Frostbite ointment and protective cream for the treatment of chapping. Proper frostbite treatment

Frostbite is damage to the tissues of the body as a result of prolonged exposure to low temperatures. The most commonly affected fingers and toes, nose, ears, cheeks, chin. If frostbite is severe, the affected body parts may need to be amputated. The most common is superficial frostbite, in which only the skin is damaged, but more severe frostbite is possible, accompanied by necrosis of tissues located deeper. Therefore, when providing medical care, care must be taken to minimize damage and prevent further tissue damage.

Steps

Part 1

First, determine if you have superficial frostbite. As a rule, it precedes frostbite, affecting deeper tissues. In the case of superficial frostbite, only the skin freezes, and a spasm of blood vessels occurs, due to which the affected area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe skin becomes pale or, on the contrary, turns red. This may be accompanied by a feeling of numbness, pain, tingling or tingling in the affected area. However, the structure of the skin does not change and sensitivity to pressure remains. Symptoms disappear as the affected area warms up.

Determine if you have mild frostbite. While this degree of frostbite may not feel "mild", it is highly treatable. In this condition, the skin loses sensation, becomes white or gray-yellow in color with red spots, hardens or swells, hurts or throbs.

Determine if you have severe frostbite. Severe frostbite is the most dangerous degree of frostbite. In this condition, the skin is pale, waxy, and unusually hard, and there is loss of sensation or numbness in the affected area. Sometimes with severe frostbite, blisters filled with bloody contents form on the skin, or signs of gangrene (gray-black dead skin) appear.

Get shelter from the cold and get medical attention as soon as possible. If possible, within two hours, go to the hospital or call ambulance, then you should not try to treat frostbite yourself. If you cannot shelter from the cold and there is a risk of refreezing, then do not try to warm the frostbitten areas. Repeated freezing-thawing several times can lead to more serious tissue damage than a single freezing.

If necessary, take painkillers. If you have severe frostbite, then the process of warming the damaged area may be accompanied by pain. Take an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug), such as ibuprofen, to relieve pain. However, you should not take aspirin, as it can interfere with the repair of damaged tissues. Stick to the dosages recommended in the instructions.

Warm the frostbitten area in warm water. Fill a basin or bowl with water at a temperature of 40-42 degrees Celsius (preferably 40.5 degrees Celsius) and immerse the affected body part. Do not allow the water temperature to be higher than this, as this may cause skin burns and blistering. If possible, add antibacterial soap to the water. This will help prevent infection of the affected area. Immerse the frostbitten area in water for 15-30 minutes.

Do not use heaters, fireplaces or heating pads. When using heating devices, it is difficult to control the process of warming, and for the treatment of frostbite, it is important that the affected area is warmed gradually. In addition, there is a risk of getting burned.

Watch for frostbitten areas. As it warms up, a tingling and burning sensation should appear. The skin on the frostbitten areas should first turn pink or red, possibly patchy. Gradually, familiar sensations and normal skin texture should return. If swelling and blisters appear on the skin, then these are signs of deeper tissue damage. In this case, you need to get qualified medical help as soon as possible. If, after warming the skin for several minutes in warm water, its condition has not changed at all, this may indicate severe damage that should be examined and treated by a doctor.

Avoid further tissue damage. Until you receive qualified medical attention, do everything possible not to aggravate the condition of frostbitten tissues. Do not rub or irritate frostbitten skin, try not to make unnecessary movements and do not allow the area to freeze again.

Part 3

Seek a qualified medical care. The severity of frostbite depends on the type of treatment needed. The most commonly used is hydrotherapy. However, in particular severe cases surgical intervention is required.

Cold injuries can be acute or chronic.

• acute include frostbite (frostbite), hypothermia;
• chronic include chills, cold neurovasculitis and allergies.

chill

Chilling is a chronic cold injury. It appears under the influence of strong wind and moisture. It appears as bluish spots with clear boundaries. The skin over these spots is thickened, cold to the touch, burning and itching often appear. Since the disease is chronic, it is characterized by exacerbations, most often in the spring and autumn seasons.

If you have a similar problem, you should seek the advice of a doctor.

• take vitamins and minerals;
• carry out procedures that improve blood circulation;
• Do massage;
• do daily exercise.

If possible, protect the chilled areas with clothing and cosmetics.

hypothermia

Hypothermia is a condition in which the body temperature drops below normal. The cause of this condition can be not only the cold outside, but also a long swim in the reservoirs.

Hypothermia mainly affects children and the elderly.

Degrees of hypothermia:

• 1 degree. The first degree is characterized by a decrease in body temperature to 34 - 32 degrees Celsius, chills, awkwardness of movements, increased breathing and heart rate, pallor of the skin;
• 2 degree. Body temperature drops to 32 - 30 degrees Celsius, severe drowsiness, rare pulse, frequent breathing. The person does not understand where he is;
• 3 degree. Body temperature drops below 30 degrees Celsius, deep frostbite appears, consciousness is absent.

What can not be done with hypothermia? Do not give to the victim alcoholic drinks and rub the body with alcohol. Can't be accepted hot bath. A sudden change in temperature can exacerbate the situation. Hot pads must not be used.

Usually hypothermia is accompanied by frostbite.

frostbite

Frostbite (frostbite) is a cold injury caused by exposure to low temperatures on body tissues. The basis of the mechanism of such an injury is a spasm of small vessels, leading to malnutrition of tissues and supplying them with the necessary amount of oxygen.

Frostbite periods

During the course of the disease, a pre-reactive period, an early and late reactive period, and a recovery period are distinguished.

• the pre-reactive period lasts the first 24 hours, from the moment of the incident to warming up. During this period, there are practically no signs of frostbite. Of the symptoms - only the cold of the frostbitten area, decreased sensitivity, pallor of the skin. It is almost impossible to determine the depth of damage;
• the reactive period begins after warming. It is characterized by the appearance of pain, swelling, changes in the skin, corresponding to the degree of cold injury, and there are four of them.

Frostbite degrees

• frostbite 1 degree. The mildest, characterized at first by blanching, then reddening of the skin, burning sensation, itching. After a few days, peeling may appear. The first degree goes away on its own or after a short treatment;
• frostbite 2 degrees. Refers to shallow tissue lesions, characterized initially by blanching, then by redness or purplishness of the skin. There may be slight swelling at the site of injury, pain, and later - the appearance of blisters with serous (transparent) contents. This degree of frostbite already requires treatment. Recovery occurs in two weeks;
• frostbite 3 degrees. Deep tissue damage, characterized by necrosis (death) of tissues, severe pain. Frostbitten parts of the body are dark, cyanotic, blisters with blood may appear. Such injuries require treatment in a hospital;
• frostbite 4 degrees. Perhaps the deepest and most severe injury. As a result of this injury, not only skin cells and subcutaneous fat cells die, but also muscles and other tissues. The skin at the site of the lesion is cyanotic or black, edematous, cold to the touch. The fourth degree in peacetime is rare.

