Health Headlines
Cold weather safety tips
NORWICH — Cold weather and snow has arrived, so The William W. Backus Hospital Trauma Department offers this timely advice to avoid hypothermia.
Safety tips
- Dress in layers so you can adjust to changing conditions.
- Avoid overexertion.
- Stay dry. If you feel too warm or start to sweat, remove extra layers of clothes.
- Do not drink alcoholic beverages because they cause your body to lose heat more rapidly. Instead, drink warm, sweet beverages such as hot chocolate or tea.
- Don’t ignore shivering. It’s your body trying to tell you your body is losing heat.
- Wind chill causes the air to feel colder than it the temperature indicates. A wind chill chart is available online at: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/windchill/
About hypothermia
- When your body is exposed to cold, it begins to lose heat faster than it can be produced. The lowering of body temperature is called hypothermia.
- Body temperatures that become too low can affect the brain, making you unable to think clearly or move normally.
- Remember, it does not have to be bitter cold for you to suffer from exposure. Wind, wet skin from precipitation or sweat, and your level of physical activity can contribute to frostbite and hypothermia.
- Learn to recognize these warning signs for hypothermia:
- Shivering
- Confusion
- Memory loss
- Drowsiness
- Exhaustion
- Fumbling hands
- Slurred speech
- And in infants: Bright red skin and very low energy.
- If medical help is not immediately available:
- Get the person into a warm room or shelter.
- Remove any wet clothing.
- Warm the center of the body first — the chest, neck head and groin — with an electric blanket if available. Or use skin-to-skin contact under loose, dry layers of blankets, clothing, towels or sheets.
- Do not give alcoholic beverages. Warm beverages may help raise body temperature. Never give a beverage to an unconscious person.
- After body temperature has increased, keep the person dry and wrapped in a warm blanket, including the head and neck.
- Get medical attention as soon as possible.
These safety measures can save lives, but remember, they are not a substitute for proper medical care. Hypothermia is a medical emergency, and those with hypothermia should be evaluated by a medical professional.
