How to deal with frostbite and hypothermia

Whether you're outside shovelling the walk, skiing, digging out the car or just making a snowman, follow the tips here to avoid frostbite and hypothermia during the winter.

Cold winters make frostbite a concern for Canadians. Quite often, the worst might be permanent numbness, but you can end up with gangrene – and lose a toe, finger, ear or even your nose as a result – if you're not careful. So it's important to recognize symptoms:

• A pins-and-needles sensation, then numbness.
• Hard, pale, cold, numb skin. When frostbitten skin has thawed, it becomes red and painful (early frostbite). More severe frostbite results in white and numb skin.

If you or someone you're with has frostbite:

• Get the person to a warmer place. Remove any constricting jewellery and wet clothing and, if possible, wrap the affected areas in sterile dressings (remember to separate affected fingers and toes) then get the person to the nearest emergency department.
• If immediate care is not available, immerse affected areas in warm – never hot – water or repeatedly apply warm cloths to affected ears, nose or cheeks for 20 to 30 minutes. The warming is complete when the skin is soft and sensation returns.
• Move thawed areas as little as possible.
• If the frostbite is extensive, give warm drinks, but never alcohol, to the person in order to replace lost fluids.
• Don't thaw a frostbitten area if it cannot be kept thawed. Refreezing may make tissue damage even worse. Also, don't use direct dry heat (such as a radiator, campfire, heating pad or hairdryer). Direct heat can burn already-damaged tissues.

One of the best ways to guard against hypothermia (lowered body temperature) is to recognize the early warning signs. If someone you're with exhibits any of these, get him or her to a warm place right away. Try and take their temperature immediately, and keep their body core wrapped up and warm. Severe cases require medical attention. Symptoms can include:

• Shivering. An early sign of hypothermia, shivering starts mildly, but can become more severe and finally convulsive before ceasing. A feeling of being cold internally.
• Slurred speech.
• Loss of coordination. This might begin as difficulty tying your shoelaces or zipping your jacket, and eventually include stumbling or falling.
• Confusion.
• Apathy (for example, not caring about your own needs).
• Irrational behaviour.