How to treat frostbitten hands. What to do in case of frostbite of II, III, IV degrees? Complications and consequences

As a result of the impact on the body low temperatures over a long period of time, it is possible that general hypothermia body and frostbite (frostbite), which is caused by poor circulation in the soft tissues. Blood vessels in the cold tend to narrow, and when exposed to cold for a long time, the flow of blood to the tissues stops, which causes frostbite, for which first aid should be provided immediately. Often people who are weakened or exhausted suffer from frostbite.

Cold injuries most often affect protruding areas of the body: ears, fingers and toes, nose, chin. Frostbite spreads from the most distant parts to the less distant parts, that is, from the fingertips to the hands and then up the arms. Most often, frostbite can occur at air temperatures below -10°C, especially with high air humidity and wind. Frostbite should not be confused with a cold burn, which occurs when the skin comes into direct contact with icy substances, such as dry ice, liquid nitrogen etc.

Symptoms of frostbite and hypothermia:

skin tone is white-bluish;
sensitivity (pain, temperature, tactile) of the affected areas is absent or noticeably reduced;
when freezing in a warm room, severe pain, severe redness and swelling occur;
- in cases of deep damage to soft tissues, blisters may form after 12-24 hours, the contents of which contain traces of blood;
with frostbite, accompanied by general hypothermia, the body temperature is reduced (to + 36°C), the pulse is rapid, the skin has a white tint and is cold to the touch;
there is a decrease in vitality, the patient does not show interest in what is happening, is a little inhibited and lethargic.

The severity of frostbite, depending on the depth of tissue damage, is classified as follows:

1st degree– the mildest (superficial) damage to soft tissues, accompanied by a white skin color, which changes to purplish-red with a blue tint when in a warm room, the victim feels a burning sensation, tingling or numbness, then swelling appears, recovery occurs in a few days, possibly slight peeling of damaged skin areas;

2nd degree– the deeper layers of the epithelium are affected, in addition to stage 1 symptoms, the formation of blisters filled with bloody fluid is added, the patient experiences severe pain, tissue restoration occurs after 7-14 days;

3rd degree– the appearance of hemorrhagic blisters, after warming the patient complains of severe pain, in the second week after the injury, rejection of the affected layers of the epithelium begins with the formation of scar tissue and granulations, complete healing occurs after 30-35 days;

4th degree– damage not only to the skin, but also to muscles, and sometimes to bone tissue, the most severe, the damaged area is blue, after warming up, blisters do not appear, but severe swelling develops, tissue necrosis is observed, and under unfavorable circumstances, loss of frostbitten limbs is possible.

2, 3 and 4 degrees of frostbite require urgent medical intervention; treatment is carried out only in a hospital setting. The sooner the patient seeks medical help, the less serious the consequences of cold injury will be.

Causes of frostbite

Freeze soft fabrics Any person can do it after a long stay in the cold. There are certain factors that provoke frostbite, such as: tight shoes and tight-fitting synthetic clothing (leads to a deterioration in the blood supply to the extremities), physical exhaustion, famine, preceding cold injury, chronic diseases cardiovascular system, inability to change body position for a long time, severe injuries with blood loss, excessive sweating legs, alcohol intoxication, smoking.

Frostbite - first aid

The patient is transferred to a warm place, his clothes and shoes are removed if they are wet. It is necessary to wrap the victim in a warm blanket or blanket.

Next, a plentiful hot drink is provided, which can be any tea, herbal infusion, heated milk with honey, and hot food. Alcohol-containing drinks and smoking are strictly contraindicated, since nicotine and ethyl alcohol further worsen tissue metabolism. In addition, alcohol provokes a rapid expansion of blood vessels, as a result of which, unable to withstand the load, they can simply burst. Tincture of valerian root or motherwort will help calm the victim. At severe pain give analgesics.

For mild frostbite damaged tissue warm with gentle stroking movements, light rubbing with a woolen cloth, warm with breathing until the skin turns red, after which a dry gauze bandage is applied.

For deeper frostbite massage is contraindicated. A special heat-insulating bandage is applied to the damaged limb or area of skin: a layer of dry gauze, a layer of cotton wool, another layer of gauze (if there is no cotton wool, gauze is placed in 7 layers), then rubberized fabric (cellophane, oilcloth or other airtight fabric available on hand) , on top - woolen fabric. This bandage prevents the affected areas from heating up quickly, ensuring a gradual increase in temperature.

For deep frostbite damaged limbs are fixed using improvised means (board, plywood, etc.), bandaging them.

It is necessary to call an ambulance or take the patient to the hospital yourself in case of frostbite of 2, 3 and 4 degrees. Children and older adults should seek medical attention for any frostbite, regardless of severity.

rubbing the affected areas with snow, as it can further injure the epithelium and damage small vessels, which will only worsen the situation in the future - tissue infection is possible;
rubbing with oil compounds and alcohol liquids;
quick warming using fire, a heating pad, hot water or other heat sources;
massage for frostbite of 2-4 degrees.

