Frostbite can you die from it

Rewarming can be accomplished by soaking the affected area in warm not hot water for 15 to 30 minutes. Rewarming using heat sources such as stoves or heating pads should be avoided, as these can lead to burns.

As your skin begins to warm up, you may feel some pain or tingling. You can take an over-the-counter pain medication such as ibuprofen to ease any discomfort. During this stage of frostbite, your skin will begin to turn from a reddish color to a paler color. In some cases, it may appear blue.

Ice crystals may begin to form in your skin. As such, the affected area of your skin may have a hard or frozen feeling when you touch it. Your skin may also begin to feel warm at this stage and you may observe some swelling.

This is a sign that damage to your skin tissue is beginning to occur. The tissues below your skin are still intact, but prompt medical treatment is required to prevent further damage. Rewarming should occur as soon as possible.

Your doctor will give you pain medication to help with the pain that occurs with rewarming. Intravenous IV fluids may also be given to keep you hydrated. Following rewarming, fluid-filled blisters may develop in the affected area.

Your skin may appear to be blue or purple. You may also observe swelling and feel a burning or stinging sensation. If you have blisters, your doctor may drain them. Many people can recover fully from superficial frostbite. New skin will form under any blisters or scabs. However, some people may have permanent problems that can include pain or numbness in the frostbitten area.

Young children. The homeless. People who are excessively dehydrated. Patients who are mentally ill. People who have poor blood supply or other circulatory issues such as peripheral vascular disease.

Patients who have had a previous cold-related injury. Patients who have atherosclerosis. Patients who are taking medications such as beta blockers, as these drugs reduce blood flow to the skin. People who use nicotine.

Patients who are at a high altitude. Those who are experiencing fear and panic, which may inhibit your ability to respond in the cold. Patients with frostbite often experience a numbness, burning, tingling, itching, or very cold sensation in the affected areas.

Symptoms first start out as redness, stinging, and burning, leading to a throbbing and prickling sensation and eventually numbness. The skin may also appear waxy, white, or grayish. Frostbite may also cause clumsiness , due to stiffness developing in the joints and muscles. More severe frostbite results in decreased sensation, leading to overall loss of sensation. Severe frostbite may also cause gangrene blackened, dead tissue , blisters , and further damage to tendons , muscles , nerves , and bone.

The skin may appear pale, yellowish, bluish, or mottled. In severe cases, the skin is black. In superficial frostbite, deeper tissues may still feel soft while the skin is frozen. In deep frostbite, the entire affected extremity or body part will feel solid, hard, and frozen. Frostbite is completely preventable if you take care to protect yourself. Working outdoors, playing outdoor winter sports, or simply walking around outside in cold weather can increase your risk of getting frostbite.

The single most effective way to prevent worsening of possible frostbite is to go inside, and get away from extreme cold. When in a cold environment and especially during the winter months, it is important to always take care to cover exposed skin. Helpful methods of prevention include:. Wearing light and loose clothing in layers — try to wear clothing that provides ventilation and insulation, and add a top layer that is water-repellant.

Wear mittens which are warmer than gloves , two pairs of socks wool is better than cotton , and a hat one that covers your head and ears is best.

Avoid getting wet. If wet, seek a dry and warm area and remove wet clothing. Avoid drinking alcohol or smoking if you know you are going to be outside in the extreme cold. Most of the time frostbite can be prevented by taking precautions during cold weather. Avoid unnecessary exposure to cold temperatures. The combination of wind and cold temperatures wind chill can also cause a rapid drop in temperature, so avoid going out when it's cold and windy, if possible.

It's also important to know what the early symptoms of frostbite are, particularly the tingling sensation of frostnip. You should also try to keep dry and remove any wet clothing as soon as you can. If you're travelling during cold weather, plan for emergencies. For example, if you're driving in icy conditions, make sure you keep a warm blanket and some spare clothes in the boot of your car in case you break down.

If you're travelling by foot, always let others know where you're going and what time you'll be back. Take a fully charged mobile phone with you so you can call for help if you have an accident, such as a fall. Be careful when drinking alcohol during very cold weather. Drinking too much increases your risk of falling asleep in the cold, a common cause of frostbite.

Alcohol also causes you to lose heat at a faster rate. Smoking also makes you more vulnerable to the effects of the cold because nicotine can narrow your blood vessels. If some of your tissue dies, the dead tissue will no longer have a blood supply. This can make the affected body part very vulnerable to infection because your body relies on white blood cells to ward off infections. You may not realize you have frostbite until someone else points it out.

You can treat frostnip by rewarming. All other frostbite requires medical attention because it can permanently damage skin, muscle, bone and other tissue.

Skin without cold damage 1 has no change in color or texture. Frostnip 2 is mild frostbite that irritates the skin, causing a change in skin color and a cold feeling followed by numbness.

Frostnip doesn't permanently damage the skin and can be treated with first-aid measures. With superficial frostbite 3 , the skin feels warm. A fluid-filled blister may appear 12 to 36 hours after rewarming the skin. With deep frostbite 4 , you may experience numbness. Joints or muscles may stop working. Large blisters form 24 to 48 hours after rewarming. The tissue turns black and hard as it dies.

Frostnip, a mild form of frostbite, irritates the skin, causing redness and a cold feeling followed by numbness. Frostnip doesn't permanently damage the skin. Frostbite is most common on the fingers, toes, nose, ears, cheeks and chin. Because of skin numbness, you may not realize you have frostbite until someone points it out.

Changes in the color of the affected area might be difficult to see on brown or Black skin. Also get emergency medical help if you suspect hypothermia, a condition in which the body loses heat faster than it can be produced.