The insidiousness of such injuries is that the depth of freezing is not immediately visible. While the victim is in the cold, it may seem that the frostbite is superficial. This can delay first aid for frostbite.

Signs of frostbite

1. Change in skin color.
2. If it is cheeks, nose or ears - the appearance of white spots.
3. If it is frostbite of the hands or feet, the child may complain of pain or lack of sensation (but, alas, only adult children can do this).

Based on the degree and area of ​​frostbite, medical assistance is provided.

How not to provide first aid for frostbite?

1. Do not rub frostbitten parts of the body. No need to rub with snow, this will lead to a deepening of the cold burn.
2. Do not rub the frostbitten parts of the body with a cloth, as this may damage the frostbitten skin.
3. Do not leave wet clothes on the body.
4. Don't overheat. When you get home, don't take a hot bath. It is necessary to warm up the frostbitten parts of the body gradually, the water should initially be no more than 20 degrees Celsius. Sudden warming also leads to deepening of the injury.
5. Do not wipe the victim with alcohol - it increases heat transfer.
6. Clothing and shoes of the victim should not be tight and squeezing.

First aid for hypothermia and frostbite

• if possible, stop the effect of cold on the body;
• if the matter is in cold weather, you should move to a warm room;
• if the child is frozen in the water, then you need to finish water procedures at this time;
• remove all wet clothes from the body;
• if the victim has areas of frostbite, then it is advisable to apply heat-insulating bandages on them before he turns into heat;
• movements in frostbitten limbs should be kept to a minimum;
• upon returning home, it is necessary to give an antispasmodic (No-shpu, Papaverine) in an age dosage;
• change into warm dry clothes;
• give warm tea, juice, milk. The drink should be warm, but not burn;
• you may need to do a local bath. It is very important that the water temperature should initially be no more than 20 degrees, then it can be gradually increased, but no more than up to 40 degrees Celsius;
• if the child is excessively drowsy upon returning from the street or you see cyanosis of large areas of the skin, it is better to consult a doctor.

First aid for frostbite

If you are on the street and you understand that the child has received serious and deep cold injuries, or if, having come home and carried out all the above procedures, after some time you notice the appearance of blisters, increased pain and increased swelling, seek medical attention. help to the doctor. Better not to over tighten. The third degree of frostbite does not go away on its own.

What the doctor will do:

• examine;
• apply a bandage;
• immobilizes the limb;
• anesthetize;
• if necessary, prescribe antibiotics and droppers;
• may decide on hospitalization, which should not be abandoned;
• if frostbite is third or fourth degree, surgery may be required.

If first aid when frostbite was rendered correctly, this greatly facilitates the condition of the child in the future.

What should a mother do in a particular situation?

Frostbite on the cheeks of a child

So, you were walking on the street and suddenly noticed that white spots appeared on the baby’s face or the usual blush just disappeared from the face. The child became overly active or, conversely, sleepy and lethargic.

1. For now, it’s better to finish your walk, return home or to a warm room, change into warm, dry clothes. If after 15 - 20 minutes the child's condition returns to normal, and the cheeks acquire a normal color, everything is fine and you should not worry. If not, follow the next algorithm.
2. Warm tea, fruit drink, or the drink that the child likes to drink. Heat not to a boil, but to the usual temperature. Your goal is not to burn, but to warm the baby.
3. Wash your baby with water. First cool 20˚С, then make the water warmer, gradually bringing it up to 38˚С.
4. It is possible to carry out a light massage with your fingertips. But remember, if it is immediately clear that frostbite is deep, this should not be done.
5. If there is pain, you can give Papaverine or another antispasmodic in an age dosage.
6. If, after some time, blisters appear on the cheeks or the skin begins to darken, seek medical help.

Frostbite of the cheeks in a child can be repeated every time when unfavorable conditions appear. weather conditions.

Frostbite of hands and fingers

Children are restless. Checking the depth of a puddle in autumn, playing snowballs and making a snowman in winter is very important and interesting. What is left for parents? Observe and do everything possible so that children's games do not lead to trouble.

It happens that, taking the child by the hand, the mother realizes that the fingers or the whole hand are frostbitten.

The algorithm in this situation is the same as with frostbite on the cheeks.

1. Take the baby and go home. First remove wet gloves or mittens, if any.
2. Do not rub your hands in the cold with anything: neither snow nor a cloth. It is better if you make an impromptu bandage from your scarf on the arms of the child, and take him home.
3. At home, give an antispasmodic in an age dosage, give the baby warm tea to drink, make a hand bath first with water at 20 ° C, then gradually increase it. Do not rush to increase the temperature of the water, a sharp change in temperature only worsens the situation and deepens frostbite.
4. Dry your hands with a warm towel after the bath.

If the sensitivity of the hands is restored, and the skin is pink without cyanosis and blisters, you can not worry. If, despite all efforts, pain and swelling increase, it is better to seek professional help.

Frostbite of the feet

The reason that your baby has frostbitten feet, to a greater extent, may be improperly selected shoes. Shoes must be free, correctly selected in size and on the foot of your child. Shoes must be made from natural materials.

If you go for a walk in the fall or spring and wear rubber boots, then take care of extra socks "just in case". Socks should be made of natural fabrics, preferably wool.

Since the legs are not visible under the shoes, you need to carefully monitor the behavior of the child. If you see common signs hypothermia, or you suspect that the child has wet his feet, it is better to take the baby home. Divide the walk into two parts.

First aid for frostbite should be started even before moving to a warm room. Actions for frostbite of the legs are the same as for the hands.

How to protect a child from frostbite?

• before going outside, it is advisable to feed the child;
• if the child does not go to the potty yet, change diapers or diapers, offer a baby under three years of age to do toilet procedures;
• dress your child according to the season and age. It is better to wear several layers of light clothing than one thick one. Outerwear should be made of waterproof fabrics;
• do not forget about a hat, scarf, mittens, socks. Ideally, have a spare with you;
• shoes should be loose, exactly matched to the child's foot, with a warm insole and a woolen toe;
• while walking in the winter, it is better to take off the earrings;
• use special children's cosmetics to protect your face. These are fatty creams, you can lubricate the cheeks and nose of the child with them, there are also lip balms based on petroleum jelly. You can simply lubricate the skin with Vaseline;
• go home at the first sign of hypothermia;
• if you think it's too cold, windy or wet outside, reschedule your walk for another time.

What are the consequences of frostbite?

• complete recovery in the first degree usually occurs after 7-10 days, with adequate treatment of the second degree - after 14-18;
• recovery after the third and fourth degree only under the condition of long-term rehabilitation. Scars remain after treatment;
• with tissue necrosis - amputation of the affected area or limb.

In conclusion, let me remind you once again that first aid for frostbite plays important role in the later course of the disease. Wrong actions complicate the situation. Timely, correctly rendered assistance facilitates the course of the disease.

