Definition and causes
In large cooling of a body can cause cold damage, so-called freezing. If cold damage is not being treated adequately, it can result in vævsdød and lasting damage to a body.
Cold injury can occur at all temperatures below 0 degrees. The lower the temperature, the faster there will be cold damage. At the same time exposure to strong cold winds will be accelerated significantly. By immersion in water cool the body similar faster.By exposure to cold pulling the small blood vessels in the outer parts of the body together. It is most pronounced in the fingers and toes and ears and næsetippen. The response is good for your body, because it reduces the heat release in the cold areas. But not restore blood flow, can cause damage.
People with impaired blood circulation, for example. due to diabetes or arteriosclerosis have an increased risk of developing frost.
If you are treated with beta-blockers, can also be more vulnerable to cold damage. Symptoms of freezing
When the blood vessels pulling together, sealed the blood flow to tissue. It is seen as a white wax (livid) Staining of the body. Mode accompanied by snurrende sensations and subsequent numbness.
In the absence of time reheating may occur bladders, and the tissue can be very painful. Prolonged exposure can result in vævsdød and dry gangræn, and the skin is black and blue.Precautions
It is important to be aware of freezing, if you reside in areas with strong cold, especially in combination with strong winds. Keep vulnerable locations such as fingers, toes and ears warm and search inside, if there are signs of the above symptoms.Treatment of forfrysninger
In the home: The immediate treatment is gentle warming. It must be done in lukewarm water (it should not be too hot to touch), and when the tissue starts to get normal color, stop reading. We should not flounder on the forfrosne areas, or try warming fire.
In the absence of full normalization of tissue, it is important to consult a doctor.At the hospital: The doctor will complete the heating, and the involved limbs wrapped in sterile bandage to prevent infection. In severe cases it may be necessary to amputate the body due vævsdød. Selected
A frostbite can take up to 6 months to recover from. In severe cases, symptoms such as stiffness and numbness continue life-long.
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