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Hypothermia

 

Hypothermia

  • Hypothermia is caused by exposure to cold conditions without adequate clothing and protection
  • Hypothermia is when your body loses heat faster than it can produce it, causing a dangerously low body temperature.
  • In mild hypothermia there is shivering and mental confusion. For severe hypothermia, shivering may stop, and there may be difficulty speaking, clumsiness, drowsiness and eventually loss of consciousness.
  • Contributors to hypothermia include inadequate clothing, water immersion, wind chill, alcohol use and more.
  • Hypothermia is a life threatening condition and should be treated as a medical emergency.
  • Treatment is to warm the person up slowly by methods such as moving them out of the cold, removing wet clothing, covering them with blankets, share body heat by keeping close, and providing warm beverages if the person is awake and alert. Do not apply direct heat like hot water or radiant heaters as this can damage the skin.