Hands and fingers often suffer from winter storms. Even with gloves and mittens, it is easy to get frostbite on your hands, especially if they are wet or not warm enough. It doesn't have to be cold outside to do this. Obvious signs of hypothermia are possible even at positive temperatures.

Frostbite of hands 1-2 degree

The first "bells" of frozen limbs are a slight tingling, burning sensation and decreased sensitivity. It is easy to miss such symptoms on fresh air and notice damage to the skin, already warming up at home. There are cases when signs of frostbite of the hands become apparent after 6-12 hours of being in a warm room.

Their severity depends on the type of damage received:

1. first degree. As a rule, it manifests itself with short-term exposure to cold. Hands slightly swell and turn pale, partially or completely lose sensitivity. Already in the heat, their swelling is noticeable, as well as a change in color to crimson. This is accompanied by mild pain and itching. After a few days, the affected areas may peel off a little, but within a week, as a rule, they are completely restored;
2. second degree. The condition worsens with prolonged exposure to low temperatures. Cold, whitened limbs are not felt at all. Sounds like mild frostbite to the hands, doesn't it? But when warmed up, the difference is obvious. Following severe swelling and cyanosis, pronounced pain appears. After some time, the areas are covered with dropsies, inside which a clear liquid is visible. With proper treatment, tissue repair takes about two weeks.

Frostbite of hands 3-4 degrees

Even with the second degree of frostbite of the hands, it is advisable to visit the hospital. Medical attention is mandatory if the damage is even more serious. The third degree of severity differs from the second in the dark red, bloody filling of the blisters. The consequences are very unpleasant: there is a death of the skin and its rejection. This stage takes 2-3 weeks. Then, scars form at the site of the wounds within a month. Nail plates completely disappear.

In the most complex form of frostbite, in addition to soft membranes, joints and parts of bone tissue can die.

With the fourth degree of damage, the hands after warming remain cold and insensitive, they hurt a lot and swell more and more. The surest sign is that the purplish-blue skin tone turns into dark brown or black. You need to immediately call an ambulance, and not self-medicate.

First aid

It is important to find warm room. Further actions are aimed at warming the victim. Hands must be freed from gloves, rings and bracelets. Warm (not burning) drink helps to stop the freezing of the body. Suitable sweet tea, wild rose broth, fruit drink. It is useful to eat something high-calorie.

If the victim is lost in the woods or for some other reason cannot leave the street, it is necessary to wrap the limbs. Preferably woolen clothes, but not wet. By keeping them elevated, blood circulation in the tissues can be improved. You can not warm up directly over the fire. As help the warmth of your own body will do. It is important to “revive” chilled hands with breath, in the armpits or groin. Only then is it worth approaching the fire.

When the hands are insignificant, it is allowed to slightly rub the palms. Baths with good effect warm water. At first, its temperature should not exceed 30 degrees. After 20 minutes, you can add hot water. Gradually raise the temperature to a maximum of 40 degrees. You can breathe a sigh of relief if your hands turn pink and are not covered with blisters, sensitivity in your fingers is restored. Otherwise, medical attention is required.

What not to do with frostbite

In no case should you pierce a water blister that has formed during frostbite on the hand.

It is worth considering that first aid for frostbite of the hands must be correct. Otherwise, the condition of the damaged tissues and the victim himself may worsen. Among the unsafe experiments:

• warming hot. A sharp temperature drop is generally contraindicated. Quick "resuscitation" of hands on the battery or over the included burner are popular mistakes in behavior during hypothermia. They can lead to burns or necrosis of frozen cells. For the same reason, baths with hot water should not be made;
• any rubs. Products containing alcohol and warming ointments are fraught with thermal burns. Due to fatty creams and oils, a film forms on the surface of the body, due to which oxygen does not enter the tissues. Snow for rubbing is also not good. It can be used to infect micro-wounds, and exposure to cold does not bring any benefit;
• piercing formed dropsies. By opening the blisters on your own, you can introduce an infection. The danger is not only in suppuration of the wound, but also in high risk blood infection.

It is not recommended to move frostbitten fingers. Under the influence of cold, the vessels become very fragile, and the risk of hemorrhage increases. It is advisable to apply splints to secure the hands in a physiological position. The gasket in this case is fixed under the palm and wrist.

Drinking alcohol is another example of what to do with frostbite hands is contraindicated. Alcoholic drinks dilate blood vessels and cause a strong outflow of blood from the heart, brain, and lungs. This causes even more heat loss in the body. Vasodilating action is also loved by many coffee. It also shouldn't be drunk.

When to go to the hospital

The hospital should be contacted in the following cases:

• The surface of the hands was covered with bubbles. IN outpatient settings dropsy is incised and antiseptic treatment of tissues is carried out;
• A child, an elderly or sickly person has suffered from the cold;
• When warmed, the hands are very sore, and their surface remains pale and cold;
• There are signs of general hypothermia of the body: weakness, chills, hard breath, drowsiness;
• The lips take on a plum shade, the mind becomes confused.

Who is more at risk of frostbite hands

The child's hands must be protected with warm mittens.

Everyone can suffer from a long pastime in the frosty air. But there are categories of people for whom frostbite of hands and other parts of the body can be the result of even a short exposure to cold. This applies to people with:

• vascular diseases, for example, with varicose veins;
• cold urticaria (allergy to cold);
• general fatigue or weakened immune system;
• increased sweating of the limbs;
• disorders in the work of the heart, kidneys;
• diabetes mellitus;
• addiction to alcoholic beverages.

It is especially necessary to carefully monitor the condition of children during a winter walk. Their soft skin much more prone to frostbite. Dress the baby according to the principle of "cabbage". If the child independently went out to play in the yard, parents should control his return home every half an hour. It is important that his belongings, including mittens, remain dry.

Often with unpleasant state varying degrees lovers of winter leisure - fishing, hunting - face gravity. Limbs freeze instantly, because they are inactive. To prevent frostbite of hands and feet, it is important to wear good waterproof mittens and boots, take a thermos with hot tea or herbal tea, and exclude alcohol. A salt heating pad will be a good purchase, the heat of which is enough to warm the chilled limbs.

How to avoid frostbite on your hands

Hands must be well protected from adverse weather conditions. It is unlikely that you will have to think about what to do with frostbite of fingers if you choose alpaca or merino wool mittens. But if they get wet, the risk of hypothermia increases significantly. Too tight-fitting gloves are also not suitable, in which the fingers stiffen faster and lose sensitivity.

In winter, you can not apply a moisturizer for the skin of the hands before going outside. It is better to refuse metal rings. They quickly cool down and become an additional source of cold. Too tight jewelry disrupts blood circulation in the fingers. So it's not good to wear them at all.

