Especially you need to take care of those who suffer from diseases associated with disruption of the vessels and children. And in both of them the thermoregulation of the body does not work at full strength. In frosty weather, it is advisable to call a child from a walk into a warm house every 20-25 minutes, otherwise it can be supercooled.
What causes frostbite of the toes?
Many will give an unambiguous answer to this question: "Of course, the frost is to blame. There will not be it - there will be no reason for frostbite. " But why are the fingers most often injured? The answer to this question is given by the employees of the burn center, where in winter time people who have suffered in the cold arrive every day.
Among all toes of the foot - the biggest most vulnerable, especially if a person prefers to wear tight shoes. To get frostbitten toes, it will be enough to stay in the street for a short time at a temperature of -15 on a dry frost. Or a prolonged stay at temperatures up to +10 without gloves and in cold shoes, but in conditions of high humidity. Also often suffer ear lobes from contact with metal earrings in the cold.
Frozen toes: what to do
Once you feel that the limbs are supercooled, start moving more and try to actively move your fingers. But if this does not help and the loss of sensitivity has already started, you must urgently leave the street and go to a warm room as soon as possible.
Free your feet from shoes and remove gloves very carefully. You probably want to warm up the frostbitten fingers of your feet and hands as quickly as possible by attaching them to a battery or putting them under a stream of hot water, but this should not be done in any case. Warming should be gradual, natural or in water no higher than 20-25 degrees. When the itching, pain and unpleasant tingling appear in the injured area, you can assume that you have already experienced the most terrible thing, because this begins to restore blood circulation.
After the warming comes, you need to put a dry bandage of gauze and cotton wool on the limbs so that there is a layer of bandage between each finger. During all these procedures you can drink warm tea, but not alcohol. It by its nature sharply expands blood vessels, and on frozen areas of the body they are very narrow and from a sharp drop can simply burst. It will be better if you consult with a doctor, because trauma from hypothermia is very insidious and irreversible processes of withering in tissues can develop not immediately, but after a few days.
If this happens, even the most talented doctors will only have to watch the course of necrosis and wait for a clear line between living and dead tissues to form a scalpel.
How to avoid frostbitten fingers and toes
Going to the street during severe frosts, put on: two pairs of socks, two sweaters, etc. Do not wear tight shoes in cold weather, especially without warm insoles. In frosts, it is better not to wear metal ornaments: rings, bracelets and earrings. Before going out, try to eat well, with high-calorie food, so the body will have a supply of energy, and you will not freeze longer.
The councils given in this article can be safely used to provide first aid for hypothermia. But if you suspect that the injury is serious, it is better to seek help from specialists.