Frostbite - first aid using folk remedies

Infusion of chamomile inflorescences: Having ensured internal warming with hot drinks, you can begin external manipulations. For example, it is good to apply warm compresses from infusion chamomile inflorescences: 2 tbsp. pour a spoonful of dry raw materials into 0.3 liters of boiling water, leave for half an hour, filter and use for wiping, washing or compresses.

Solution boric acid: 5 ml alcohol tincture dilute boric acid in 200 ml of warm boiled water, soak gauze in the composition and apply to the sore spot for half an hour.

Potato decoction: for mild frostbite good result gives immersion of limbs in warm potato broth.

Aloe juice used for rubdowns and compresses. It has powerful anti-inflammatory and regenerating properties, quickly restoring cells in damaged skin areas.

Calendula flower decoction: 1 tbsp. spoon into a glass of boiling water, leave for 15 minutes, strain - an excellent remedy for restoring and soothing the skin during frostbite.

Cabbage: in the old days, for mild frostbite, a thin leaf of white cabbage, crushed in the hands, was placed on the surface of the skin, active ingredients which is reduced painful manifestations, heat, burning, without further irritating the skin.

Sea buckthorn or olive oil: the next day after frostbite, sea buckthorn or olive oil is added to infusions and decoctions, which contain fat-soluble vitamins - retinol (vitamin A) and tocopherol (vitamin E), which provide beneficial effect on the skin. Goose fat and lard also restore the skin.

Viburnum decoction or infusion taken internally. 15 g viburnum berries steam in a 0.75-liter thermos and drink a glass three times a day.

IN rehabilitation period It is advisable to consume foods rich in vitamins A and E, as well as essential omega-3 acids and lecithin: avocado, linseed oil and seed, saltwater fish, nuts, orange fruits, leafy greens, liver, eggs, fish fat, caviar, seafood.

In order to prevent hypothermia and frostbite of various parts of the body, it is necessary to winter time dress wisely without going out into the cold without mittens, a hat and a scarf, wear winter shoes with high-quality insoles, hide from the wind, which significantly increases the risk of cold injury, do not indulge in alcoholic beverages, do not quench your thirst with snow, ice or chilled drinks and protect open areas skin using a rich cream or fat. Be healthy!

Instructions

Frostbite is promoted by a general weakening of the body, physical fatigue, hunger, tight clothing that interferes with blood supply, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Alcohol intake intensifies the frostbite process. The presence of pale skin – frostbite.

If you feel that your fingers are freezing, begin vigorous circular movements with your hands. This exercise is the most effective way to warm up the limbs due to the fact that blood flows from the central vessels to the peripheral ones.

In case of frostbite and hypothermia of the extremities, the victim should be taken to a warm room, wipe the frostbitten fingers with ethyl alcohol, massaging them until blood circulation is restored. If you don't have it at hand ethyl alcohol, warm up your extremities in warm water, gradually increasing its temperature, adding boiling water. After this, wipe your fingers dry and massage in a circular motion. long time, then apply a sterile dressing. The UHF irradiation method can also quickly freeze areas of the body; in such a situation, a small dose of alcohol will not hurt.

After the end of the latent period for frostbite of the fingers, begin targeted therapy local manifestations frostbite, since it is already possible to determine the degree of frostbite of the fingers.

And of course, you can use various medical and author’s techniques to cure stuttering for longer or shorter periods.

Video on the topic

Incised wounds, as their name suggests, are caused by cutting objects, such as knives, blades, and glass shards. The danger of a wound is determined by its depth, because When a wounding object is immersed in tissue, underlying vessels, nerves and organs can be damaged. Treatment cut wounds has some features. What to do if someone in your circle gets cut by a sharp object?

You will need

- sterile gauze;
- antiseptic solution;
- tourniquet;
- iodine solution;
- Levosin or Levomekol ointment;
- adhesive plaster;
- bandage;
- saline.

Instructions

If blood vessels are damaged, stop bleeding. For selection optimal method hemostasis, determine the source of bleeding: veins, arteries or capillaries. If a vein is injured, then the flowing one has dark color. When an artery is injured, the blood has a scarlet color and sometimes jets can be seen. If capillaries on the surface are damaged wounds It turns out that there is mixed arterial-venous blood, the bleeding is usually light and decreases on its own. Used to stop capillary and small venous bleeding pressure bandage, soaked in an antiseptic solution. It is applied to the wound and held until complete hemostasis. Severe venous and arterial bleeding is stopped by applying a tourniquet above the injury site. If there is no tourniquet, the vessel is pinched with your fingers. Compression is permissible for 1.5 hours and 1 hour in winter. During this time, the victim must be taken to a trauma center. If longer hemostasis is required, the vessel is loosened every 40 minutes for 3-4 minutes, and then a finger or tourniquet is applied again.

After the bleeding has stopped, begin treatment wounds. Spread its edges with iodine solution. Wash the wound itself with a large amount of 3% peroxide solution. Remove all foreign objects, splinters, and scraps of clothing.

If the wound is small and is not accompanied by damage to large vessels and organs, apply Levosin or Levomekol ointment to it, cover with a sterile gauze bandage and secure everything with an adhesive plaster or bandage. Next, change the bandage 2 times a day until the tissue is completely healed.

If nerve damage occurs, which is subjectively felt as a loss of sensitivity, or the injury affects any organ, which can be suspected from the victim’s state of shock, simply cover the wound with a sterile gauze bandage and transport the victim as soon as possible to the nearest medical institution. If the anterior abdominal wall is damaged and intestinal loops fall out of it, do not under any circumstances try to push them inside. Cover the intestine with moistened saline solution and then cover with sterile gauze.

Sources:

how to treat a large wound

Problems with gums and teeth during pregnancy are not uncommon - bleeding during or after brushing teeth, inflammation, swelling and looseness of tissue, etc. Expectant mothers treat oral diseases using traditional medicine.

You will need

- chamomile, linden, cinquefoil, walnut leaves, oak bark;
- “Rotokan”;
- fine salt, honey;
- aloe juice;
- lemon juice;
- garlic;
- Metrogil-denta gel.

Instructions

Rinse your mouth herbal infusions. Select a collection of herbs that are allowed during the day - chamomile, infusion of linden flowers, decoction of cinquefoil herb, walnut leaves, etc. Decoction oak bark used for bleeding - mix the bark with linden blossom (2:1) and infuse in a glass of boiling water. You need to rinse your mouth with this solution two or three times a day. Of the ready-made preparations, you can use “” - dilute it in water (one teaspoon of solution per glass of water) and irrigate the oral cavity every time after eating. Gargles can stop bleeding and reduce pain.

Strengthen various rubbing - mix fine salt and honey (4:1), wait until the granules dissolve and process gums in a circular motion, moistening it in the composition, wrapped in a gauze napkin. Aloe juice has an antiseptic effect - cut it fresh leaf, grind and squeeze out the juice. Lubricate gums lemon juice, but try to avoid getting it on your teeth enamel –

The main cause of frostbite is non-contact or contact exposure to low temperatures on the skin. In some cases, cold alone cannot cause serious damage - the development of moderate and severe forms of frostbite is facilitated by a variety of negative factors.

A long stay in frosty air impairs blood circulation, causes narrowing and spasm of blood vessels and makes a person more vulnerable to cold. Changes in the vascular walls lead to disruption of cell nutrition and provoke gradual tissue death.

The pathological process is promoted strong wind, excessive humidity, consumption alcoholic drinks before a walk and too light clothes, chosen out of season. The first symptoms of frostbite are familiar to many people.

The cheeks, nose and chin begin to tingle from the inside, the skin turns pale and loses sensitivity. If you do not go into a warm room at this moment, the situation worsens and deeper tissue damage occurs.

There are 4 degrees of facial frostbite. Each of them has characteristic symptoms and requires immediate help.

In the first stage, circulatory disturbance occurs, causing burning and numbness. skin. Tissue necrosis has not yet begun, so treatment can be carried out at home.
At the second stage, the surface layer of the skin is damaged, and bubbles filled with clear liquid appear on the face. The person feels acute pain and itching. It takes about 2 weeks for epidermal cells to recover.
At the third stage, necrosis affects the deep layers of the skin. The blisters that form on the face take on a dark hue. When they burst, a bloody substance flows out of them. At this stage, specialist intervention and urgent therapy are necessary. medicines. During the healing process, scars and other cosmetic defects.
In the fourth stage, all layers of the dermis are affected, often affecting the joints and bones. The blisters turn black, the face becomes bluish, becomes very swollen and painful.

Self-treatment of frostbite on the face is only allowed initial stage. When blisters form on the skin, you should immediately go to the hospital. If this is not done, intoxication of the body may begin, manifested by fever and weakness. IN severe cases suppuration and sepsis develop.

The causes and predisposing factors for hypothermia and frostbite are:

circulatory disorders in the extremities associated with vascular disease or impaired innervation;
decreased body reactivity;
wearing tight shoes;
foot hyperhidrosis;
starvation;
long-term and debilitating diseases leading to weakening of the body;
blood loss or anemia;
tight and wet clothes;
long-term immobility under unfavorable conditions;
constant psycho-emotional and physical overload;
improper and inadequate nutrition;
alcohol intoxication;
smoking;
spasms of peripheral vessels.

Most often, frostbite affects areas of the body that have the weakest blood supply or parts of the face that protrude outward, so the nose, ears, and cheekbones are usually affected. Hypothermia affects the terminal phalanges of the fingers and toes, affecting small joints.

Signs of frostbite

Usually our body is hidden by clothes, we hide our hands in gloves and mittens, but we leave our face - the most delicate and sensitive part of the body - uncovered. This is why frostbite on the face is the most common species frostbite that people experience.

But appearance is important for most people, even if they don’t admit it to themselves. Well, who wants to walk around with scars and scars on their face? This is why it is so important to know the symptoms of facial frostbite.

However, they are mostly familiar to us.

burning and itching;
pale skin;
loss of sensation;
pain during thawing;
severe damage may result in blisters.

Any defeat has various degrees. Frostbite is no exception. There are four degrees of frostbite in total.

