This past week of extreme weather throughout Texas was—forgive this word—unprecedented. Snow, extreme cold, loss of heat and light, broken pipes and shut off water.
What are we supposed to do in times like this to stay safe, warm, dry and healthy? A few of the difficulties that you might suffer should you have experienced these drastic conditions:
- Hypothermia
- Frostbite
- Trenchfoot
- CO2 exposure
How can you prevent or treat these various maladies?
Hypothermia is caused when an individual is exposed to cold and wet conditions. It is when the body loses heat faster than it can produce it. Treatment involves warming the core of the person after removing any wet clothing.
Frostbite is an injury to the body caused by freezing It causes a loss of feeling and color in affected areas like fingers, toes and the end of one’s nose. Dress properly and minimize exposure of the skin to extreme cold temperatures.
Trenchfoot is caused when one’s feet are exposed to wet and cold conditions for prolonged periods. It is usually the result of the whole body being cold and shutting down the circulation to the feet to keep the rest of the body warm. Skin tissue dies with this loss of circulation and the buildup of toxins. Avoid having wet, cold feet by staying dry and warm.
Being exposed to CO2 (carbon dioxide) is probably the most dangerous. The colorless, odorless, tasteless non-flammable gas is usually emitted by appliances and devices burning gasoline, wood, propane, charcoal or other fuels in a poorly or non-vented area. Avoid using these devices or make sure they are vented appropriately or used outdoors.
Whether immediate treatment is applied or follow up is needed, an immediate visit or follow up is recommended. Frontline ER is an acute care emergency room providing healthcare services to the communities we live and work within. Give us a call or contact us through our website should you have more questions about our services.
