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Hypothermia and frezzing?


if you are hicking in the extreme cold and hypothermia sets in is it painful and does going through the differnt stages of hypothermia hurt or do you know or feal anything at all

Actually, yes and no!! There is no short answer, though.
All environmental emergencies are difficult to treat, and sometimes harder to spot in patients. However exposure to cold causes the body to loose heat faster than it can be generated. The body attempts to adjust by reducing perspiration and circulation to the skin- it shuts down avenues by which the body usually gets rid of excess heat. Muscular activity in the form of shivering and the rate at which fuel (food) is burned within the body both increase to produce more heat. At a certain point, however, not enough heat is generated to be available to all parts of the body. This results in damage to the exposed tissues and general reduction or cessation of body functions. When cooling affects the entire body this is known as Hypothermia. If this generalized cooling continues it causes the body to be unable to maintain its proper core temperature, if not properly treated hypothermia will lead to death.
Patients with depressed immune systems, injuries, chronic illness, and age (older or younger) will show effects of cold much sooner than a healthy person. At times, it is obvious that a patient has been exposed to cold and is probably suffering from hypothermia, however, with other patients exposure can be subtle, that is not so obvious. The Stages of Hypothermia are as follows, in Degrees Fahrenheit:

99 to 96 F Shivering.
95 to 91 F Intense shivering, difficulty speaking.
90 to 86 F Shivering decreases and is replaced by strong muscular rigidity. Muscle coordination is affected and erratic or jerky movements are produced. Thought is less clear, general comprehension is dulled, possible total amnesia.
85 to 81 F Patient becomes irrational, loses conatct with the enviroment, and drifts into stuporous state. Muscular rigidity continues. Pulse and respirations are slow and cardiac dysrhythmias (irrigular heart rythims) may develop.
80 to 78 F Patient loses consciousness and does not respond to spoken words. Most reflexes cease to function. Heartbeat slows further before cardiac arrest occurs. Signs and Symptoms are as follows:

Shivering at early stages when the core temperature is above 90 F. If severe shivering decreases or is absent.
Numbness, or reduced-to-lost sense of touch.
Stiff or rigid posture in prolonged cases.
Drowsiness or unwillingness to do even the simplest activities.
Rapid breathing and rapid pulse in early stages. Slow to absent breathing and pules in prolonged cases.
Loss of motor coordination.
Joint/ muscle stiffness.
Decreased level of consciousness, in extreme cases the patient may have a "glassy stare."
Cool abdominal skin temperature.
Skin may appear rea in early stages. In prolonged cases the skin is pale to cyanotic (blue), and in extreme cases some body parts are stiff and hard (frozen).

Depending on a persons health, age, and size, how long they have been exposed and what kind of exposure they are experiencing they could feel extreme pain, to only drowsiness.

yes. it is a rather intense pain.

Obviously, you will feel cold. The first stage is shivering as the body trys to keep itself warm. The outer extremities such as the hands and feet will become numb. Their breathing will become quick and shallow.

In the second stage the shivering will worsen, and the person's movements will be slow, and they will also start to become confused.

In the third stage, the person will have a hard time walking, and difficulty speaking. Their exposed skin will turn blue and puffy. Their pulse and respiration rate will be significantly lowered. This is the final stage of hypothermia.

the stages of hypothermia are all differnt, i can't tell you the names or them or how many there are, because well i don't konw, sry. but anyways hypothermia will begin with you just feeling cold, you will than begin to shake, it will than move to your extremities feeling numb or painful and then you, than you will stop shaking and now you know you have a problem. finally you will become incoherante and you body will basicly just shut down

You first have uncontrollable shivering, then you lose feeling in your body and you become disoriented and tired, then you pass out - Ive been through it, and I passed out in the car while it was running with the heat cranked. I woke up 2 hours later and I was still shivering, but was ok and then I drove home.

You will not feel anything. But amputation is extreme.

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