Frostbite on the face begins with a slight tingling or itching. This symptom alone should alert you and prompt you to go indoors for at least a few minutes to warm up.

Then the skin at the site of frostbite begins to turn pale. This is due to the fact that as the temperature drops blood vessels narrow, blood stops flowing to upper layers skin.

After warming up, by the way, it’s the other way around. The skin becomes pink or even red.

This is due to a sudden rush of blood.

At the second stage, the skin’s poverty intensifies, it begins to lose sensitivity from hypothermia, and becomes hard. After warming up, small blisters with clear liquid inside may appear.

What should you do if you have frostbite on your face? If you or your loved ones have already suffered frostbite on their face, then you need to warm the victim. Moreover, heating should occur from the inside, gradually. IN otherwise Vessels may burst from a sudden rush of blood.

In order to warm up, you need, firstly, to get into a warm room and wrap yourself up warmly. Secondly, drink something hot - tea, warmed milk, herbal infusions.

When the person warms up a little, the blood flows to the skin, you can continue the warming procedures with warm compresses on the damaged areas. The temperature of the compresses should not exceed 39 degrees. This is what first aid for frostbite on the face is limited to.

First degree frostbite can be treated at home folk remedies. For this purpose they are widely used various compresses. The most popular are chamomile or calendula compresses.

To prepare a compress, you first need to make a decoction: pour a tablespoon of medicinal herb with a glass of boiling water and boil for several minutes. Then cool to a temperature of 39 degrees, moisten gauze in the broth and carefully apply it to the frostbitten skin for half an hour. To be sure, the compress can be covered with plastic wrap and a thick layer of cotton wool.

As modern medical statistics show, most often people freeze their limbs and protruding parts of the body. As for the head, the ears and nose are the first to suffer, sometimes the lips. Frostbite of the facial skin is diagnosed relatively rarely, but it is much more difficult to treat. You can read about nasal frostbite here.

For mild forms of frostbite after transition to warm weather dry room, the skin needs to be warmed - use it rationally light massage, as well as heating pads with water having an external temperature of no more than 30 degrees above zero Celsius.

In the case of moderate degrees of frostbite, it is no longer possible to warm areas of the skin on the face - instead, an occlusive bandage is applied to the frostbitten areas, under which anti-inflammatory and disinfectant ointments are applied - Videstim, Sinaflan or Triderm.

Stages 3 and 4 of frostbite are quite difficult to treat at home - hospitalization in a hospital setting and the use of systemic medicines, sometimes maxillofacial surgery.

The only way to help the victim in this situation is to get him to the hospital as quickly as possible. Before transportation, you need to apply a thick heat-insulating bandage made from layers of cotton wool, gauze, fabric, polyethylene or other available means to your face to prevent the warming process from starting.

Folk recipes

The second, third and, especially, fourth stages of frostbite are treated only with medications for facial frostbite and only under the supervision of a doctor.

Treatment of frostbite comes down to several measures:

withdrawal pain;
improvement of blood circulation in affected tissues;
restoration of damaged tissues.

I degree is characterized by sensations of numbness, tingling, burning. The affected skin is pale, after warming it is swollen and reddened with a purplish-red tint. Such tissue damage usually recovers after 5-7 days, going through the peeling stage.

With stage II frostbite, blisters with transparent contents appear, and after the skin is warmed, intense itching and severe pain in the affected skin appear. It may take an average of 2 weeks for the skin to recover.

Stage III is characterized by damage to all layers of the skin by necrosis. The blisters are filled with bloody contents. Healing takes a long time, more than a month, with the formation of scars.

In grade IV, all layers of soft tissue undergo necrosis. Skin damage is manifested by severe, persistent swelling and loss of sensitivity.

Often local skin damage is often accompanied by general hypothermia of the body, which is manifested by a decrease in general temperature body temperature below 34 degrees, chills, decreased heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, impaired general condition, sometimes there is even a disturbance of consciousness.

The skin of the whole body is pale, bluish, with elements of goose bumps" Such systemic damage to the body can also appear with frostbite of 3-4 degrees (intoxication of the body).

When the first clinical signs frostbite is necessary as much as possible short time warm not only the injured limb in a warm room, but also the victim himself.

In case of I degree frostbite, the affected skin must be warmed with warm hands, a light massage, and a sterile cotton-gauze bandage applied. It is recommended to apply moisturizer to flaky skin several times a day and always after contact with water.

Safe folk remedies used for mild frostbite are herbal decoctions: oak bark, chamomile as compresses or general baths. The victim must be given a hot drink and hot food on his own. It is possible to take drugs from the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (paracetamol, Nurofen) and other symptomatic drugs.

For mild cases general freezing the body, it is possible to warm the body in the following way - the victim is placed in a warm bath at an initial water temperature of 24 ° C, which is gradually increased to normal temperature bodies.

For deeper skin damage, grade II-IV, rub damaged skin It is not recommended; a frostbitten limb must be secured using available means, bandaged with sterile material, insulated and an ambulance called.

