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Is it possible to rub frostbite? Providing first aid for frostbite of various degrees. Is it possible to rub frostbitten skin?

Winter in our harsh climate, with low temperatures and strong winds, sometimes brings troubles for winter recreation lovers - hypothermia and frostbite ie.

So what is frostbite?? What is first aid?

At hypothermia - the appearance of chills, muscle tremors and a drop in temperature to 34 degrees, you must:

deliver the victim to a warm room within 1 hour. Place in a bath with a water temperature of 37 degrees C (tolerate the elbow) and increase the water temperature to 39 degrees C for 20 minutes, or cover with a large number of warm heating pads. After a bath, be sure to cover with a warm blanket or put on warm, dry clothes. Give warm sweet drinks.

Tissue damage as a result of exposure to low temperature is called frostbite . Most often, exposed areas of the body (nose, ears, cheeks, fingers, and less often legs) are exposed to frostbite. There are 4 degrees of skin damage.

Frostbite I degree(the easiest). Usually occurs with short-term exposure to cold. The affected area of ​​the skin is pale, turns red after warming, and in some cases has a purplish-red tint; swelling develops. There is no dead skin. By the end of the week after frostbite, slight peeling of the skin is sometimes observed.

Frostbite II degree. IN Occurs with longer exposure to cold. Pallor appears and sensitivity is lost. The most characteristic sign is the formation after injury of blisters filled with transparent contents. After warming up, the pain is more intense and lasting than with frostbite of the first degree, skin itching and burning are disturbing.

For frostbite III. The blisters that form in the initial period are filled with bloody contents, their bottom is blue-purple, insensitive to irritation. The death of all skin elements occurs with the development of granulations and scars as a result of frostbite. Fallen nails do not grow back or grow deformed.

Frostbite IV degree. All layers of soft tissue are subject to necrosis; bones and joints are often affected. The damaged area of ​​the limb is very bluish, sometimes with a marbled color. Swelling develops immediately after warming and increases rapidly. The skin temperature is significantly lower than the tissue surrounding the frostbite area. Blisters develop in less frostbitten areas where there is frostbite of III–II degree. The absence of blisters with significant swelling and loss of sensitivity indicate degree IV frostbite.

Photo Four degrees of frostbite

First aid consists of immediately warming the victim, for which it is necessary to deliver him to a warm room as quickly as possible. Remove clothing and shoes from frostbitten limbs. Immediately cover injured limbs from external heat with an insulating bandage with plenty of cotton wool or blankets and warm clothing. Give plenty of warm drinks.

Prevention of hypothermia and frostbite

There are a few simple rules that will allow you to avoid hypothermia and frostbite in severe frost:

- Don't drink alcohol– Alcohol intoxication causes greater heat loss.

- Don't smoke in the cold– Smoking reduces peripheral blood circulation, and thus makes the limbs more vulnerable.

- Wear loose clothes– this promotes normal blood circulation. Dress like a cabbage - in this case, between the layers of clothing there are always layers of air that perfectly retain heat.

Tight shoes, lack of insoles, and damp, dirty socks are often the main prerequisites for the appearance of abrasions and frostbite. Special attention should be paid to shoes for those whose feet often sweat. You need to put warm insoles in your boots, and wear woolen socks instead of cotton ones - they absorb moisture, leaving your feet dry.

- Don't go out into the cold without mittens, a hat and a scarf. The best option is mittens made of water-repellent and windproof fabric with fur inside. The cheeks and chin can be protected with a scarf. In windy, cold weather, apply a rich cream to your face before going out.

- Do not wear metal ones in the cold(including gold, silver) jewelry.

- Use a friend's help: watch your friend's face, especially the ears, nose and cheeks,

- Don't take off your shoes in the cold from frostbitten limbs - they will swell and you will not be able to put your shoes back on. It is necessary to get to a warm room as soon as possible.

Returning home after a long walk in the cold, be sure to make sure there is no frostbite on the limbs, back, ears, nose, etc.

As soon as you feel hypothermia or freezing of your extremities while walking, you must go to any warm place as soon as possible- shop, cafe, entrance.

- Hide from the wind– the likelihood of frostbite in the wind is much higher.

- Don't get your skin wet– water conducts heat much better than air. Don't go out into the cold with wet hair after a shower. Wet clothes and shoes (for example, a person has fallen into water) must be removed, wiped off the water, if possible, put on dry ones and bring the person into warmth as quickly as possible. In the forest, you need to light a fire, undress and dry your clothes, during which time you vigorously exercise and warm yourself by the fire.

Finally, remember that the best way to get out of an unpleasant situation is to not get into it.

I'll help as much as I can

Stop bleeding

Arterial bleeding – bright red (scarlet) blood is ejected in a strong, jerky, pulsating stream; a large blood stain on clothing or a pool of blood near the wounded person. If large arteries are damaged, blood loss that is incompatible with life can occur within a few minutes.

Immediately press the artery fingers (fist) to the bone above the wound site ( on the limbs– above the wound site, on the neck and head– below the wound or in the wound, do not press in the place where the bones are damaged);

Elevate the injured limb; in the absence of a fracture, bend it as much as possible;

- apply a tourniquet If there is no tourniquet, tighten the limb with a twist (belt):

- superimposed on clothes(textile) above the wound But as close as possible in it - take it by the limb and stretch it, tighten it with the first turn and apply the next turn with less force, secure the tourniquet, insert a note about the time of application of the tourniquet, do not cover it with a bandage or clothing;

- on the neck a tourniquet is applied without heart rate control and left until the doctor arrives, the wound must be sealed;

- on the thigh a tourniquet is applied through a hard object, after which it is ensured that there is no pulse in the popliteal fossa;

- if the tourniquet is applied incorrectly ( blueness and swelling of the limb, swelling of the veins ) – immediately remove and reapply.

Treat the wound and apply a sterile bandage;

Ensure rest in the “lying down” position, cover the victim and insulate the wounded limb (especially in cold weather), give a warm sweet drink (if there is no abdominal injury);

- (after 1-1.5 hours in summer and 30 minutes in winter, carefully loosen the tourniquet for 10-15 minutes, pressing the artery with your finger, then apply above (below) the application site).

Venous bleeding – dark cherry blood pours out in a uniform, continuous stream.

Apply a pressure bandage;

If a limb is injured, bend it or lift it up as much as possible;

Deliver to a medical facility.

Capillary bleeding - the blood oozes out like a sponge and usually stops on its own.

Apply a bandage to the wound;

If possible, raise the wounded limb upward;

To stop capillary bleeding, you can treat the wound with hydrogen peroxide.

Internal bleeding (in the head, chest, abdomen) can only be stopped on the operating table.

Signs: weakness, dizziness, ringing in the ears, darkening of the eyes, pallor.

Put it cold transport immediately to a medical facility.

Large blood loss – lay the victim on his back, raise his arms and legs. If there is no injury to the stomach, drink plenty of sweet tea or water with salt or sugar. Necessary urgent infusion of blood or substitute.

LIMB FRACTURES

Signs of an open fracture: presence of a wound, often with bleeding; deformation and swelling of the limb; bone fragments are visible.

Signs of a closed fracture: severe pain when moving or putting weight on a limb; deformation and swelling of the limb; bluish skin color; mobility of a limb in an unusual place, its unnatural position.

1. Free from exposure to traumatic factors. Stop the bleeding.

2. Give painkillers as quickly as possible.

3. Apply a bandage to the wound.

4. Secure the limb using splints.

5. Cover the victim, especially in cold weather.

Splinting rules: The splint is applied on both sides of the body and should cover the joints above and below the fracture site. It is tied tightly, evenly, but not tightly over clothes and shoes; Soft material is placed in the areas of bony protrusions. Do not apply a bandage to the splint at the level of the fracture.

If there is no splint, you can bandage the injured leg to the healthy one, and the arm in a bent position to the body using a scarf or bandage.

At fracture of fingers and hand– give the fingers a semi-bent position (put a thick wad of cotton wool into the palm), apply a splint from the ends of the fingers to the elbow on the palm side. Hang your hand on a scarf.

At forearm fracture– turn the arm bent at the elbow joint with the palm towards the chest and fix it with two splints on the inner and outer sides from the fingertips to the elbow joint. Hang your hand on a scarf.

At shoulder fracture– apply a splint to the area of ​​the forearm and shoulder, hang the arm bent at the elbow joint on a scarf and bandage it to the body. At injury to the shoulder joint or scapula– hang the arm bent at the elbow joint on a belt (palm facing the stomach), place a roller in the armpit, bandage the arm to the body.

At collarbone fracture– immobilize with a bandage, cotton-gauze rings; It is fixed for a short time with a stick placed behind the back.

At foot fracture and ankle injury– the splint is applied along the inner and outer surfaces from the upper third of the shin to the sole and fingertips.

At tibia fracture- the splint is applied along the inner and outer surfaces from the upper third of the thigh to the sole and fingertips.

At hip fracture– splints are applied: along the inner surface from the groin to the sole, on the outer surface - from the armpit to the sole.

FRACTURE OF THE SPINE AND PELVIC BONES

Signs of a spinal fracture: back pain with the slightest movement, loss of sensation in the legs (the victim does not feel a pin prick).

1. Calm the victim, administer pain medication, and provide first aid for other injuries. DO NOT move the victim, remove his clothing or allow him to move..

2. Transport only on a stretcher with a hard bedding (on a panel, door, etc.); in the absence of hard bedding, transportation lying on the stomach.

At cervical fracture Apply a massive cotton-gauze bandage in the form of a collar to the spine.

Signs of a pelvic fracture: “frog” pose, pain in the pelvic area, inability to sit down and stand up, “stuck heel” syndrome) inability to raise a straight leg.

Lay the victim on a hard, flat surface (board), bend his legs into a “frog” position, and place a tight cushion under his knees. Transportation - on a solid board.

If injury to the cervical spine is suspected, Without moving the victim, wrap the neck loosely in several layers with a tape made of a towel or paper (newspaper) 12-14 cm wide to provide support (support) for the back of the head and chin. Secure (without tightening) with a bandage or belt.

POISONING

FOOD, ALCOHOL AND DRUG POISONING

SIGNS – weakness, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, loose stools, cold sweat, dizziness, headache, shortness of breath, convulsions, fever.

1. Gastric lavage.

2. Give 10 tablets or 1 tablespoon of activated carbon with water. In its absence - grated crackers, starch, chalk, charcoal. As a laxative – 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil or saline laxative.

3. When the condition improves, give tea or coffee, provide warmth and peace.

4. If you lose consciousness and pulse, START RESUSCIVATION.

In case of poisoning with caustic, burning substances, urgent hospitalization is required.

THERMAL BURNS

Place the burn area under running cold water (immerse it in water) or apply snow, ice or other cold for 15-20 minutes ( for first and second degree burns without compromising the integrity of the blisters);

Treat the burn with panthenol;

Apply a special napkin or clean gauze (bandage), secure with a loose bandage;

Cold to the burn site;

Anesthesia;

Drink plenty of water (a teaspoon of salt or soda per 1 liter of water);

In case of severe burns, transport to a medical facility.

DO NOT: lubricate the burn with ointments or fat, open and remove blisters, tear off stuck clothing and foreign bodies, apply cotton wool to the burn, rinse the opened blisters with water, sprinkle with powders.

IF CLOTHING IS ON FIRE:

Eliminate exposure to fire, throw off burning clothes;

Lay the victim down and roll him on the ground (snow) or quickly cover him with thick fabric (jacket, raincoat, OZK raincoat);

Cool the burn areas in water or snow for at least 10 minutes until the pain subsides;

Don’t take off the burnt clothes, but cut them into pieces and leave the baked ones on your body.

