Cold weather can lead to complications, especially for those who are of extreme ages

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - People of extreme ages, both young children and seniors, are at higher risks of being vulnerable to cold weather.

Hospitals see an increase in the number of patients having temperature-related problems.

“People who have breathing problems are at increased risk from the cold,” said University of Kansas Emergency Medicine Physician Dr. Ally Briggs. “There’s always an uptick in respiratory viruses during those cold stretches, in addition to the environmental exposures such as non-freezing cold injuries and frostbite.”

Dr. Briggs explained that frostbite can be thought of as an ischemic injury, which is a lack of blood flow. If a tissue, especially in fingers and toes, lacks blood flow, it needs to be restored quickly. People who experience concerning symptoms of frostbite need to seek medical attention immediately.

Some people experience a feeling where their fingers get tingly from the cold. When it progresses, hands or feet can experience extreme pain followed by loss of sensation and discoloration and wounds.

“When it gets to the point where you’re starting to feel severe pain, that’s a sign that you need to get your body back into a warm environment,” Dr. Briggs said. “If you notice changes in color or wounds to your hands, then you definitely need to go to an emergency department for evaluation.”

The colder it is outside, the higher the risk of frostbite. If there is more moisture in the air, the risk of frostbite is also increased.

“Make sure that you’ve got good warm coverage on your head,” said University of Kansas Emergency Medicine Dr. Bryan Beaver. “You lose a lot of heat through your head, warm coverage on your head, warm coverage on your core using multiple layers, multiple layers are going to be better than one layer when it comes to things like your hands and feet.”

You also do not want to wear anything so tight that it will constrict the blood flow. If temperatures drop extremely low, mittens are better than gloves. If you choose to wear warmers in your shoes, put them outside of your socks and not directly on the feet.

The quicker someone can get treated for frostbite and the quicker doctors recognize it, the better. The best success is within the first 24 hours, but doctors say patients should get treatment almost immediately.

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