First aid for frostbite is to place the victim in a warm place, if possible, change into dry clothes and begin warming up. It is often difficult for the untrained eye to differentiate the severity of frostbite, so it is better to adhere to the following recommendations.

You cannot rub frozen limbs with snow, because... blood vessels in frozen skin become very fragile and can easily be damaged by friction with snow, which will aggravate the lesion and can lead to infection.

Rubbing frostbitten skin with alcohol solutions or oils is also not recommended. It is impossible to warm a frostbitten limb near an open fire, radiator, or heater due to a decrease in its sensitivity and a high probability of additional skin damage, but in the form of a thermal burn.

Frostbite of the first degree - the patient is placed in a warm place, the frostbite is rubbed with a 5% tannin solution or boric alcohol, electric light baths, erythemal doses of ultraviolet rays, UHF therapy, local darsonvalization are prescribed; In case of complications with an ulcerative process, ointment dressings are used.

Massage of frostbitten extremities is strictly contraindicated, as it can cause increased peripheral vasodilation and a secondary decrease in core body temperature due to the flow of cooled blood from the periphery.

In case of frostbite of the second degree, the covers of the blisters are opened and removed according to all the rules of asepsis. The skin around the blisters is treated with alcohol solutions of boric or salicylic acid.

Apply bandages with antibacterial ointments and drugs to stimulate regeneration processes: Dermazin, Levomekol. After 5-10 days, physiotherapeutic procedures are prescribed: electric light baths, ultraviolet irradiation starting with suberythemal doses, UHF therapy, darsonvalization method.

For prevention secondary infection prescribed intramuscularly antibacterial agents(penicillin). If necessary, use symptomatic agents.

For active internal warming, infusion-transfusion therapy is carried out with solutions heated to a temperature of 42-44 ° C, sometimes lavage of body cavities (stomach, Bladder, peritoneal and pleural cavities) warm solutions.

For frostbite of the third degree, after removing the blisters and determining the boundaries of skin necrosis, bandages with a hypertonic NaCl solution are used. During the first week of treatment, dead tissue is removed.

Physiotherapeutic methods of treatment are also used to improve wound healing. Sometimes a plaster cast is applied to limit the mobility of the limb.

Specialized care is provided in burn departments or burn centers: application of biothermal insulating bandages, decompression incisions, full infusion and transfusion therapy, vacuum drainage of wounds, barotherapy, intravenous laser therapy, early surgery using lyophilized xenodermal grafts activated by biogalvanic current, treatment according to the above scheme (warming the patient, applying heat-insulating bandages to the limbs, infusion-transfusion therapy with solutions heated to a temperature of 42-44 ° C).

For IV degree frostbite, excision of dead tissue and amputation of limbs are performed.

Clinical symptoms frostbite on the legs depends on the degree of damage. At the initial stage, the patient may notice slight redness of the skin, which becomes slightly swollen. Later, peeling of the epidermis appears in this place.

With the second degree of frostbite, the patient's legs become purple. The skin becomes insensitive, and large blisters filled with serous or hemorrhagic fluid appear on its surface. The most severe degree of frostbite is characterized by necrosis of the skin and subcutaneous tissue. There are cases where not only soft tissues, but also bones succumbed to frostbite.

Important! To prevent necrosis and amputation of the affected limb, it is necessary to provide first emergency aid as quickly as possible.

the main objective emergency care– warm and restore normal blood circulation in a frostbitten limb. To begin with, the patient must be given warm sweet tea and given heart medications. If possible, then you need to take a warm bath, the temperature of which does not exceed 370.

If there are no blisters or wounds on the surface of the skin, you can do a light rubbing massage with alcohol or cologne to restore blood flow through the body. If the blisters have opened, then it is necessary to treat them with any antiseptic solution. This could be hydrogen peroxide or chlorhexidine.

The next step is to apply the ointment to the skin. Any fatty ointment, Vaseline or regular butter will do. After this, it is necessary to transport the victim to medical institution, where they will conduct an examination, the necessary surgical treatment and prescribe a course of adequate therapy.

The symptoms of skin frostbite are directly related to the degree of cold damage - the higher it is, the more negative clinical manifestations can be diagnosed in a person.

More information about the degree of frostbite can be found here.

A person who has suffered frostbite on the skin must be given full first aid.

At 4 extreme In case of frostbite, the victim must be immediately hospitalized in a hospital using an ambulance or a personal car.

Before transportation, you need to apply the most dense, reinforced heat-insulating bandage made from available materials to the affected skin - cotton wool, gauze, fabric, rubber, polyethylene. It is advisable to subject certain parts of the body that have suffered maximum frostbite to the immobilization procedure.

Used modern medicine Conservative therapy depends significantly on the degree of cold damage. So when mild form There is no specific treatment for frostbite. In cases of medium or severe degrees frostbite, the treatment regimen is developed individually by the doctor. Typical drug groups include:

Surgical intervention is usually prescribed for severe stages of frostbite, if there are direct indications for surgery. Such indications include toxemia, gangrene, sepsis, renal or liver failure that developed during the main conservative treatment as a consequence of complications.