You will have to give up cigarettes in the fresh air. Smoking slows down blood circulation in the extremities and increases the risk of frostbite in the hands. It is recommended to go out into the cold well-fed, then the body will be able to spend the calories received on warming. If you need a long stay on the street for better blood flow, you can take some kind of vasodilator drug from the home medicine cabinet.

Depending on the degree of tissue damage, the process can be reversible and irreversible. In the article, we will consider the symptoms and degrees of frostbite of the fingers, as well as what to do to help the victim and how the affected area is treated.

The main causes and conditions of frostbite of the fingers

Frostbite of the fingers occurs under the influence of cold. Factors that influence the occurrence of injury:

• high humidity and strong wind. "Dry" frost in calm weather is much better tolerated human body, while high humidity and active air movement can cause frostbite even at positive temperatures. Often the cause of frostbite of the fingers is wearing wet gloves or mittens.
• Use of alcohol or drugs. These substances expand skin vessels cause heat loss.
• Prolonged relaxation of the muscles in a forced position;
• Physical fatigue;
• Circulatory disorders, diseases of the heart and blood vessels;
• Adaptive abilities of the organism;
• Prolonged spasm of peripheral vessels.

The first signs of frostbite of the fingers

The following signs indicate that frostbite is developing:

• The skin becomes cold to the touch;
• Depending on the degree of damage, the fingers lose their sensitivity for a while or become insensitive;
• The skin becomes pale, occasionally it can acquire a bluish, purple hue or marble color;
• Sometimes a person may feel a burning sensation in the affected area.
• The person may experience fatigue and drowsiness.

When the first signs of frostbite are detected, you should immediately begin to warm your fingers.

Read more about first aid for frostbite here.

Degrees and symptoms of frostbite of fingers

There are 2 periods of frostbite:

• Pre-reactive (before warming starts);
• Reactive (after the start of warming).

There are also several degrees of frostbite of the fingers:

1. In the 1st degree of frostbite, exposure to cold is not too long and intense, so tissue damage is minimal. Initially, the skin turns pale, and their sensitivity decreases. After the start of warming, the skin turns red, blue may appear. Pain and tactile sensitivity are preserved. Depending on the individual sensitivity of the patient, he may experience itching, burning or pain in the affected fingers. In some cases, the temperature of the skin in this area is increased.
2. The 2nd degree of frostbite appears with a longer exposure to cold on the affected limbs. The skin on the fingers becomes pale and cold. In the first hours there is a burning sensation, which is later replaced by numbness of the fingers. The main sign of frostbite of the 2nd degree is the formation of blisters on the skin filled with clear liquid. They can appear both in the pre-reactive period and 2-3 days after warming. The patient experiences pain, while tactile sensitivity is preserved. Swelling of the skin extends beyond the boundaries of the frostbitten area. The blisters shrink and disappear after 7 to 8 days. Hemorrhages may appear under the nails. In some cases, the nail plates fall off and grow back undamaged.
3. With the 3rd degree of frostbite, cold affects the fingers long time. Initially, the skin is pale with a bluish or purple tint. In this case, blisters filled with bloody fluid are formed. There is necrosis of all layers of the skin passing to the subcutaneous tissue. In this case, the fingers remain cold and tactile sensitivity is impaired. Dead tissue is torn off after 2-3 weeks, fallen nails do not grow back. In the event that the nail plates are preserved, then they grow clumsy.
4. The 4th degree of frostbite develops with prolonged exposure to low temperatures. It is characterized by the necrosis of all tissues, and in some cases even bones. The affected area is initially cold, the skin is blue. Then, within 2 hours, edema appears, increasing towards the proximal arm. Bubbles filled with bloody contents appear on the affected areas, later within a week they are replaced by new ones with putrefactive filling. By the end of the first week, a demarcation furrow appears separating living tissues from dead ones, during the next week it becomes brighter. Frostbitten fingers become mummified or purulent gangrene develops.

First aid for frostbite of fingers

If there is a suspicion of frostbite of the fingers, you must immediately begin to provide first aid:

• If the fingers on the hands begin to freeze, it is necessary to start active movements with them, squeezing and unclenching are considered the most effective;
• Then it is necessary to eliminate the provoking factor, go into a warm room, get rid of wet mittens or gloves;
• The skin should be rubbed with a dry woolen cloth or hand until it turns red (do not use snow for this purpose). In order to eliminate frostbite, alcohol can be used for rubbing (it cannot be used inside). Frostbitten fingers can be smeared with hygienic lipstick, this will help to avoid cracks;
• If it is not possible to warm the hands in a warm room, injured fingers should be hidden under the armpits until they warm up. If it was possible to do this, a bandage is applied to the damaged limbs in order to avoid repeated frostbite;
• You can also use water to warm your frozen hands. Initially, its temperature should be about 18 degrees, then gradually over the course of an hour it is raised to 36 degrees. Cannot be used for these purposes warm water, as it contributes to more severe tissue damage;
• The person with frostbite should then be given warm tea to drink and put to bed;

The main goal of treatment is to restore blood circulation in the area of ​​damage. For this use as medications(anticoagulants, vasodilators, angioprotectors, plasma substitutes), and physiotherapeutic methods. At 3 - 4 degrees of frostbite, drugs are administered intravenously, drip.

For frostbite of 1-2 degrees, I use external agents based on panthenol. In case of damage to the skin, antiseptic ointments are used (Levomekol, Bornaya, Streptocid).

In order to save a person from pain, I use painkillers. With frostbite 3-4 degrees and severe pain, narcotic analgesics (Tramadol, Nalbuphine) can be used. Novocaine blockades can also be carried out.

Folk remedies for frostbite include:

• Sea buckthorn oil. It is applied to the damaged area up to 5 times a day. The product enhances skin regeneration and prevents the development inflammatory processes. In order to prepare the medicine at home, you need 100 g fresh berries grind sea buckthorn and pour the same amount of refined sunflower or olive oil. The product is placed for a week in a dry and dark place, then filtered and stored in the refrigerator for no more than a year;
• Also in the reactive period, after warming the fingers, you can use baths based on medicinal plants. For their preparation, you can take chamomile flowers, calendula, string grass, oak bark. They have a positive effect on the condition of the skin, improve tissue regeneration, prevent inflammation and promote rapid healing damage. To prepare a bath, a tablespoon of raw materials (can be collected) is poured with a liter of water and cooled under a lid to a comfortable temperature. Filter and immerse the affected fingers in a warm infusion. The procedure is carried out twice a day, until the signs of frostbite completely disappear;
• In order to quickly eliminate the consequences of frostbite, ointments prepared at home are also used. 100 ml of olive oil are heated in a water bath and mixed with 10 g beeswax. Then half the yolk of a pre-boiled chicken egg is gradually added to the boiling liquid. The product is filtered using nylon, and stored in the refrigerator for up to a year. Apply to frostbitten fingers 3 times a day until the symptoms of injury disappear.

Only a doctor can correctly determine the degree of frostbite of the fingers and prescribe treatment after an in-person consultation. Therefore, at the first sign of injury, you should seek medical help.

Frostbite of fingers: what to do

Do not surprise a resident of our vast country with severe frosts. It would seem that everyone knows what frostbite is and how to deal with it. But, faced with the problem of being hit by a cold, most of us do not know how to properly treat ourselves and our families. needed help how to recognize signs of complicated frostbite in time.

Most often we meet with frostbite of the hands, namely the fingers. And don't take it lightly. Frostbite of the fingers, depending on the severity of the lesion, can lead to the formation of scar tissue, as a result, to limited mobility in small joints brush, and in severe cases - to the loss of part of the organ.

Why do hands get cold

Being in conditions of low temperatures, the human body launches mechanisms of protection against hypothermia of vital organs. This is manifested by the centralization of blood circulation. peripheral vessels skin, arms and legs spasm, blood flow in them slows down. That's why they get it in the first place cold injury open areas of the skin and limbs, and their distal parts are the hands and feet.

If we consider anatomical structure hands, it will become clear why they freeze so quickly, and why it is not easy to warm them up in the cold. Where is the blood warmed in the human body? in the liver and muscle tissue. The more muscle tissue in the body, the more it is protected from the cold. That's why above wrist joints frostbite of the third - fourth stage practically does not occur. But in the hands there is negligible muscle tissue relative to the area of ​​the skin through which heat is lost.

Finally, there are certain predisposing factors that make it possible to identify risk groups for frostbite of the fingers.

1. Circulatory disorders in the extremities due to the presence of heart and vascular diseases, Raynaud's disease, and diabetes mellitus in a potential patient.
2. Loss of sensation in the skin of the hands due to cervical osteochondrosis or overstrain of the neck muscles (in drivers, for example), diabetic polyneuropathy, vibration sickness, limb injuries.
3. Early childhood. At risk due to an imperfect system of thermoregulation.
4. Blood loss - compensatory leads to impaired microcirculation of the limbs.
5. The last trimester of pregnancy is characterized by centralization of blood circulation and an increased risk of hypothermia.
6. Increased sweating of the hands. Wet skin releases heat many times faster than dry skin.

Especially carefully you need to monitor the condition of the hands of children. Given the imperfect thermoregulation in babies, the inability to adequately assess their condition, as well as the often wet mittens in active children, it is they who should lead the risk group for frostbite.

Stages of damage to the hands

Stage pathological process when hands freeze, it depends on the depth of tissue freezing. Given the relatively small thickness of the soft tissues of the hands, and especially the fingers, the transition from one stage to another occurs quickly and imperceptibly for the victim.

At the first stage, the horny and granular layers of the skin freeze. There is a slight frostbite, but given the high regenerative abilities of the skin, it passes without traces and complications.

The second stage - freezing of the skin to the papillary layer - is characterized by the appearance of blisters. The outcome is usually favorable, if time is not lost, because the development of the third stage is the defeat of all layers of the skin and subcutaneous tissue- is developing rapidly. Scars usually form at the end of this stage. Rough scar tissue deforms the hand, leads to contracture, impaired sensitivity.

The fourth stage is ascertained with the defeat of all soft tissues, freezing of the fingers to the bone. The consequences of this stage are dry gangrene and loss of the finger(s), and sometimes the entire hand.

Clinical manifestations of frostbite

Symptoms of frostbite of the fingers, palms depend on the degree of damage to the limb.

• The first degree is manifested by blanching of the skin, burning, tingling of the skin is subjectively felt. There is also a feeling of numbness, the mobility of the fingers is somewhat reduced. When warmed, the skin turns red, itches a little. The healing process lasts no more than a week.
• Second degree. The victim does not feel the limb (or part of it). The skin becomes cyanotic, cold to the touch. Active movements in the fingers are almost impossible. Thaw is accompanied by pain, increasing tissue swelling. Characterized by the formation of blisters with transparent serous contents. In the area of ​​​​their appearance, the patient may experience throbbing pain. The disease is delayed up to two weeks or more.
• The third degree is characterized by all the symptoms of the second. In addition, small areas of gray or dark blue necrosis appear, the blisters are filled with bloody contents due to damage to the skin vessels. This stage is characterized by frequent additions of purulent-inflammatory complications, scarring, deformity of fingers and nails.
• The fourth stage is manifested by irreversible lesions of the fingers, necrosis and dry gangrene. Such frostbite ends with amputation of the affected part of the limb.

Help and self-help with frostbite

First aid for frostbite hands should be provided immediately. Every minute of delay can lead to an aggravation of the pathological process, an increase in the depth of tissue freezing.

First of all, you need to find a warm room and place the victim there. Cold clothes are recommended to be removed, if possible, to change clothes of a frozen person. To improve general well-being and improve blood circulation, you can offer hot (not strong!) Drinks. It is worth warming frostbitten limbs gradually, placing your hands in water no higher than 20 degrees, gradually increasing its temperature. If there are no conditions for a warm bath, hands can be rubbed slightly soft cloth, warm with warm breath, and then wrap with foil or other improvised materials (cotton wool, warm clothes, a blanket or a blanket).

Important! You can not rub your frozen hands with snow! This will cool the limb even more, aggravate vasospasm, and lead to microtrauma of the skin. It is also forbidden to use alcohol and essential oils for this purpose.

Even effective first aid measures should not exclude the advice of a doctor. If improvement does not occur, and when warming, progressive edema occurs, blisters appear or strong pain in the limbs - you need to urgently seek medical help.

Treatment

Therapeutic measures for frostbite of the hands are aimed at pain relief, combating tissue edema and infectious complications, improvement of tissue microcirculation. Are used following groups drugs:

1. Painkillers. The most commonly used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Nimesulide, Ketanov, Aspirin have a pronounced analgesic property. Maybe intramuscular injection baralgin, ketorolac.
2. Antispasmodics are used to improve microcirculation. Apply Papaverine, No-shpu, Spazmalgon.
3. Antiallergic drugs will relieve swelling and reduce itching. Suitable for treatment antihistamines like Cetirizine, Suprastin, Zyrtec.
4. local treatment. Means that improve tissue trophism and accelerate wound healing. A cream with panthenol (Bepanten, for example), the Rescuer ointment will help.

With 3-4 degrees of frostbite resort to surgical treatment including excision of necrotic tissue.

Folk remedies in the treatment of frostbite

• A warm infusion of chamomile or a decoction of potatoes is used to warm the hands.
• Aloe juice is smeared with frostbitten areas of the skin of the hands for rapid tissue regeneration.
• A decoction of calendula flowers has an anti-inflammatory and soothing effect. Used as a compress.
• To speed up recovery, compresses with olive or sea buckthorn oil are made for 2-3 days.

How to avoid frostbite of hands?

This is quite possible if you follow some recommendations:

1. People at risk should not stay in the cold for a long time.
2. The use of mittens instead of gloves is preferable.
3. For children, it is always necessary to have spare mittens.
4. At the first signs of frostbite of the hands in the form of numbness, tingling or stiffness of movements, urgently take measures to warm the limbs.

