Recovering from Hypothermia
I am not much used to Camping in Cold areas. But I have been told by hikers that Hypothermia is something that I should be very careful of. Since childhood, it has been like, I don't catch cold very often, but in windy places when the air is cold, I feel my hands get numb, and legs shiver a bit.
Having said this, I am going for a hike in cold, not snowy though, I am a little worried about Hypothermia. When struck by Hypothermia, one has to remain awake. And, sleeping actually make your body warmer. Can a dip in the hot-water help for that matter? Is the Body-Heat (obviously from someone else) a good option? Or will that freeze my guy, like me?
This post was sourced from https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/q/4314. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
1 answer
You actually don't need to go outdoors to get struck by Hypothermia. But you can suffer from it on a trek where you don't have a proper campsite, camping equipment, or good clothing and bedding.
From http://www.globalaging.org/health/us/hypothermia.htm
The most important step in treating hypothermia is to make and then keep a person warm and dry. He/she must be seen by a doctor who knows about the condition and who is located in a well-equipped hospital emergency room. Once you get to an Hospital facility, they can keep you warm from outside and or inside, they can give you some Body-Warming fluid through an I.V or Injections.
Maybe until you get to the Hospital, someone else's body heat may help, but will that be enough? And, will he be warm enough? Can't say!
More from http://www.globalaging.org/health/us/hypothermia.htm
If you suspect that a person has hypothermia and emergency help is not available right away, move the person to a warmer location, if possible, and wrap him or her in a warm blanket to stop further heat loss. You can also use your own body heat to keep the person warm. Lie close to the victim, but be gentle and do not handle the person roughly. Rubbing the person's arms and legs, as many rescuers are tempted to do, can make the problem worse.
Chances for recovery depend on how long a person was exposed to the cold and his/her general health. If body temperature has not dropped below 90° F (32.2° C), chances for a total recovery are usually good. If body temperature has fallen to between 80° F (26.6° C) and 90° F (32.2° C), most people will recover, but some lasting damage is likely. If the temperature goes under 80° F (26.6° C), most victims will not survive.
This post was sourced from https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/a/4315. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
0 comment threads
0 comment threads