Surgery is necessary in cases of too large an area of necrotic skin, as well as deep destruction of soft tissues that have reached cartilage, joints, and bones.

Basic surgical measures include:

Preparatory stage with temporary withdrawal of medications and food restrictions, local treatment of affected areas with their preparation for surgery;
The main surgical actions are necrectomy (removal of necrotic lesions), necrotomy (testing incision to determine the depth of necrotic lesion), fasciotomy (removal of fascia to reduce swelling and pain), skin grafting (classical Plastic surgery), amputation (removal of a limb segment affected by gangrene) or reamputation (repeated amputation with the formation of a stump if necessary);
Postoperative period, including resumption conservative therapy and the prescription of complex physiotherapy - from UHF, electrophoresis and infrared irradiation to ultrasound, biogalvanization, hyperbaric oxygenation and vacuum drainage.

Traditional medicine recipes for frostbite are considered by modern medicine as additional techniques therapies with unproven effectiveness, which can be used only in stage 1 of cold injury in case of prior agreement with the attending physician.

The consequences of frostbite, depending on the degree of cold damage, can be both local and systemic in nature. The timeliness and completeness of provision of both first aid and complex inpatient therapy also plays a significant role. Typical complications:

Formation of scars and granulations on the skin that do not disappear over time. In some cases, an aesthetic problem can only be solved plastic surgery;
Massive necrosis of the epithelium with the formation of gangrenous foci and the need for amputation of a body part;
Secondary bacterial infections caused by abrasions, cuts on the skin, as well as destruction of peripheral vessels;
Renal and liver failure, as a result of systemic pathological processes;
Blood sepsis when decay products of necrotic tissue enter the arterial bloodstream;
Lethal outcome due to prolonged failure to provide assistance to the victim due to freezing.

Symptoms of frostbite require specialist advice. Only a doctor can accurately determine the extent of skin damage and prescribe the correct treatment. Therapy is aimed at:

to eliminate pain;
prevention of infection;
normalization of blood flow;
restoration of damaged skin cells.

To provide first aid to the patient, it is recommended to give 1 tablet of No-shpa, Analgin or Acetylsalicylic acid. Painkillers reduce itching and burning when the skin thaws, restore blood circulation and thin the blood. To relieve vascular spasm and normalize heart rhythm, you can take a Papaverine tablet.

For mild frostbite, doctors recommend lubricating the skin with Bepanten cream. The procedure can begin when the face is completely warm. Chemical composition The medicine provides a slight anti-inflammatory effect, deeply moisturizes and restores damaged skin. The product should be applied in a thin layer several times a day for a week.

For frostbite, Levomekol is used:

The ointment has a pronounced antibacterial property and quickly regenerates tissue structure.
It is used to stop inflammation, relieve swelling and speed up healing.
Before treatment, the face should be washed with a weak solution of Furacilin, wait until it dries completely and apply an even layer of the product.
After an hour, carefully remove excess sterile wipe. Treatment should be repeated 3 times a day until the skin is restored.

To speed up recovery, it is useful to take a multivitamin complex and follow all doctor’s recommendations. If the face is deeply affected, antibiotic therapy and even surgical intervention.

Traditional medicine offers many ways to heal the skin after mild frostbite. The products quickly relieve inflammation, soothe irritation, and relieve pain.

Compresses

In case of frostbite, warm compresses should be applied to areas of the skin 1-2 times a day for a week.

After frostbite has occurred, first aid should be provided immediately, even before the doctor arrives. What is the correct way to do this at home? The goal of treatment is to stop the effect of low temperature on the body, restore microcirculation, and prevent infectious complication.

The victim should be moved to a warm place, the body should be freed from clothing and shoes, and warm drink.

What do we have to do

For initial frostbite, treatment is recommended to be carried out completely at home. To begin, rub the frostbitten area of the skin of the face, fingers, and joints of the arms or legs well with your hands or a woolen scarf.

You can warm these places by breathing. Such manipulations should be done until the skin becomes red.

After this, you need to apply a sterile bandage. At extensive damage you need to take a warm bath (about 24 degrees), gradually increasing the temperature to 34 degrees.

To remove discomfort and pain, NSAIDs should be taken. Aspirin is not recommended for this purpose, as it may interfere with rapid tissue repair.

If frostbite is more serious - second or third degree, then the affected areas should not be rubbed.

Therefore, you should only take a warm drink, bandage and insulate the areas of the skin that have been exposed to frostbite. Final assistance will be provided only by specialists in a hospital setting.

use a hot heating pad, water and open fire;
use snow for rubbing (you can damage areas of the skin and infect it);
in case of second and third degree frostbite, take oil and alcohol solutions for rubbing;
You cannot open the blisters yourself (to prevent infectious complications).

If you cannot provide proper assistance, then it is best to turn to specialists.

Depending on the severity of the disorders and the duration of the cold, frostbitten skin of the hands, face or legs is treated by placing the patient in warm conditions and rubbing the sore spots with a solution of boric alcohol. After this, UHF therapy, bandages with antiseptic ointments and darsonvalization are used to improve healing. All these measures help with minor hypothermia.

