By: Melanie Cerinich, MD
Q: My family likes to spend a great deal of time outdoors during the winter enjoying seasonal sports and other cold-weather activities. Though at times it gets pretty cold and blustery, we’re all determined to stay fit and active during what is a significant portion of the year in the Chicago area. What can we do to continue our activities while at the same time remaining safe, warm and healthy through the winter?
A: Each season has its own particular set of risks, but winter with its snowstorms, frigid temperatures and wind chills can be especially hazardous to human health. Frostbite and frostnip are two of the more common hazards that people who spend a great deal of time outdoors in cold weather are likely to encounter at some point. Both occur when you are exposed to extremely low temperatures for a period of time without the proper clothing for the conditions. In those instances, your blood vessels automatically begin to narrow and constrict, reducing blood flow to your extremities, such as your ears, nose, hands and feet. It’s a natural survival response your body makes in order to keep your vital organs from becoming damaged by the cold.
Frostnip is the precursor to frostbite and is far less serious. Frostnip commonly affects the fingers, face, ears, cheeks, toes and other areas of the body overexposed to the cold. People with frostnip will notice that the skin of the affected area is stiff, numb and white in color, but the tissue underneath will still be warm and soft. Treatment for frostnip is as easy as warming the affected area by rubbing, moving and covering it up with extra layers of clothing. You can also dip the frost-nipped area in warm – never hot – water until normal sensation returns.
Frostbite is the more serious form of frostnip. Frostbite is when parts of the body actually freeze. Mild frostbite is characterized by numbness in the frostbitten area. The skin may appear white or gray. Also, there may be some blistering of the skin. Treatment for mild frostbite isn’t too dissimilar from treatment for frostnip. Get out of the cold and warm the affected area and cover it with extra layers of clothing. Dipping the affected area in warm water until normal sensation returns also can be done.
In severe cases of frostbite, the tissue underneath the skin can be frozen to the bone. Severe frostbite can affect not only fingers, the face, ears, cheeks and toes but even entire arms and legs. Frostbitten skin will be hard, numb, and appear pale, white or gray. The condition can lead to gangrene, amputation and even death. Victims of severe frostbite should never rub or apply snow to the affected area. That will only increase injury to the tissue. The best thing to do is to get out of the cold as fast as possible and wrap the frostbitten area immediately in some warm clothing or warm it with your body. Then seek immediate medical attention.
Of course, limiting your exposure to extreme cold as well as wearing dry, layered clothing, a hat and mittens, which are warmer than gloves, are without a doubt the best ways to avoid frostnip, frostbite and other winter-related illnesses.
If you take all those precautions, there is no reason why you and your family shouldn’t enjoy a safe, fun and active winter. But for those times when you might have lingered too long in the cold, immediate-care facilities are on the alert and well-prepared to deliver quality care for frostbite, frostnip and other cold-related injuries as well as the colds, flu and other respiratory illnesses that accompany the season.
Melanie Cerinich, MD, is the medical director of Immediate Care at the Loyola Center for Health at Homer Glen. She is also a clinical assistant professor, Department of Surgery, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.
LOYOLA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM
