What should I do with possible frostbite: Swollen feet after putting them in warm water
My feet were frostbite, so I put my feet in hot water when I got home. Ice was forming in my shoe. After I put my feet in the water they puffed up A LOT, they were badly swollen!!! Should I get medical help? I can't bend my feet because they're so badly swollen!
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Yes, you should seek medical expertise.
From healthcentral.com:
When the skin has thawed and rewarming is complete, cover the damaged skin with bandages and warm clothing. Contact your doctor or go to an emergency room.
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Just to add to PPL's answer. The UK National Health Service has good practical advice on this also. It's available here. But to summarise some of the relevant points:
Treatment for frostbite depends on how severe your symptoms are. You should always seek medical attention if you suspect you or someone else has frostbite.
If symptoms are severe, go immediately to your nearest accident and emergency department
The affected areas need to be re-warmed. Do not try to do this until you are out of the cold. If the warming process is started and the frozen parts are re-exposed to the cold, it can cause further irreversible damage.
Re-warming should be done under medical supervision because:
- it can be a painful process that requires access to painkillers and expert medical assessment
- the best results are achieved using a whirlpool bath that contains a mild antiseptic
Severe frostbite
In cases of severe frostbite, you will need to be admitted to a specialist unit that has experience in treating these sorts of injuries.
This is often a specialist burns unit, as exposure to very high temperatures can cause the same sort of injury as exposure to very cold temperatures.
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