Hypothermia and frostbite¶

Cold can hurt the whole body, as hypothermia, or damage skin and tissue, as frostbite. This page shows you how to spot both and warm a person up safely.

Do this now¶

1. Call your local emergency number if the person is shivering hard, confused, very sleepy, or has stopped shivering (911 in the United States and Canada, 112 across the European Union, 999 in the United Kingdom).
2. Move them indoors or out of the wind and wet. Handle them gently.
3. Take off wet clothing and wrap them in dry blankets, a sleeping bag, or coats. Cover the head, and put a layer between them and the cold ground.
4. If they are awake and can swallow, give a warm, sweet drink with no alcohol.
5. Stay with them and keep talking to them. If they stop responding and are not breathing normally, start CPR.

Signs of hypothermia¶

Hypothermia is a drop in body temperature below about 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit). It can happen in cool weather, too, especially if you are wet or in the wind.

• Shivering, which can stop as it gets worse
• Cold, pale skin, and blue or grey lips or skin
• Slurred speech, clumsy movement, and confusion
• Slow breathing and extreme tiredness
• In babies: cold skin, floppy, quiet, or refusing to feed

Warm them gradually¶

Warm the center of the body first: the chest, neck, head, and groin. Use blankets, dry clothing, and your own body warmth if needed.

... warning "Go gently" Do not rub the arms or legs, and do not use a hot bath, heat lamp, or hot water bottle. Do not give alcohol. Rough handling and sudden heat can strain the heart of a person who is very cold.

A person who is very cold and not responding can look as if they have died. Call for emergency help, begin CPR if they are not breathing normally, and keep going until responders take over.

Signs of frostbite¶

Frostbite is frozen skin and the tissue under it. It most often affects fingers, toes, ears, cheeks, and the nose.

• Skin that feels cold, numb, stinging, or burning
• Skin that looks red, pale, white, blue, or blotchy, and may be hard or waxy
• Swelling and blisters after warming
• Skin that turns black and hard in severe cases

On dark skin, color changes can be harder to see, so rely on numbness and a hard or waxy feel.

First aid for frostbite¶

1. Get out of the cold, and remove wet clothing, rings, and anything tight from the area.
2. If the hands are affected, tuck them into your armpits. Cover cold ears, nose, and cheeks with warm, dry hands.
3. Warm the area gently in warm water, not hot, for as long as the skin takes to soften and regain color. Test the water with an unaffected part of your body.
4. Pat dry and cover loosely with a clean, dry dressing. Separate fingers and toes with gauze.
5. Raise the area to reduce swelling, and get medical care.

Do not rub frostbitten skin, because ice crystals can cut the tissue. Do not warm it by a fire, heater, or heating pad, because numb skin burns easily. Do not walk on frostbitten feet if you can avoid it. Do not warm the area if it might freeze again before you reach care, because thawing and refreezing causes more damage.

When to call for help¶

Call your local emergency number for any sign of hypothermia, or if frostbitten skin is hard, white, blue, or black, or has blisters or lost feeling. For minor frostnip, with brief numbness that goes away when the skin warms, rest and warming are usually enough. See a doctor if the skin does not return to normal.

Prevent it¶

• Dress in several dry layers, with a windproof outer layer
• Cover your head, hands, feet, and face
• Change out of wet clothing quickly
• Do not drink alcohol outdoors in the cold
• Check on older neighbors during cold weather

... note "Take a course" A Red Cross or similar first aid course teaches you to care for cold injuries with practice, and it is good preparation for winter emergencies.

Related guides¶

• Winter storms
• Falling through ice
• No heat in winter
• CPR
• Emergency numbers