When blisters form, the skin around them is lubricated with alcohol, they are opened by a specialist, followed by removal of the exfoliated epidermis. Then a sterile bandage soaked in alcohol is applied and physiotherapeutic treatment is carried out. Sometimes it is recommended to use antibiotics for prevention.

At home with mild degree hypothermia can be used traditional methods. This treatment allows, in combination with other methods, to improve the condition and quickly restore damaged skin of the hands, feet and face.

Treatment agents are selected individually: the choice depends on the nature of the skin lesion. Anti-frostbite ointment “D-panthenol” helps improve tissue blood flow and eliminate such ailments as “tissue necrosis”.

What you should absolutely not do if you have frostbite

There are several myths that are firmly entrenched in the minds of the majority, and which can only aggravate the situation.

Thus, it is believed that in case of frostbite it is necessary to immediately rub snow on your face. However, this is strictly forbidden. Moreover, you can’t even just rub the affected areas. This is a very traumatic procedure. Including because it accelerates the flow of blood to narrowed vessels. Warming up should proceed at a natural speed.

The list of prohibited actions for skin frostbite includes:

Drinking alcohol in any form. Alcoholic drinks will significantly worsen the patient’s condition and will contribute to a more serious form of frostbite;
Active warming of the affected skin. The warming process should be as natural and slow as possible - it is forbidden to warm the skin over an open fire or immerse the body in hot water etc., since this event will cause state of shock in view of big difference temperatures in subcutaneous and deep tissue structures;
Rubbing with abrasive substances. Rubbing with snow, rough cloth and other objects and substances can damage the skin and peripheral vessels, which will lead to complications;
Using a number of ointments after getting frostbite. Local remedies based on fat, oils, and alcohol are not effective after cold injury; moreover, they will interfere with qualified conservative therapy in case of moderate or severe forms of frostbite. You can read about acceptable means here.

Prevention of frostbite

However, it is best to simply not deal with frostbite on the face. And for this it is necessary to engage in prevention. The main condition is to simply remember that our skin is not suitable for long stay in the cold without additional protection.

During winter, it is very important to pay attention to the weather and dress accordingly. At temperatures below -10 degrees, the skin must be lubricated with a rich cream - this is an excellent protection against frostbite.

When caring for your face, it is also better to use fatty products, including masks. But it’s better to leave film masks for the summer, as they tighten and dry out the skin.

If the temperature drops very low, be sure to cover your face with a scarf and try not to stay outdoors for too long. Whenever possible, it is better to go indoors to warm up.

It is important to closely monitor your condition. When you feel the first signs of frostbite, you need to urgently check the condition of the skin: for the presence of pale areas and deterioration in sensitivity. If there are someone you know nearby, you can ask them to examine your face, otherwise you need to use a mirror.

Timely replacement of wet clothes and underwear, application of a protective oily cream to exposed parts of the body (hands, face, ears and lips). During frosts, to avoid frostbite, you need to dress in such a way that the layers of clothing do not fit tightly to each other and leave layers of air between them that perfectly retain heat.

Outerwear must be waterproof and windproof. Shoes should not be tight and dry.

At increased sweating feet, it is recommended to use warm insoles and woolen socks on bare feet, as they absorb excess moisture and leave feet dry, as well as the use special means(Dry-Dry, Algel, Burnt alum, oak bark).

The following remedies can be used to protect against frostbite:

At the first signs of frostbite on the skin, you should consult a doctor, because at the initial stage you cannot independently determine the degree of tissue damage.

Hands and fingers often suffer from winter weather. Even with gloves and mittens, it is easy to get frostbite on your hands, especially if they are wet or not warm enough. It doesn't have to be frosty outside for this to happen. Clear signs of hypothermia are possible even at above-zero temperatures.

Frostbite of hands 1-2 degrees

The first “bells” of frozen limbs - slight tingling, burning and decreased sensitivity. It's easy to miss such symptoms in the fresh air and notice skin damage while warming up at home. There are cases when signs of frostbite on the hands become obvious after 6-12 hours of staying in a warm room.

Their severity depends on the type of damage received:

first degree. As a rule, it manifests itself with short-term exposure to cold. The hands swell slightly and turn pale, and partially or completely lose sensation. Already in the warmth, their swelling is noticeable, as well as a change in color to purple. This is accompanied by mild pain and itching. After a few days, the affected areas may peel off a little, but within a week, as a rule, they are completely restored;
second degree. The condition worsens with prolonged exposure to low temperatures. Cold, whitened limbs are not felt at all. Looks like mild frostbite on your hands, doesn't it? But when warmed up, the difference is obvious. Following severe swelling and cyanosis, pronounced pain appears. After some time, the areas become covered with dropsy, inside of which you can see clear liquid. At proper treatment tissue restoration takes about two weeks.

Frostbite of hands 3-4 degrees

Even with second-degree frostbite on the hands, it is advisable to visit the hospital. Contacting a doctor is mandatory if the damage is even more serious. The third degree of severity differs from the second in the dark red, bloody filling of the blisters. The consequences are very unpleasant: the skin dies and is rejected. This stage takes 2-3 weeks. Then scars form at the site of the wounds within a month. The nail plates completely disappear.