The rules are simple and should not be ignored. The price may be too high.

Stages of frostbite of hands and fingers and recovery time

The stages of frostbite of the hands and fingers are usually divided into four degrees of severity. Each has different symptoms

Frostbite is characterized primarily by tissue damage. This is the result of prolonged exposure to low temperatures. Frostbite on a part of the body is usually possible during the winter months, when relatively high humidity and strong winds prevail. The most common is frostbite on the fingers and toes.

Hypothermia of the fingers is usually divided into four degrees of severity. Each has different symptoms.

Hand frostbite stages and recovery time

The first stage includes frostbite, in which the skin becomes swollen and pale.

Here the sensitivity is quite reduced, or absent altogether. When warm, the skin becomes blue with a red tint, swelling usually increases, unpleasant Blunt pain and burning. Such effects and their symptoms disappear in about a few days. In the future, the sensitivity of the fingers in the cold will be observed for a long time.

With prolonged exposure to low temperatures, the second degree begins. It is characterized by cold fingers that have become white and have no sensitivity. When warming begins, the fingers become bluish purple, accompanied by swelling. The main difference between the second degree and the first is that blisters with a clear liquid form on the fingers. Sometimes such manifestations are noticeable in the first days after frostbite. Recovery takes one to two weeks.

The third degree is characterized by the presence of dark red blisters. This means the death of skin cells. After three weeks, dead tissue is completely shed and scars form. Skin recovery will take about a month.

And finally, the most severe degree of frostbite leads to the necrosis of all tissues or even bones. Fingers accept Blue colour, and rapid swelling begins. There is a possibility of losing a limb.

• - warm room;
• - ethanol;
• - tetanus serum.

warm room

If you feel the first signs of frostbite, immediately go to a warm room, as further exposure to the street can be very dangerous. Do not increase the temperature in the house much, degrees are enough. Remove gloves and shoes quietly and very carefully so as not to damage fragile skin.

warm bath

To warm a frostbitten limb, a bath or a deep container with warm water is suitable. The initial water temperature should not be higher than 25 degrees. Gradually, the water in the bath should be heated to about 40 degrees. To heat the water, it is enough to periodically add a little boiling water, while pulling the limb out of the bath.

Massage

You can restore blood circulation and skin sensitivity with the help of light massage damaged area. Massage is done with clean hands and soft caressing movements.

Thermal insulation bandage

After these procedures, apply a clean bandage to the frostbitten area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe skin. It should consist of several layers, for example, a layer of gauze, a layer of cotton wool, another layer of gauze, then plastic wrap or rubberized fabric, then a woolen scarf or shawl. A layer of gauze must also be placed between frostbitten fingers.

warm drink

In order for the warming to go not only from the outside, but also from the inside, during the entire heating procedure, you need to drink warm sweet tea or coffee. The drink should not be too hot, its task is to warm you, not burn you.

• - disinfectant(hydrogen peroxide, potassium permanganate or soda);
• - carrot juice, a decoction of chamomile, calendula or St. John's wort and Vinylin ointment to restore the mucosa;
• - bifidobacterin and lactobacterin to increase immunity.

• stomatitis in infants

• - sterile gauze;
• - antiseptic solution;
• - tourniquet;
• - iodine solution;
• - ointment "Levosin" or "Levomekol";
• - adhesive plaster;
• - bandage;
• - saline.

• how to heal a big wound

Frostbite of fingers - treatment

Frostbite of the fingers is quite common, because. it is the hands that are more susceptible to damage when exposed to low temperatures. Consider how to recognize frostbite, and how to treat the affected fingers.

Symptoms of frostbite in fingers

There are four types of frostbite according to severity, each of which is characterized by different manifestations:

1. The first, mildest degree of frostbite occurs after a short exposure to cold. Its symptoms are:

• swelling and blanching of the fingers on the hands;
• decreased sensitivity of the affected skin.

After warming the fingers, the swelling increases, the skin becomes purple, there is a burning sensation and dull pain. After such a lesion, an increased susceptibility of the fingers to the action of low temperatures may persist for a long time.

2. With more long stay frostbite of the fingers of the second degree may occur in the cold. Affected fingers become pale, lose sensitivity, and after warming, the skin on them becomes bluish-purple, appears severe swelling and pain. characteristic feature This degree of damage is the appearance on the fingers in the first days after frostbite of blisters filled with a clear liquid.

3. Frostbite of the third degree is also characterized by the appearance of blisters on the affected fingers, but their contents are not transparent, but bloody, dark brown. In these areas, the skin temporarily loses pain sensitivity. Subsequently, the rejection of dead tissues occurs with the formation of rough scars. Affected and descended nails, as a rule, no longer grow back.

4. The most severe form of frostbite is characterized by complete necrosis of the soft tissues of the fingers, sometimes even joints and bone tissue are damaged. The affected areas acquire a bluish-marble hue, after warming they become edematous, do not warm up and remain insensitive to any influences.

First aid for frostbite hands

With frostbite of the fingers as emergency care it is recommended to move to a warm room as soon as possible, carefully free your hands from damp clothes and remove rings, drink a warm drink. What to do with frostbite of hands further depends on the degree of damage:

1. At mild degree you can rub your fingers slightly, warm them with your breath and wrap them with a woolen cloth; you can also make a warm hand bath (initially, the water temperature should be no more than 30 ° C, then it can be increased gradually to 50 ° C).
2. In case of frostbite of the second, third and fourth degree, it is forbidden to rub your fingers, it is only recommended to wrap them with a sterile bandage and wrap them with woolen cloth or any heat-insulating materials, after which you should immediately consult a doctor.

It is impossible with frostbite of fingers:

1. Warm with intense rubbing, rub with snow, oil or alcohol.
2. Immediately put your fingers in hot water or warm over an open fire.
3. Strongly move your fingers (preferably not move at all).
4. Drink alcohol to keep warm.
5. Break open bubbles.

Treatment of frostbite of fingers

In case of mild damage to special treatment not necessary. For speedy recovery in case of frostbite of the hands, it is recommended to use ointments with reparative properties (for example, Bepanten). You can also use balms Rescuer, Guardian.

In the second and third degrees of frostbite on an outpatient basis, the blisters are opened, the damage is treated with antiseptic preparations. In the future, dressings with antibacterial and regenerating agents are applied. Physiotherapy may be recommended for better healing. Frostbite of the fourth degree is an indication for surgical treatment.

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Frostbite of fingers: symptoms, first aid and treatment

Frostbite of fingers - trauma varying degrees obtained under the influence of cold. The lesion is diagnosed quite often. The risk group includes people living in the southern regions. The process that occurs during frostbite can be irreversible and reversible, depending on the degree of damage.

