Environmental Illnesses Flashcards
What is the body’s normal temperature?
37 degrees Celsius.
What occurs when body temperature increases?
- Superficial blood vessels dilate bringing warm blood to the surface of the skin so it can be cooled (convection).
- Sweating where evaporation causes the blood to be cooled faster than through convection.
What occurs when body temperature decreases?
- Constrict blood vessels at the skin to keep heat at the core.
- Shivering when the vasodilation does not work.
What external factors affect body temperature?
- Air temperature.
- Humidity.
- Wind.
What is frostbite?
A progressive freezing of body tissues when exposed to temperatures below 0 degrees Celsius.
Affects the most exposed areas areas (ears, nose, cheeks and if extreme heat loss fingers and toes).
What are the signs and symptoms of a superficial frostbite (frostnip)?
- Skin appears white and waxy.
- Superficial skin is hard to the touch but the deeper tissue remains soft.
- Pain followed by numbness in the area.
What are the signs and symptoms of a deep frostbite?
- Skin appears white and waxy initially but turns grey-blue as the damage progresses.
- Skin is cold and hard to the touch.
- Numbness in the affected area.
How do you assess and manage a superficial frostbite?
- Try if possible to move into a warm or sheltered environment.
- Cover frostbitten areas with warm hands.
- For fingers and toes breath on them or place in contact with warm areas of the body (arm pits, abdomen, droin).
- Do not rub the injured area as this may cause further tissue damage.
How do you assess and manage a deep frostbite?
- Try if possible to move into a warm or sheltered environment.
- Do not thaw the area if refreezing is possible or if transport to medical attention may be delayed.
- Handle the tissue gently.
- For fingers and toes re-warm slowly by placing limb in a container of warm water between 38-40 degrees Celsius.
What is hypothermia?
A generalized cooling of the body with the body core temperature falling below 35 degrees Celsius.
Comes in 3 stages (mild, moderate and severe).
What are the signs an symptoms of hypothermia?
- Shivering (absent in later stages).
- Slow irregular pulse.
- Numbness.
- Apathy and decreased LOC.
- Glassy stare.
What is stage 1 mild hypothermia?
- Core temperature: 35-36 degrees Celsius.
- Heart rate: normal.
- Respiratory rate: normal.
- Appearance: shivering, slurred speech.
- Mental status: conscious, withdrawn.
What is stage 2 moderate hypothermia?
- Core temperature: 30-34 degrees Celsius.
- Heart rate: slow & weak.
- Respiratory rate: slow & shallow.
- Appearance: shivering initially violent but may stop, clumsy, slurred speech.
- Mental status: confused, sleepy and irrational.
What is stage 3 severe hypothermia?
- Core temperature: less than 30 degrees Celsius.
- Heart rate: weak, irregular or absent.
- Respiratory rate: slow & shallow or absent.
- Appearance: shivering has stopped.
- Mental status: unconscious.
What are environmental risk factors for cold injuries?
- Wind-chill (low temperature with high winds).
- Improper clothing.
- Elderly or very young persons.
- Poor health.
- Weakened status (extreme fatigue, alcohol, drugs).