MSDH Tips to Prevent and Treat Hypothermia and Frostbite

Jackson, Miss. — The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) is urging residents to take precautions to prevent hypothermia and frostbite during the extreme cold conditions facing the state this week. Recognizing the signs and symptoms and knowing how to treat the conditions are key to saving a limb and in the worst-case scenario, a life.

Hypothermia (abnormally low body temperature) strikes when a person is exposed to extremely cold temperatures or is wet and becomes chilled. It can occur within minutes. Body temperature that is too low affects the brain, making it difficult to think clearly or move well, which makes it especially dangerous.

Hypothermia is a medical emergency, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If you notice any of the above signs, take the person’s temperature. If it is below 95 degrees F, call 911 or seek medical attention immediately. If you are unable to get medical help, try to warm the person up.

• Move the person into a warm room or shelter.
• Remove any wet clothing the person is wearing.
• Warm the center of the person's body—chest, neck, head, and groin—using an electric blanket. You can also use skin-to-skin contact under loose, dry layers of blankets, clothing, towels or sheets.
• Warm drinks can help increase body temperature, but do not give alcoholic drinks. Do not try to give beverages to an unconscious person.
• After body temperature has increased, keep the person dry and wrap their body, including their head and neck, in a warm blanket.
• Get the person proper medical attention as soon as possible.

Victims of hypothermia are most often:

• Older adults with inadequate food, clothing or heating
• Babies sleeping in cold bedrooms
• People who stay outdoors for long periods
• People who drink alcohol in excess or use illicit drugs

Frostbite, which is caused by freezing, leads to loss of feeling and color and usually affects exposed skin, such as the nose, ears, cheeks, fingers and toes. It can cause permanent damage to the body, including amputation. Early warning signs include numbness, loss of feeling or a stinging sensation.

If a person shows signs of frostbite, but no signs of hypothermia, and immediate medical care is not available, do the following:

• Get the person into a warm room as soon as possible.
• Unless necessary, do not walk on feet or toes that show signs of frostbite; this increases the damage.
• Do not rub the frostbitten area; it could cause more damage.
• Put the areas affected by frostbite in warm – not hot – water. The temperature should be comfortable to the touch.
• If warm water is not available, warm the affected area using body heat, such as the heat of an armpit to warm frostbitten fingers.
• Do not use a fireplace, heating pad, electric blanket, heat lamp, radiator or stove for warming.

For more information on staying safe during extreme cold conditions, visit msdh.ms.gov/winter