Heat and Cold Exposures
The sun is shining, days are longer and school's out for the summer! It's time to head outside and play. Whether you're hitting the pool or hitting the trail, taking a few precautions while you're out and about during the summer months will keep you safe and out of the ER.
These tips will help you prepare and get you on the right track when things go wrong.
Falling through ice to the cold water below is a truly life-threatening situation and requires quick action. It only takes a minute or two before the victim becomes too weak to escape the water on his own. Once back on the ice, the victim is still in danger of falling through again or of succumbing to hypothermia…
Alcohol does nothing to warm us up and is a quick way to get hypothermia in a cold environment. Learn more about the dangers of drinking alcohol to stay warm when it's cold outside.
Frostbite occurs when freezing temperatures damage body tissue. Learn about the different stages of frostbite and how to check for frostbite on yourself or someone else.
Water intoxication, or hyponatremia, happens when victims drink water faster than they can process it. Often a result of hydration during exercise, hyponatremia can appear just like severe dehydration.
Burns are the most common injuries researched on About.com First Aid. Here are resources for assessing and treating burns. Learn how to classify and determine the size of burns, as well as how to treat them.
Know how to rescue someone who has fallen through ice cover. Use common sense and follow these steps to save a person who fell through ice.
Falling through a hole in ice cover can quickly lead to hypothermia or drowning. Learn what to do if you fall through ice cover.
There is no such thing as perfectly safe ice. Ice fishing or traveling over ice is safer if common sense and preparation are used.
Try your hand at this quiz on extreme cold exposure, hypothermia, and frostbite.
Wintertime brings storms, snow, and cold weather. Wintertime safety is about making sure these things don't get you down. Be prepared for wintertime by following these safety tips.
Traveling in extreme cold can be dangerous. Do not travel in extreme cold unless absolutely necessary. If you must travel in extreme cold, make sure you are prepared for emergencies.
Recognizing dehydration symptoms is vital to get victims of dehydration the help they need quickly.
Hypothermia can range from mild chills and shivering to coma and death. Recongize hypothermia signs before it's too late.
Heat stroke is a severe emergency that leads to coma and possibly death. It's important to recognize heat stroke and to stop heat stroke before it leads to irreversible damage.
Frostbite can result in the loss of limbs, ears, noses, and other body parts. Learn How to Treat Frostbite.
Heat illnesses (heat exhaustion and heat stroke) are caused by an increase in core body temperature often coupled with fluid loss. It's important to recognize heat illness early and seek treatment as quickly as possible.
It doesn't require snow and ice to cause hypothermia. Know how to care for those with cold exposure.
Caused by cold, but looks like a burn. Frostbite treatment can cause additional injury if done incorrectly.
Can athletes get too much water? Hyponatremia has become more prevalent as more people are participating in endurance sports.
Water intoxication is where the body%u2019s level of sodium has been rapidly diluted with too much water. It is also known as hyponatremia or hyperhydration.
Exposure to heat or over-exertion can lead to serious illness. Learn how to combat it.
