WITH THE COLD, WATCH OUT FOR FROSTBITE!

The cold promotes the spread of viruses responsible for colds, flu or other nasopharyngitis. It can also cause hypothermia and frostbite . These are very painful.

Why frostbite?

Prolonged exposure to cold can cause frostbite : the areas most at risk are the hands, feet, ears and nose. Negative temperatures induce vasoconstriction of blood vessels in the extremities. This is a natural phenomenon struggle against the cold. But in the long term, this contraction of blood vessels can cause frostbite of the fingers, toes , ears , since the ends are no longer sufficiently vascularized. At the extreme, there is frostbite but they are very rare, affecting, for example mountaineers.

Symptoms of frostbite

The frostbite result in redness, stiffness, numbness and swelling: the fingers or toes are swollen and they have redness purplish irregularly distributed, as a kind of thick plates, cold and painful. In the short term, they may be complicated by cracks, ulceration or blisters to cause considerable discomfort.
The lesions are not irreversible, but sometimes the affected area remains very sensitive to cold for some time after exposure. 
The Frostbite is very painful when affected extremities warm.

Who is at risk of frostbite?

Children and women, exposed to cold and moisture, are more at risk of suffering from frostbite, especially in the presence of a disorder of the circulation blood .

How to treat a frostbite ?
Everything depends on the area and extent of the frostbite . However, there is no real treatment against radical frostbite.
- Hot baths and cold alternately, avoiding extreme temperatures.
- Massage mild alcohol camphor.
- Application of fatty ointments.
- Taking drugs vasodilators.

The warning signal
The fingers become white and numb is a warning signal. It is high time to join a warm place. The first thing to do is warm up your extremities. And do not forget to watch the status of your toes .

Prevention of frostbite is essential, it is simply to protect themselves by covering themselves warmly in cold and wet periods. Another preventive measure is to remove tight clothing, which slow the circulation.