Basic First Aid

People living in Canada, Alaska, England and other countries subject to very cold climate, frostbites are common occurrences especially for people who, for some reason, are often staying outside in the cold. It can be a very dangerous condition if one is not properly garbed against cold climate.

Frostbites occur when a person is in an extremely cold environment yet clothed insufficiently against the low temperature. It is caused by long exposure to frigid temperature. That is why ears, nose, cheeks, toes and fingers are often the casualties for frostbites because these parts are often exposed. When frostbite sinks in, tissues and cells may be permanently damaged.

According to the information center of the U.S. National Libarary of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, there are telling symptoms which may indicate the occurrence of frostbites. At its early stages the patient will feel a tingling in the affected area. It will later escalate to stinging which can be very painful. The skin will be red and raw. As the frostbite intensifies, the area will eventually appear pale and white, and cold and hard to touch. The worst cases of frostbites will result to blackened skin.

Frostbite is the damage of the skin and the underlying tissues when subject to extreme cold at a length of time. Worst case frostbites happen when the cold penetrates the body until it reaches the blood vessels, damaging them and in the process blocks the flow of blood in the affected areas. This is the reason for permanent damage caused by frostbites. When this occurs, amputation becomes a necessity because gangrene may develop and harm the rest of the body.

It will be fortunate if the frostbite is only a minor case because the affected area may still have complete recovery. But to a degree this is not a very comforting thought because the process of thawing is very painful. As the frozen tissues thaw and blood begins flowing back into the area, it goes back to the red-raw state of the early stages of frostbite. The patient will feel a tingling that escalates as sensation creeps back in the affected area.

Frostbites should be given immediate and appropriate medical attention in order to prevent formation of gangrene. When blood vessels are frozen and restrict the flow of blood, this may lead to permanent cell damage and eventually the dead tissues or limbs will have to be amputated. Hypothermia is also an expected condition for frostbite patients. Trauma will also have to be attended to. Physical trauma may happen on the affected areas, especially on limbs. Emotional and psychological trauma may also occur if the patient underwent grueling situations out in the cold.

It is always recommended to take precautionary steps than to deal with the processes of curing an affliction. For people who are already accustomed to freezing environments, precautions against frostbites may already be their second nature. For people who are not used to very cold climate, especially travelers, you should have thick mittens(not gloves), hats and scarves, earmuffs, thick and water-resistant clothing.

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