FROSTBOT

Signs: skin pale, hard and cold, no pulse at the wrists and ankles, loss of sensation, “wooden sound” when tapped with a finger.

1. Take the victim to a room with a low temperature. Do not remove clothes and shoes from frostbitten limbs.

2. Immediately cover injured limbs from external heat with a cooled insulating bandage. External warming of frostbitten parts should not be accelerated. Warmth should arise inside with the restoration of blood circulation.

3. Give plenty of warm drinks, small doses of alcohol.

4. Give 1-2 tablets of analgin and deliver to the medical unit.

DO NOT rub frostbitten skin, place frostbitten limbs in warm water or cover them with heating pads, or lubricate the skin with oil or Vaseline.

DROWNING

Regular (“blue” type)

Signs– skin of the face and neck with a bluish tint, swelling of the vessels of the neck, copious foamy discharge from the mouth and nose.

1. Immediately after removing the drowned person from the water, turn him face down and lower his head below the pelvis.

2. Clear your mouth of mucus and other things. Press sharply on the root of the tongue. When gag and cough reflexes appear, ensure complete removal of water from the respiratory tract and stomach.

3. If the victim is conscious, cover and warm him. Call a doctor.

Signs and symptoms of frostbite:

  1. Loss of sensation in affected areas
  2. Tingling or pinching sensation
  3. Whitening of the skin (1st degree of frostbite)
  4. Blisters (2nd degree frostbite)
  5. Darkening and dying (grade 3 frostbite)

First aid for frostbite:

  1. Get out of the cold. In the cold, rubbing and warming the affected areas of the body is useless and dangerous.
  2. Apply a heat-insulating bandage to the affected surface, for example, like this: a layer of gauze, a thick layer of cotton wool, another layer of gauze, and on top an oilcloth or rubberized fabric, wrapped with woolen cloth.
  3. A frostbitten arm or leg can be warmed in the bath, gradually increasing the water temperature from 20 to 40 degrees and gently massaging the limb for 40 minutes.
  4. Drink warm and sweet tea.

It is necessary to monitor the general condition and location of frostbite throughout the day. If symptoms of the 2nd and 3rd stages of frostbite appear, consult a doctor immediately.

  • Wear layers of clothing: double mittens, a pair of sweaters and a sock. It is very good to wear clothes made from waterproof and heat-insulating materials made with high technology. It is necessary to insulate the head and neck, where the vessels carrying blood to the head are located.
  • Before going outside in the cold season, especially for a long time, you need to eat well and eat heartily. Poor nutrition and fatigue can cause frostbite, reducing the body's resistance.
  • You should not drink alcohol, which reduces the feeling of cold and prevents you from feeling how cold you are. You should also not smoke in the cold, as smoking causes a narrowing of blood vessels and a decrease in blood supply to the extremities. For this reason, smokers constitute a certain risk group for frostbite.
  • Frost dries out the skin, so you should not use water-based medicinal products before going outside. You should also avoid using cosmetics that contain moisture. Women should not use moisturizing creams, and nourishing cream can be applied no later than an hour before going outside. In such a case, it is worth having lard at home - you can buy it at the market, heat it in a steam bath and store it in the refrigerator. In cold weather, it perfectly protects the skin of both adults and especially children. Goose fat or special cosmetics will also help to reliably protect your face from frost.

What not to do if you have frostbite:

  • Rub frostbitten areas of the body with snow (the blood vessels of the hands and feet are very fragile and therefore may be damaged, and the resulting micro-abrasions on the skin contribute to infection).
  • Quickly warm frostbitten limbs by fire or hot water (this promotes thrombus formation in the vessels, deepening the processes of destruction of the affected tissues).
  • Drink alcohol (it dilates blood vessels and only gives a feeling of warmth, but does not actually warm you up).

Frostbite refers to damage to the body (part of the body) caused by cold. The main reason for this kind of damage to the skin (and even subcutaneous tissue) is persistent changes in the blood vessels caused by their prolonged spasm, which is the body’s protective reaction to cooling.

