Health Issues

Hypothermia: Danger of low body temperature 

 

Hypothermia is a medical emergency that occurs when your body loses heat faster than it can produce heat, causing a dangerously low body temperature. Normal body temperature is around 98.6 F (37 C). Hypothermia occurs as your body temperature falls below 95 F (35 C).

When your body temperature drops, your heart, nervous system and other organs can’t work normally. Left untreated, hypothermia can eventually lead to complete failure of your heart and respiratory system and eventually to death.

Hypothermia is often caused by exposure to cold weather or immersion in cold water. Primary treatments for hypothermia are methods to warm the body back to a normal temperature.

Symptoms

Shivering is likely the first thing you’ll notice as the temperature starts to drop because it’s your body’s automatic defense against cold temperature — an attempt to warm itself.

Signs and symptoms of hypothermia include: Shivering, slurred speech or mumbling, slow, shallow breathing, weak pulse, lack of coordination, drowsiness, memory loss, loss of consciousness among others.

How your body loses heat

Most heat loss is due to heat radiated from unprotected surfaces of your body.

If you’re in direct contact with something very cold, such as cold water or the cold ground, heat is conducted away from your body.

Wind removes body heat by carrying away the thin layer of warm air at the surface of your skin. A wind chill factor is important in causing heat loss.

Prevention

Staying warm in cold weather; avoid activities that would cause you to sweat a lot; wear loose fitting, layered, lightweight clothing; stay as dry as possible.

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