Frost Bite

Forgot your password?

Benefits of Registration

Become a member

Quick Registration

Full Registration Benefits -

Free Homepages for Doctors

Free Homepages for Hospitals

Free Homepages for Medical Conference

Free Homepages for NGO's

Personal Health Record Creation

Access to all Medical Slides

Access to all Jobs & Products Sale

Explore Medindia

Medindia » First Aid » First Aid-Frost Bite

Frost Bite - First Aid and Emergency Treatment Guide

Comments (4)

Font Size

   Overview
   Risk Factors
    Symptoms
    Treatment
   Steps to Avoid
   Prevention

Overview

Frostbite is damage caused by extreme cold to skin / tissues

At -15C or below, blood vessels constrict to preserve body temperature

When this state persists, tissue injury occurs

Frost bite usually affects tissues which are distant from the heart

It also occurs in tissues that are most exposed to cold

The organs that are usually affected are -
a. Nose,
b. Ears,
c. Fingers
d. Toes

Care should be taken to prevent permanent tissue damage

Risk Factors

Diabetes
Peripheral neuropathy
Use of beta-blockers

Symptoms

Skin Discolorations
Loose skin
Tingling/burning sensation
Partial/Complete numbness

In severe cases,

Dry gangrene followed by amputation

Treatment Get medical help as soon as possible. Meanwhile

Wrap the affected area using clean cloth

If no medical help is forthcoming -

Move the victim to a warm place
Treat hypothermia first. Cover the person well
Keep the frost-bitten site in warm but not in hot water
This should be done till sensations returns

Steps to Avoid

Do not rub / massage the affected area
Avoid treatment if a second round of cold exposure is anticipated
Treatment followed by freezing causes extensive damage

Prevention

Avoid -
a. Extreme cold
b. Wet clothes
c. Chilly Wind
During cold weather, wear several layers of clothing
Wear accessories like-
a. Mittens, not gloves
b. Two pairs of socks
c. Hat / scarves to cover both ears well
Get enough food and rest
Avoid alcohol immediately before exposure to cold
Avoid cotton clothing

Share it!

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY(ICE)-Life Saving Measures

Comment & Contribute

Comments should be on the topic and should not be abusive. Comments are normally moderated and are reviewed after they are posted.

* Your comment can be maximum of 2500 characters

I agree to the terms and conditions

If you have a question about health related issues, you can now post it in our Ask An Expert section on our community website Medwonders.com and get answers from our panel of experts.

Member Comments ( 4 )

I think that I may have frost bite on my nose. The area is red and always cold, but I do have feeling. I was exposed to zero temp. for about 30 minutes four different days in a row before I relized my nose feels different. Will the coldness in my nose go away? Should I be concerned? I have been exposed to this kind of weather before and never had a problem.
(Posted by reappraiser, United States Date : 1/25/2013 )

thanks for help for giving gudeline me
(Posted by op4860, India Date : 12/16/2011 )

thanx...very helpful...!
(Posted by deepak.1234, India Date : 10/31/2011 )