints. In such a situation, first aid should be rendered in case of a syncope, and after that actions to eliminate frostbite are already taking place. It is important to know that the victim must never be raised to the vertical position. It must be laid, slightly lifting the head and legs. Also an important condition is the release from tight clothing and the influx of fresh cool air. Do not put ammonia under your nose, beat on the cheeks or rub them. Unfortunately, not everyone has a basic knowledge of how to properly provide first aid to the victims. Therefore, to exclude the possibility of making things worse, the most likely thing is first of all to call an ambulance.

You can save your health if you are preoccupied with avoiding any damage, including frostbite. For this, going for a long walk at low temperatures, do not forget that an excellent defender will be warm clothes, preferably from natural fabrics. Gloves should be left at home, and instead of them, wear mittens, because they keep the heat much better. Timely intake of food will provide the body with additional energy, which is processed into heat.