What is Frostbite?

Frostbite is local or whole body damage caused by the effects of cold and humidity. In light, it can cause transient damage to the skin, which should be treated in time; in severe cases, it can cause permanent dysfunction, which requires professional treatment. It can be life-threatening in severe cases and requires emergency rescue.

Why do you feel "chilling"?

A cold face shows that it's not really cold. It's really cold if you feel that your whole body is hot. It is said that in the last stage of insomnia, because the body's temperature regulation mechanism has collapsed, many people who are about to freeze to death will take off their clothes with a little effort. Pain is the most effective warning signal for the human body. If the outside temperature is too low, our body will receive some stimulus signals.

Why does it hurt? More

Pain is the most effective warning sign for the human body. Humans and most mammals' skin and mucous membranes are covered with proteins called transient sensory potentiometer channels. These proteins respond to certain stimulus signals, causing calcium ions to flow into action potentials, or nerve impulses.

What are the levels of frostbite? More

According to different degrees, frostbite is divided into four degrees. A frostbite will only make the skin feel itchy and not cause permanent damage. Second-degree frostbite will cause damage to the epidermal tissue, bruising the skin, and local temperature loss. Third and fourth degree frostbite affects deep muscles and nerves and can cause complete necrosis of the tissue.

Content Arrangement

Basic Information

English name

frostbite

Visiting department

Burn Plastic Surgery

Common locations

Hands, feet, fingers, toes, ears, etc.

Common causes

The body has been exposed to low temperature and humidity for a long time

Common symptoms

The frozen part is cold, pale, hard, feeling numb or lost, the skin in the frozen part is red, swollen and congested, and it is consciously hot, itchy, burning, etc.

Causes of frostbite

When the body is stimulated by low temperature and humidity for a long time, the blood vessels on the surface will be spasm, and the blood flow will be reduced, which will cause tissue ischemia and hypoxia, and the cells will be damaged, especially the poor blood circulation in the distal limb Like toes.

Climate factor

Cold climates, including air humidity, flow rates, and sudden weather changes. Both humidity and wind speed can accelerate the heat dissipation of the body.

Local factors

Such as tight footwear, standing for a long time and immersed in water for a long time can make local blood circulation obstacles, reduce heat and cause frostbite.

3. Systemic factors

Such as fatigue, weakness, nervousness, hunger, blood loss and trauma can weaken the body's ability to adjust and adapt to external temperature changes, reduce local heat and cause frostbite.

Clinical manifestations of frostbite

Local frostbite

(1) The pre-response period refers to the period from frostbite to rewarming and thawing. Its main clinical manifestations include cold, pale, hard, numbness or loss of the frozen part. Due to the local frozen state, it is often difficult to determine the extent and extent of damage.

(2) The reaction period includes re-melting and re-melting.

(3) Late reaction refers to the necrotic tissue after the first and second degree frostbite healing, and the third and fourth degree frostbite.

2. Hand frostbite

(1) The frostbite at one time is the lightest, which is the common "frostbite". The damage is in the epidermal layer, the skin in the frozen area is red, swollen and congested, and the symptoms of heat, itching, and burning pain disappear. Does not leave scars.

(2) Second degree frostbite injury and superficial dermis. In addition to redness and swelling after the injury, there are blisters. Bloody fluid can be inside the blisters. Edema can occur in the deep part, severe pain and dull skin feeling.

(3) The third degree of frostbite hurts the whole layer of skin, appears black or purple-brown, and the pain is lost. It is not easy to heal after injury, in addition to scarring, there may be long-term feelings of allergy or pain.

(4) Fourth-degree frostbite wounds on the skin, subcutaneous tissues, muscles and even bones can cause necrosis, loss of sensation, and scar formation after healing.

3. Frozen foot injury

(1) The skin of the frostbite is locally chilled and feels less or sensitive.

(2) Sensitive to cold. The skin appears pale or bruising in the cold season.

(3) Sensitive pain, limbs can not carry weight.

These manifestations are caused by dysfunction following sympathetic or peripheral nerve injury.

4. Frozen

The wounded's skin is pale and cold, sometimes with edema on the face and surrounding tissues, consciousness or coma, muscle rigidity, pupils' dull or disappeared light reflection, bradycardia, arrhythmia, undetectable blood pressure, and atrium and ventricle Fibrillation, heartbeat stops when severe. Breathing is slow and shallow, and severe cases may occasionally see one or two weak breaths.

Frostbite check

Observe the blood flow of the skin and tissues of the frostbite. If necessary, perform B-related examinations on blood flow.

Differential diagnosis of frostbite

It is mainly distinguished from deep burns and fire burns. Relevant medical history can be identified.

Frostbite treatment

First aid and treatment principles:

1. Quickly escape from the cold environment to prevent continued freezing;

2. Quickly re-warm as soon as possible;

3. Apply frostbite cream locally;

4. Improve local microcirculation;

5. Anti-shock, anti-infection and warmth;

6. Application of drugs for activating blood circulation and removing stasis orally;

7. Second-degree and third-degree frostbite who fail to distinguish are treated as third-degree frostbite;

8. For the surgical treatment of frostbite, the disability should be reduced as much as possible, and the limb function that is still viable should be retained to the greatest extent.

The basic goal of frostbite treatment is to quickly warm up, prevent further cold exposure, and restore blood circulation. Early treatment of frostbite involves covering the frozen area or other body surface with clothing or warm hands to maintain the proper temperature to maintain an adequate blood supply. Quick water bath rewarming is needed. The water bath temperature should be 37 43 , suitable for all kinds of frostbite. Unless contraindicated, analgesics should be taken during rapid thawing to relieve pain. When the skin is ruddy and silky, it is completely thawed. It is forbidden to wipe frozen limbs, dry heat or slow rewarming with ice cubes, which can further damage the tissue; any friction on the injured area is prohibited.

Supportive therapies should be provided, such as bed rest, high-protein / high-calorie diets, wound protection, and avoidance of trauma. In patients with hypothermia with frostbite, the most important thing is to complete fluid recovery and restore core body temperature before limb rewarming to prevent sudden hypotension and shock. Anticoagulants are recommended to prevent thrombosis and gangrene. Pentoxifylline, ibuprofen and aspirin may be effective. Application of antibacterial drugs to prevent infection, and timely immunization with tetanus antitoxin. The recovery process takes months. Injuries that invade the proximal phalanges, wrists or metatarsals may require amputation.