Hypothermia

The body's ability to produce and keep warm is less than its ability to dissipate heat for a long time, resulting in a phenomenon of lower and lower body temperature. On a cold and windy mountain, the temperature drops after dark but you still wear damp underwear the clothes are not warm enough, and you lie down and stop exercising. The body produces less heat than dissipates, which can easily lead to hypothermia.

Why does hypothermia occur in summer?

The human body itself is a thermogenic, constantly transferring heat to the outside world; temperature, humidity and wind are the most common factors that cause hypothermia. In summer, there will also be a temperature difference between morning and evening. Some exercises will cause the body to sweat and increase humidity. Coupled with increased wind, it is easy to lose heat quickly, causing hypothermia.

Symptoms: Shivering is a sign of mild hypothermia. When the body temperature is below 35℃, hypothermia has already begun.

At the beginning, the symptoms of hypothermia are violent trembling, fear of cold, motor disorders, slurred speech, and numbness;

Then the situation worsens, and the person is basically unable to use his hands and feet effectively, no longer trembling, looks confused and indifferent, and no longer feels cold;

In the late stage of hypothermia, the symptoms are limb stiffness, weakened heart function, dilated pupils, and even death.

Whether or not you are hypothermic depends on two factors: the body's ability to produce and retain heat and the speed of heat dissipation.

The body's ability to retain heat depends on the clothes you wear and whether the clothes next to your body are damp.

The speed of heat dissipation depends on whether the outside temperature is cold and whether the wind is strong.

When the wind is strong, the flowing air removes heat from the body being exposed to cold winds will increase the risk of excessive body temperature drop.

How to prevent hypothermia?

Stay dry: Moistures will accelerate the loss of body temperature. Wear breathable and quick-drying clothes to avoid sweat-soaking clothes.

Wear appropriate clothing: Layered clothing method to keep the body warm. The inner layer should be made of perspiration-wicking material, the middle layer should provide insulation, and the outer layer should be windproof and waterproof.

Maintain a dry environment: Choose a dry camping site and avoid wet ground. Use moisture-proof mats and waterproof tents.

Eat and drink water properly: Maintain adequate calorie intake and drink water to provide the energy needed for physical energy.

Appropriate activity: Maintain a moderate amount of activity to generate body heat, but avoid excessive fatigue that causes sweating.

Prevention methods mainly start from three aspects: humidity, cold, and wind.

Accept at most two of them. Do not let cold wind and wet clothes appear at the same time.

Get the patient out of the low-temperature environment and maintain a certain physical strength.

Take off cold and wet clothes in time and change into dry warm clothes.

Help the patient eat hot water and high-calorie foods containing sugar appropriately.

Keep the patient awake, talk to him constantly, and pay attention to the changes in his body and consciousness.

For severe cases, it is necessary to use 40℃ warm water soaking and other methods to warm him up, and send him to the hospital as soon as possible.

The hypothermic or frostbitten parts should not be rubbed hard, which is very easy to cause secondary damage to the injured parts due to mechanical force.

Common mistakes

Use heat source too early: Direct use of heat source may cause a sudden rise in temperature and cause serious health problems.

Ignore symptoms: Mild hypothermia symptoms should be treated immediately to prevent deterioration.

Inappropriate clothing selection: Using unsuitable clothing or wearing only a single layer of clothing may increase the risk of hypothermia.