subject: Frostbite Superficial frostbite symptoms of frostbite [print this page] Frostbite Superficial frostbite symptoms of frostbite
The first sign of frostbite may be a loss of feeling in the affected area. White patches on the skin are the next obvious symptom. Watch for a white tip of the nose. The skin will appear pale and waxy. The fingers may even clack together like pieces of wood in serious cases.
Frostbite Treatment
Quick rewarming of the affected areas is the usual treatment. This can be as simple as putting your frostbitten fingers under your arms in mild cases. In more serious cases, the treatment of choice is hot water. Frostbitten toes can be effectively warmed against the bare stomach of a good friend.
Refreezing of thawed body parts can cause substantial tissue loss. Therefore it is important to not only treat the affected areas, but to have a plan for protecting them from the cold thereafter. For this reason, there are times when it may be best to leave the affected parts frozen.
One such instance is when a foot is seriously frozen, but is needed to walk to safety. Thawing it out before you can easily keep it thawed not only might result in more damage, but a thawed foot may be impossible to walk on due to the pain. More than one person has had to leave a foot frozen in order hike out to safety - even when this has meant the loss of the foot.
Superficial frostbite, on the other hand, such as when you see white patches on your nose or fingers, should be treated quickly. This may prevent deep tissue damage.
The hot water treatment for more serious frostbite is a generally done with a water temperature of 110 degrees (43 Celsius). Thawing continues until color returns to all of the affected parts (about 20 to 30 minutes), but not much longer. It is extremely painful, so strong pain relievers are normally required.
Blisters will form, and generally shouldn't be popped. They can last several weeks, and should receive attention from a doctor. Dead skin should generally not be cut away, and digits should be allowed to self-amputate themselves over the following three months.
Okay, with that in mind, let's look at prevention.
Stay warm - that is the essence of preventing frostbite. Know what kind of weather you'll be hiking in and be prepared for worse than what is expected. Think ahead and plan for how you will stay warm and get warm again if you do get too cold.
Stop to check for frostbite if you are not sure that you can feel some part of your toes, nose or fingers. Treat possible beginnings of frostbite quickly, and then watch for any repeat problems in that area. Put warmer socks on, cover your nose and do whatever else you can to keep your extremities warm.
Putting on a hat can help prevent frostbite in your toes. How? Any general conservation of body heat can make it easier for your body to keep the heat going to the extremities. A lot of heat can be lost through your head if you don't keep it covered.
Cayenne pepper sprinkled in your socks can keep the blood flowing to your toes, thus preventing them from freezing. It is said that rubbing vinegar on your hands and feet will do the same thing. DMSO, a pain-relieving solvent sold in some health food stores, also seems to work.
