How to Treat Frostbite

Tuesday, June 28th, 2011

If you’re a natural outdoorsman who enjoys the hiking trail even when it’s littered with snow, you’ve probably encounter some pretty cold conditions before. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve had a real case of frostbite, even if you have exposed yourself to the possibility. Frostbite is a real and serious injury that should be treated as such, which is why you’ll want to hear about how to treat it.

Get inside or to an emergency room ASAP.

Needless to say, you’ll want to get out of the cold as soon as possible. Being in an environment where all of the air around you is temperature-controlled will help stop the frostbite from advancing. Even so, if the frostbite is serious, you’ll want to bring the victim in to the emergency room to be treated. Getting indoors is merely a treatment for being cold – someone with frostbite needs medical attention.

Use warm – not hot – water to help.

Immersing the affected extremities in warm water will help, but make sure that the feet or hands can stay warm after they’ve been thawed out. For example, warm water will lose its temperature quickly in a freezing environment outdoors. It’s also not a good idea to begin thawing someone’s affected parts if they’ll simply freeze over again, as this can cause tissue damage.

If you don’t have access to water, find something dry and insulating that can trap as much heat around the victim’s extremities as possible, such as a dry blanket. Be careful and gentle.

Don’t let the victim control the temperature.

Frostbite’s numbing effect means that the victim won’t feel warmth like they normally would, so don’t let them control the temperature. They might put their feet in scalding hot water simply to feel something when it could produce burns. Let someone with a warm body measure the temperature with their touch; as mentioned, the temperature of water should be warm and not hot.

Pain can be a sign that feeling is returning.

If the victim is being warmed and gradually feels more pain, that might be a sign that the feeling is returning. Don’t necessarily take it to mean that more heat is needed.

Overall, the best way to avoid frostbite is by preventing it. This means keeping tabs on your fingers and toes, not venturing too far from a source of shelter and heat, and keeping good circulation in your fingers and toes.

Photo Credits: winkyintheuk