Frostbite can occur not only in frosty weather, but also when the air temperature is around zero, especially when it is damp and windy.


A sign of spasm of blood vessels that has reached a dangerous degree is loss of sensitivity and whitening of the skin. It should be noted that factors contributing to frostbite include wearing tight clothes and especially shoes that impede blood circulation, as well as wet clothes, shoes, gloves, weakening of the body as a result of illness, blood loss, etc. Of course, frostbitten parts of the body spoil the appearance .

What should be done to enable the skin to quickly return to its original appearance?

The affected areas of the body should not be lubricated with fat or ointments - this aggravates the cooling and can injure the skin. Moreover, you should not rub your skin with snow.


In the first degree of frostbite, the whitened area of ​​skin must be rubbed with warm hands until redness appears. When rubbing, you can use alcohol, vodka or cologne. For more severe frostbite (frostbite), apply a dry, sterile, preheated bandage.

Among the traditional methods of treating frostbite, the following will be useful.

# Ginger. Grate 1/4 teaspoon of ginger (fresh) and swallow or drink one glass of ginger wine.

# Viburnum common. Boil 15 g of viburnum berries in 750 ml of water, divide into 3 servings and drink throughout the day.

# Externally, 2 times a day, drip fresh lemon juice or squeezed celandine juice onto closed or open frostbitten areas.

"The affected areas of the body should not be lubricated with fat or ointments - this aggravates the cooling and can injure the skin. Moreover, you should not rub the skin with snow."

# Great celandine. Apply its juice to frostbitten areas of the skin. But lubrication must be double. After the first lubrication, after 1-2 minutes you need to lubricate the same area again, rubbing the juice into the skin. With this treatment method, celandine juice penetrates deep into the tissue, so healing occurs faster.


# Prepare the composition: buds of birch, poplar, bird cherry - 1 tablespoon each, 1 tablespoon of “bleached oil” (its recipe: crushed fresh henbane leaves are moistened in a solution of ammonia in a ratio of 1: 1 and infused in vegetable oil in a ratio of 1: 5), 1 tablespoon of turpentine, 1 tablespoon of alcohol. Mix everything and leave for 3 weeks. Lubricate frostbitten areas of the skin 2 times a day, followed by wrapping.

# Calendula officinalis (marigold). It is recommended to apply a compress 1-2 times a day for 30 minutes for 10-12 days (1 teaspoon of strong infusion or tincture of calendula per 500 ml of water). This remedy is considered good in the treatment of frostbite, especially since it prevents the formation of scars.

# pharmaceutical camomile. Prepare an infusion: pour 1 tablespoon of chamomile flowers with 1 glass of boiling water, leave for 1 hour, strain and use as a lotion. It is also advisable to take the infusion orally, 1 tablespoon 3 times a day.

These products help dilate blood vessels, stimulating blood circulation in frostbitten areas of the skin.

"At the first signs of frostbite (frostbite), you should come to a warm room as quickly as possible and drink hot tea or coffee, but not alcohol."

If frostbite occurs away from the premises (in nature), in this case the body can be warmed up by the fire, shoes and gloves are removed. Gentle massage and rubbing of the affected part of the body are very important. The massage is performed from the fingertips to the center of the body, and the victim is recommended to move the frostbitten limbs.


Warming of frostbitten parts of the body can be done in a bath, the water temperature in which is gradually (over 20-30 minutes) raised to 35-40 ° C. It is highly advisable to add potassium permanganate or furatsilin to the water. The victim's stay in the bath and massage continue until signs of restored blood circulation in the cooled extremities appear (skin color changes to normal). The patient is given hot food and, if necessary, warmed with heating pads and a warm blanket.

Frostbite (frostbite) is tissue damage that occurs at low temperatures (usually below −10 ºC). It can be observed even at zero ambient temperature - in cases where large heat losses occur per unit time.

Source: depositphotos.com

First of all, protruding and insufficiently protected parts of the body are exposed to aggressive influence: ears, nose, cheeks, hands, feet. Subsequently, general hypothermia of the body develops with a decrease in body temperature to critical levels.

