Treatment and Prevention
Treatment of hypothermia needs to be done very carefully and under proper
supervision, as in this state, one's body is very fragile. In this situation, emergency personnel will warm you up with heating pads, packs, and special blankets
while giving you warmed intravenous (IV) fluids and oxygen. They'll be watching
very closely for any heart problems, and will be ready to give the proper medications
if needed. If you have no pulse when you are brought in, the doctors will still go
ahead with re-warming and then cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) -
many people have been successfully revived after severe hypothermia.
For frostbite, care must be taken not to further damage the frozen areas of
the body. Doctors will warm the part up slowly and check for permanent damage.
They will probably give an antibiotic, a tetanus shot, and possibly some medication
to open up the blood vessels and allow more blood to flow through the frozen
area. You might also need pain medication as this can be a very painful process.
Surgery to remove dead tissue or amputation might be necessary later on if
some areas were permanently damaged by the freezing. Since frostbite often looks
worse than it really is, surgery is rarely done immediately. Doctors usually
take a wait-and-see attitude to see if your body is able to heal itself.
If you're helping someone with hypothermia or frostbite, follow these instructions:
- do not give them alcohol to drink
- do not re-warm frozen parts if there's a risk that they might be re-frozen
(this may cause more tissue damage)
- do not rub snow on the frozen skin
- do not place heat directly against the skin or sit them directly in front
of a fire
You can move the person out of the cold, provide indirect heat (but not directly
on the skin), and wrap the frostbitten parts in sterile bandages and try to
keep them from getting banged or hurt any further.
Hypothermia and frostbite are, for the most part, preventable. Be prepared
for the conditions outdoors. Dress warmly, cover exposed skin, and don't let
the bright sun fool you in the winter. If the temperature is below freezing,
consider yourself at risk, and take precautions.
*All medications have both common (generic) and brand names. The brand name
is what a specific manufacturer calls the product (e.g., Tylenol®).
The common name is the medical name for the medication (e.g., acetaminophen).
A medication may have many brand names, but only one common name. This article
lists medications by their common names. For more information on brand names,
speak with your doctor or pharmacist.