Main reasons

Frostbite always occurs when exposed to cold air or liquid. The main provoking factors include:

1. High humidity or strong wind. The human body tolerates dry cold air more easily. But high humidity on the street and gusts of wind can cause damage to the skin even at a slight positive temperature.
2. Wet mittens or gloves worn in the cold season.
3. Alcohol or drugs. They affect the state of blood vessels, expanding them, which provokes a rapid loss of heat.
4. The body's ability to adapt to sharp drops temperatures.
5. Prolonged spasm of peripheral vessels.
6. Severe physical fatigue.

Frostbite of the hands also occurs in cases of pathologies of the heart muscle or blood vessels, as well as with impaired blood circulation.

Symptoms

The symptoms of frostbite depend on the extent of the injury. You can establish the beginning of the development of the lesion by the following signs:

1. Extremities become cold.
2. Fingers lose sensation for a while.
3. The skin turns pale. In some cases, it may have a bluish or purple color.
4. Burning in frostbite.

A decrease in the temperature of the upper layer of the epidermis may be accompanied by the onset of general fatigue and drowsiness. When these signs appear, it is urgent to start warming the fingers.

First aid

First aid for frostbite should be started immediately, as the process can provoke irreversible changes. This leads to loss of fingers. If hypothermia is suspected, you should:

1. Start active finger movements. Physical activity will help speed up blood circulation. The most effective are clenching into fists and unclenching fingers.
2. Eliminate the impact of the negative factor. To do this, go to a warm room or remove wet gloves or mittens.
3. Rub the fingers with a woolen cloth or hand until the skin turns red. But it is strictly forbidden to use snow for rubbing. To eliminate frostbite, you can use alcohol, applied it to the surface of the skin, and rub it in with massaging movements. Fingers can be lubricated with hygienic lipstick. This will help prevent cracking of the skin.
4. If it is impossible to go into the heat, hands should be hidden under the armpits. After some time, when the hands are warm, it is necessary to apply a bandage in order to prevent a re-injury.
5. You can use water to warm your hands. Its temperature should not exceed 18 degrees. Within an hour, it can gradually be raised to 36 degrees. Warm or hot water is strictly prohibited.

After the fingers of the victim's hands have warmed up, he must be given a warm Herb tea and put to bed.

Frostbite degrees

The clinical picture, method of treatment and further prognosis depend on the degree of frostbite. At initial stages reversible changes in the skin begin to occur. In the case of prolonged exposure to cold air or liquid, they become irreversible, and there is a risk of loss of fingers. In medicine, four degrees are distinguished, each of which has its own distinctive features and signs.

First degree

Comes with a slight hypothermia. The first symptoms are mild tingling, burning and numbness. Then pain occurs. TO external manifestations relate:

• pallor of the skin;
• goosebumps;
• chills;
• the appearance of a bluish tint.

When warmed, the signs gradually disappear, and the skin acquires a natural color. There are no consequences for the first degree of frostbite.

Second degree

The main symptoms are numbness and blistering. If first aid was provided in a timely and correct manner, they pass on their own in 7-10 days. At the same time, no traces remain on the skin.

The second stage is also characterized by reversible changes. After warming the fingers, pain and burning disappear after a while, and the skin takes on its original appearance.

Third degree

The third degree is characterized by the appearance of fatigue and weakness. The person begins to fall asleep. Also, the ability to adequately think and assess the situation is lost. Eyes roll back, look becomes empty. The capillaries located closer to the upper layer of the epidermis narrow, and the blood goes deeper. Breathing is almost inaudible, it becomes superficial and rare.

The blisters that arose during the second degree of frostbite begin to fill with blood contents. Their base acquires a blue or crimson color. Loss of sensation in the fingers. Bubbles are already dead tissue, after healing of which, scars remain on the skin. When the nail plate is damaged, the nails come off and no longer grow back. Rejection of dead tissue continues for 2-3 weeks. This process is accompanied painful sensations. All changes in the body are irreversible.

fourth degree

It is the most terrible, as it is characterized lethal outcome with untimely or poor-quality first aid. Not only the upper layers of the epidermis begin to die. Cold reaches the joints and bones, which under its influence also begin to collapse.

The skin acquires a marble color. When you try to warm your fingers appears severe swelling. This stage is the last and occurs after a person has lost consciousness or does not respond to external stimuli. There are convulsions and vomiting. Breathing is rare and shallow. The number of breaths is not more than 34 per minute.

At the fourth degree, it is almost impossible to return a person who has frostbitten not only limbs to life. All processes are irreversible. The limbs first turn pale, then begin to blacken. This indicates the complete death of the fingers. IN this case they need to be amputated.

What Not to Do

In case of frostbite of the fingers of any degree, it is strictly forbidden to heat the affected area by the fire, the battery or with hot water. Also you can't:

1. Apply oily ointments. They are used before going outside as protection.
2. Break open bubbles. On the area of ​​​​the skin where they appeared, you just need to apply a sterile bandage and consult a doctor.
3. Use for grinding snow. The interaction of the frostbitten area and cold snow leads to even greater damage to the vessels, their narrowing and blockage.
4. Drinking alcohol. When alcohol enters the body, the vessels begin to expand, which provokes an acceleration of the process of freezing the limbs.

It is also not recommended to rub the injured area of ​​​​the fingers with alcohol in the cold. When applied to the skin, the heat evaporates along with the alcohol fumes. As a result, the vessels become fragile and more prone to damage. Rubbing alcohol is used only after the victim has been in a warm room and received the first necessary aid.

When to See a Doctor

The first degree of frostbite does not require a visit to a specialist. But there are times when a person does not know what to do with frostbite or large areas of the skin have been damaged. In this case, immediate medical attention is required. Going to the doctor should not be postponed if:

1. Affected child or elderly person.
2. The victim is unconscious.
3. Weak breathing.
4. Rapid or infrequent heartbeat.
5. The victim is delirious.
6. High or low body temperature.
7. Vomiting, nausea and convulsions are observed.
8. The affected area of ​​skin is larger than the person's own palm.

Immediate medical attention is also required in cases where, after warming, the fingers become cold, have lost sensitivity, and blood-filled blisters have begun to form.

Medications

With the first degree of frostbite, the use of drugs is not necessary. In order to restore tissues, it is recommended to use a frostbite cream, such as Bepanten or balms, for example, Rescuer or Guardian.

The second and third degrees require opening the blisters and removing the fluid. The procedure is carried out only by an experienced specialist. Then sterile dressings are applied and regenerative agents are prescribed. Frostbite of the fingers of the fourth degree requires surgical intervention.

Alternative treatment

All recipes of traditional medicine should be used only after consulting a doctor with 1,2 and 3 degrees of frostbite. The most effective folk remedies include:

1. Rose oil. It is rubbed on the affected areas.
2. Tincture of calendula. Pour 1 teaspoon of the plant into 500 ml of hot water and insist for an hour. Then moisten the bandage in tincture and apply to the injured surface for 30 minutes.
3. Lemon juice. Rubbed twice a day.
4. Potato juice. Used for lotions. Soak a cotton pad with potato juice and fix it on the affected area with a bandage for 2 hours.