Risk factors that reduce the effectiveness of thermoregulation and contribute to the development of frostbite:

  • increased heat transfer (sharp wind, high humidity, light clothing);
  • local microcirculation disorder (tight shoes, prolonged immobility, forced body position);
  • concomitant conditions that weaken the body’s resistance to extreme influences (trauma, blood loss, physical or emotional exhaustion, stress);
  • vascular diseases.

The greatest risk of frostbite, according to statistics, is for persons under the influence of alcohol (severe or moderate severity). This is due to partial or complete disorientation, a slower response to stimuli, and a specific vegetative background.

Depending on the duration and intensity of aggressive exposure, as well as on the nature of tissue damage, 4 degrees of frostbite are distinguished.

The initial manifestations are similar in all cases (which does not allow us to reliably determine the degree of frostbite in the first hours after the injury):

  • pale and cold skin;
  • decreased sensitivity.

After the appearance of the first general symptoms, symptoms specific to each degree of frostbite develop:

  1. It is characterized by mild soreness of the skin; after warming, intense redness and slight swelling are noted; peeling of the affected areas is possible without the development of necrosis. After 5-7 days, skin manifestations completely disappear.
  2. Within 24-48 hours, blisters of various sizes appear on damaged areas of the skin, filled with transparent (serous) contents. The pain is intense, characterized by itching and burning of the injured skin. With proper treatment, the skin condition is restored within 7-14 days, and there are no scar deformities at the site of the lesion.
  3. Necrosis of the damaged skin occurs, which leads to loss of sensitivity and the formation, after warming, of massive painful blisters with a purplish-bluish base, filled with bloody contents. Subsequently, the blisters necrotize and are rejected with the formation of scars and granulations. Scarring can last up to a month, and rejection of the nail plates also occurs, sometimes irreversibly.
  4. It manifests itself as total necrosis of not only the skin, but also the underlying soft tissues (up to the bones and joints). The injured areas of the skin are cyanotic, after warming a sharply increasing swelling forms, there are no blisters, the sensitivity of the skin is not restored after warming, and gangrene subsequently develops. The affected areas are subject to amputation.

With prolonged exposure to low temperatures, general hypothermia is possible, as evidenced by a decrease in body temperature to 34 ºC or lower (up to 29-30 ºC in severe cases). Depending on the severity, the condition manifests itself as depression of the respiratory, cardiovascular and nervous systems of varying intensity, up to coma and death.

First aid for frostbite

In case of damage of any intensity, it is first necessary to deliver the victim to a warm room as soon as possible. If there is a possibility of re-frostbite, the damaged part of the body should not be allowed to thaw; otherwise, you should cover it carefully. Further measures depend on the degree of frostbite.

For frostbite of the first degree you need:

  • warm the affected areas of the skin (by breathing, gentle rubbing with a soft woolen cloth or hands);
  • apply a warming cotton-gauze bandage in several layers.

For frostbite of II–IV degree you need:

  • exclude rapid warming (massage, rubbing);
  • apply a heat-insulating bandage (bandage and cotton wool in several layers, you can use scarves, wool, shawls);
  • fix the frostbitten limb;
  • call an ambulance team.

What should you not do if you have frostbite?

  • rub the frostbitten surface with snow or a hard cloth (there is a high probability of injury and subsequent infection of the damaged skin);
  • expose the frostbite site to intense heat (using a hot bath, heating pad, heater, etc.);
  • rub damaged skin with oil, fat, alcohol, as this can complicate the course of the disease;
  • open the blisters yourself and remove necrotic tissue.

When should you see a doctor?

At home, only first degree frostbite can be treated; in all other cases it is necessary to seek specialized help.

In case of frostbite of the second degree, the blisters are opened and treated in a surgical room. To prevent infection, an aseptic dressing is applied and appropriate therapy is prescribed.

In case of grade III–IV frostbite, necrotic tissue is removed in a hospital setting and anti-inflammatory and antibacterial therapy is administered.