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Hypothermia occurs when the body’s temperature falls below 35 °C. The human body has a number of systems that maintain a constant core temperature of around 37 °C. A person doesn’t have to be in sub zero temperatures to risk hypothermia – it only requires the environmental temperature to be less than the body temperature and a person will ’donate’ heat to the atmosphere. If the heat generated by the body (people are constantly generating heat through metabolic processes and muscle movements) is less than that lost to the environment, then their temperature will begin to fall. The 4 ways that the human body loses heat include:
Sometimes, medical conditions can lead to hypothermia. For example, someone experiencing a stroke or a person with diabetes having a hypoglycaemic episode may end up lying immobile for a period of time, unable to protect themselves from hypothermia. The natural response to becoming cold is two-fold, including:
If these measures don’t work, hypothermia will result. Symptoms of hypothermiaHypothermia can be distinguished into 3 stages – mild, moderate or severe. The signs and symptoms of hypothermia can be approximately grouped with the temperature ranges of the different stages: For mild hypothermia (35 to 32oC), signs and symptoms include:
For moderate hypothermia (32 to 28oC), signs and symptoms include:
For severe hypothermia (below 28oC), signs and symptoms include:
Myth about hypothermiaOne hypothermia myth is that you lose more heat through your head than any other part of your body. This is not true. Heat loss occurs through any area of skin exposed to the environment. An adult head is approximately 10% of the surface area of their whole body. Most of the time, the rest of our bodies are covered, with the possible exception of our hands (which together only make up about 4% of our surface area), so we feel cold, because our head is cold compared to the rest of our insulated body. If a person had to expose another part of their body – for example, their abdomen, which also makes up about 10% of an average adult body – then they would lose as much heat through that as their exposed head. Parents are often advised to keep children’s heads covered to stop them getting cold, but this isn’t to do with any special heat-losing properties of the head. It has more to do with the relative size of the head to the body. At birth, a baby’s head makes up over 20% of their total surface area, so exposing that skin leads to increased heat loss, putting them at risk of hypothermia much quicker than an adult, if they were to both have their heads uncovered. Risk factors for hypothermiaFactors that may increase a person’s susceptibility to hypothermia include:
Severe hypothermia is life-threateningMild hypothermia (32 to 35°C body temperature) is usually easy to treat. However, the risk of death increases as the core body temperature drops below 32°C. If core body temperature is lower than 28°C, the condition is life-threatening without immediate medical attention. Under this temperature, a person will be very cold to touch, unresponsive, rigid, not breathing, have no pulse, and their pupils will be fixed (they will not respond to light changes). They will appear to be dead, but they may not be. First aid for severe hypothermiaFirst aid steps for severe hypothermia include:
Never assume a person is dead. A person with severe hypothermia may only take one breath per minute, with a heart rate of less than 20 beats per minute. Always assume they are alive. First aid for all cases of hypothermiaThe first aid tips that apply to all stages of hypothermia include:
Preventing hypothermia when outdoorsExposure to cold weather, even for a short time, can be dangerous if you are not prepared. Shivering and feeling cold or numb are warning signs that the body is losing too much heat. Simple ways to prevent hypothermia include:
Use a buddy systemWhen participating in any outdoor activity that has the potential risk of hypothermia, such as bushwalking or mountaineering, use the ‘buddy system’ and check each other for warning signs. You may not be able to recognise your own symptoms of hypothermia due to mental confusion. First aid training is strongly advised. Hypothermia at homeHypothermia can occur in the home. The elderly and some people with medical conditions are more susceptible to hypothermia. The risk can be reduced by:
Where to get help
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This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:
This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:
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