For internal use, you can make an infusion of chamomile flowers. 1 tablespoon should be poured with 500 ml of boiling water and infused for an hour. Then strain and take one spoon three times a day.

Frostbite of the fingers - enough dangerous state which can lead to loss of limbs. First of all, you should know how to provide first aid to the victim. What to do in the future with frostbite of the fingers, the attending physician will tell you after establishing the degree of damage.

In the cold season, there is a risk of getting sick not only with the flu, colds or pneumonia. Due to prolonged exposure to low temperatures on certain parts of the body, you can get frostbite. The limbs are most commonly affected. Frostbite of toes and hands can also occur at temperatures above zero (+4°C to +8°C).

As a result of hypothermia in these areas, a spasm of blood vessels occurs, which leads to a suspension of blood circulation in the fingers. The consequences can be of varying severity, up to amputation.

Factors that lead to frostbite of limbs

Exposed areas of the body are the first to suffer from exposure to cold. If you do not wear gloves and stay outside in the cold for a long time, especially at temperatures from -10 ° C and below, you are likely to get frostbite on your fingers. In winter, you must wear mittens or gloves. Try to constantly rub your hands and move your fingers when you feel that they are starting to freeze.

Frostbite of the toes occurs for the following reasons:

• wearing tight shoes;
• long stay outside winter time of the year;
• wearing thin socks that do not warm the foot;
• increased sweating of the feet, which is why the inside of winter shoes is constantly damp, humid;
• shoes out of season.

Slowed blood circulation, vascular and heart diseases, hunger, physical fatigue And alcohol intoxication can also lead to frostbite.

On the street in winter, try not to linger for a long time, move as much as possible, do not stand in one place, dress warmly. The consequences of neglecting your health are always sad. Frostbite can lead to amputation of the injured limb.

Signs of frostbite toes

Thermal burn cold can be identified by the following signs:

1. Frostbite of the first degree is characterized by pain and tingling in the affected limb, which are replaced by numbness. It will be difficult for you to move your fingers, bend and unbend them. They may turn blue or blush. It does not bode well if you return home in time and take first aid measures.
2. In the second degree, blisters appear on the skin, which looks like a thermal burn. The skin also becomes numb and changes color. In such a situation, the main thing is to remain calm and, as soon as possible, get to the nearest first-aid post. Do not rub your hands, pierce or otherwise damage the blisters!
3. The third degree is determined by the fact that not formed on the skin transparent blisters, as in the second degree, but blisters containing bloody fluid. In this case, serious skin lesions are observed, nails come off. Of the consequences in the future, only scars will remain. If you do not provide first aid in time and allow repeated hypothermia, then the fourth degree of frostbite may occur.
4. The fourth degree is characterized by blackening and death of the skin, subcutaneous tissue, bones, joints and cartilage. With this degree, frostbite of the fingers is likely, which leads to their partial or complete amputation.

In addition, due to hypothermia in all these cases, SARS, pneumonia, tonsillitis can become a background for frostbite.

Actions for frostbite of fingers I degree

First of all, try to warm your fingers with your breath.

Have you noticed signs of frostbite in yourself? A child comes home from a walk and complains of numbness and tingling in reddened fingers? The main thing is to keep calm. Timely assistance will reduce the possibility of negative consequences.

What to do with frostbite fingers? First aid should be given in a warm room, and not on the street. Take the victim home first. He needs to be fed hot food, at least broth. Alcohol is strictly prohibited! Also, the victim should not smoke, as smoking constricts blood vessels and prevents blood circulation from recovering.

1. Warm your fingers with your breath or body heat.
2. Rub your fingers gently. You can't push them too hard. It is forbidden to use cream, alcohol or massage oil, especially rub it with snow!
3. Fill a bowl with water at room temperature. Gradually dip your fingers into it. Pain, which arise at the same time, indicate that blood circulation is restored.
4. Gradually add warm water to the bowl. Its temperature can be brought to no more than 40 degrees.
5. Then wrap your hands gauze bandage to keep warm and protect frostbitten areas from infection and mechanical damage.
6. The victim must definitely drink an aspirin or analgin tablet, as active substances These drugs dilate blood vessels and help blood circulation to return to normal. After that, take no-shpu or another painkiller, lie down in a warm bed and sleep. You also need to call a doctor and measure the temperature, hypothermia of the body can lead to colds.

What to do in case of frostbite II, III, IV degree?

Heat-insulating bandage for frostbite of the hand.

If the skin turns black, blisters appear on it, peeling of the nails is visible, then you should immediately call an ambulance. Give the victim a warm sweet drink - tea or cocoa. It is impossible to rub, warm, lower frostbitten fingers into a bowl of water in the second, third and fourth degrees!

On the damaged areas, you need to apply a heat-insulating bandage of seven alternating layers of gauze and cotton wool. Wrap with oilcloth on top, then with a woolen blanket, scarf or blanket. It is important to prevent re-hypothermia of the extremities.

The main task in transporting the patient to medical institution– do not further damage frostbitten tissues and joints. To do this, it is necessary to fix the legs and arms of the patient in one position with the help of improvised means - boards, pieces of plywood or cardboard. They are carefully applied over a heat-insulating bandage and fixed with bandages.

It is important to provide first aid correctly, consult a doctor in time and go through complex treatment. But it's even better to just avoid frostbite.

Prevention measures

Even an innocent snowball fight can result in frostbite. In order to avoid this, follow the recommendations:

• Buy quality winter shoes made from natural materials. Synthetic shoes do not hold heat well, the foot swells in it, and this is a prerequisite for frostbite of the feet. Therefore, it is important that winter shoes are made of leather and insulated with natural sheepskin.
• Buy winter shoes one size larger. Be sure to leave room for an air gap inside the boots or boots, then the leg will be warm and comfortable. You must move your toes freely in the shoes.
• You can not wear demi-season boots in winter.
• Inside the shoes should always be dry and warm. Wear a felt insole. Always take a pair of replacement wool socks with you.
• To prevent frostbite on your fingers, always wear warm gloves in winter. At the same time, keep in mind that it is colder in gloves, the risk of freezing fingers in them is much higher. Therefore, when the temperature outside is below zero, wear gloves.
• Did you go for a walk for an active pastime - snowball fights, sledding, etc.? Wear gloves that don't get wet. Ordinary knitted will not work. You need an option made of leather or a dense water-repellent fabric with a sheepskin inside. A pair of replacement gloves should also be with you.
• Periodically move your fingers and toes, do not stay in one position for a long time.

If you feel discomfort, drowsiness, chills, weakness - immediately return home or go to a warm room. On winter walk Always take a thermos of tea or cocoa with you. Do not allow hypothermia of the body. Take good care of your health!