This article**[China News Network];
According to the forecast of the ** Meteorological Observatory, from January 31 to February 5, there will be a wide range of continuous rain, snow and freezing weather in the central and eastern parts of China, and it is expected that the rain and snow will last for the longest time since this winter and affect the widest range.
But the cold wave can't stop people's footsteps, and the Spring Festival is coming, and in this weather, outdoor activities will inevitably cause frostbite. So what exactly is frostbite? What should I do with frostbite? How to prevent frostbite?
What is Frostbite?
Frostbite is a local or systemic injury to the human body caused by a cold and damp external environment. Localized frostbite is more common in life, and it is more common in the extremities, face, and ears.
If the human body is exposed to cold for a long time, it will cause systemic hypothermia, when the core temperature of the human body is lower than 34, there will be freezing, and the consciousness of the person will be blurred, and finally the cardiorespiratory arrest.
Nowadays, such extreme cases of direct freezing to death are rare, but localized frostbite still occurs from time to time. Tu Hualei, a doctor in the first ward of the Burn Department of the Fifth Hospital of Harbin, said in an interview that the temperature plummeted in the cold winter, and people often did not pay attention to frostbite when they were outdoors or worked, and the location of frostbite was relatively consistent, mainly the parts of the distal limbs with poor blood circulation, such as fingers, toes, ears and other parts.
How severe is frostbite?
According to the popular science article published by the Fourth Hospital of Harbin, in general, frostbite is divided into four degrees:
First-degree frostbite: that is, the common "frostbite", *superficial frostbite, injury to the surface layer**, redness, swelling and congestion of the frozen area**, feeling hot, itchy and burning, can heal itself within a few days.
Second-degree frostbite: it will hurt the superficial dermis, **red and swollen, there will be blisters of different sizes, the blisters can be bloody fluid, and the deep part can be edema, severe pain, **dullness.
Third-degree frostbite: Frostbite that occurs under the skin, changing in color from pale to black-brown or purple-brown. The injury does not heal easily, and in addition to scarring, it can also cause long-term hypersensitivity or pain.
Fourth-degree frostbite: It is generally a relatively severe frostbite, which may freeze the muscles and bones, and even cause limb necrosis, and may also be generalized frostbite, which may cause sudden cardiac arrest and sudden death in severe cases.
Li Jun, chief physician of the Beijing Department of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, said in an interview that the necrosis of the first tissue caused by frostbite will be secondary to bacterial infection if not treated in time, endangering other organs and tissues and even life.
What should I do with frostbite?
The mechanism of frostbite is similar to that of burns, both of which are caused by changes in the environment** soft tissue damage, so when frostbite is caused, please go to the burn department immediately and in time**.
If it cannot be taken to the hospital immediately, it should also be rewarmed as soon as possible to reduce the time for tissue freezing. Rapid and correct rewarming is the most effective way to preserve healthy tissue.
How do I rewarm?
The popular science article released by Songshan Hospital of Qingdao University School of Medicine pointed out that when you find that you have a tendency to frostbite, you should immediately return to a warm room, quickly remove cold and wet clothes, shoes and hats, and let the limbs rewarm naturally. After 5-10 minutes, get close to the heating equipment and let the temperature rise slowly; At the same time, the frozen part can also be placed in 40 constant temperature water for 20-30 minutes, when the frostbitten ** tissue is slightly red, soft to the touch, the rewarming is completed.
Depending on the frostbite, rewarming should be followed by further hospital visits**.
How to prevent frostbite?
In the cold winter season, the occurrence of frostbite is mostly related to the lack of knowledge of cold protection, improper use of cold materials or equipment, etc., although the current clinical technology is constantly improving, it should still be prevented in time.
When going out or doing outdoor activities, you should do a good job of protection in advance, increase clothing in time, protect the areas prone to frostbite, change wet gloves and shoes and socks in time, and do not touch cold metal with your bare hands.
In addition, in winter, you should also eat more foods that have the effect of preventing cold, such as black food: black rice, black beans, black sesame, black fungus, etc., which can nourish blood and promote blood circulation. Spicy foods such as ginger and pepper also have a warming effect. Beef and mutton also have a better effect on keeping out the cold. Eat hot meals and drink hot drinks as much as possible to enhance your resistance to cold and resistance.
It should be reminded that people who work in the open air for a long time should not stand still for long periods of time. In addition to keeping warm, you should also strengthen exercise to promote blood circulation.
Author: Shao Meng and Sun Yuan (intern).