With the most complex form frostbite except soft shells Joints and parts of bone tissue may die.

In the fourth degree of damage, the hands remain cold and insensitive after warming up, are very painful and become increasingly swollen. The surest sign is a purplish-blue skin tone that turns into dark brown or black. You need to immediately call an ambulance and not self-medicate.

First aid

It is important to find a warm room as soon as possible. Further actions aimed at warming the victim. Hands must be freed from gloves, rings and bracelets. A warm (not scalding) drink helps stop the body from freezing. Will do sweet tea, rosehip decoction, fruit drink. It's good to eat something high in calories.

If the victim gets lost in the forest or for some other reason cannot leave the street, the limbs must be wrapped. Preferably woolen clothes, but not wet ones. Keeping them elevated can improve blood circulation in the tissues. You can't warm yourself directly over a fire. Warmth will do as a handy aid. own body. It is important to “revive” cold hands with breathing, in the armpits or groin. Only then should you approach the fire.

When there is little hands, you are allowed to lightly rub your palms. Good effect have baths with warm water. At first, its temperature should not exceed 30 degrees. After 20 minutes you can add hot water. The temperature should be gradually increased to a maximum of 40 degrees. You can breathe a sigh of relief if your hands are pink and not covered in blisters, and sensitivity in your fingers has been restored. Otherwise, medical attention is required.

What not to do if you have frostbite

Under no circumstances should you puncture a water blister that has formed due to frostbite on your hand.

It is worth considering that first aid for frostbite on the hands must be correct. Otherwise, the condition of the damaged tissues and the victim himself may worsen. Among the unsafe experiments:

warming up hot. A sharp change in temperature is generally contraindicated. Quickly “resuscitating” your hands on the radiator or over a switched-on burner are popular mistakes in behavior during hypothermia. They can lead to burns or necrosis of frozen cells. For the same reason, you should not take hot water baths;
any rubbing. Products containing alcohol and warming ointments can cause thermal burns. Due to fatty creams and oils, a film is formed on the surface of the body, due to which oxygen does not enter the tissues. Snow is also not suitable for grinding. It can be used to infect micro-wounds, and exposure to cold does not bring any benefit;
puncturing the resulting dropsy. Opening the blisters yourself can cause infection. The danger is not only in the suppuration of the wound, but also in the high risk of blood poisoning.

It is not recommended to move frostbitten fingers. When exposed to cold, blood vessels become very fragile and the risk of hemorrhage increases. It is advisable to apply splints to secure the hands in a physiological position. In this case, the gasket is fixed under the palm and wrist.

Drinking alcohol is another example of what is contraindicated to do when your hands are frostbitten. Alcoholic drinks dilate blood vessels and cause a strong outflow of blood from the heart, brain, and lungs. This causes more big loss heat in the body. Vasodilator effect It also has coffee, which is loved by many. You shouldn't drink it either.

When is it necessary to go to the hospital?

You should go to the hospital in the following cases:

The surface of the hands was covered with blisters. On an outpatient basis, the dropsy is incised and the tissue is treated with antiseptic;
A child, an elderly or sick person has suffered from the cold;
When warming up, the hands become very sore, and their surface remains pale and cold;
Signs of general hypothermia appear: weakness, chills, hard breath, drowsiness;
The lips take on a plum tint, and the mind becomes confused.

Who is more at risk of frostbite on their hands?

The child's hands must be protected with warm mittens.

Anyone can suffer from spending long periods of time in freezing air. But there are categories of people for whom frostbite of the hands and other parts of the body can result from even short-term exposure to cold. This applies to persons with:

vascular diseases, for example, varicose veins;
cold urticaria (allergy to cold);
general fatigue or weakened immunity;
increased sweating of the extremities;
disturbances in the functioning of the heart and kidneys;
diabetes mellitus;
addiction to alcoholic drinks.

You need to especially carefully monitor the condition of children during a winter walk. Their soft skin much more susceptible to frostbite. Dress your baby according to the cabbage principle. If a child goes out to play in the yard on his own, parents should monitor his return home every half hour. It is important that his things, including mittens, remain dry.

Often with unpleasant condition varying degrees hardships are faced by lovers of winter leisure - fishing, hunting. The limbs freeze instantly, because they are inactive. To prevent frostbite on your hands and feet, it is important to wear good waterproof mittens and boots, take a thermos with hot tea or herbal mixture, exclude alcohol. It will be a good purchase salt warmer, the heat of which is enough to warm chilled limbs.

How to avoid frostbite on your hands

Hands must be reliably protected from adverse weather conditions. It is unlikely that you will have to think about what to do if your fingers get frostbite if you choose mittens made from alpaca or merino wool. But if they get wet, the risk of hypothermia increases significantly. Gloves that are too tight are also not suitable, as your fingers will quickly become numb and lose sensitivity.

IN winter period Do not apply moisturizer to your hands before going outside. It is better to avoid metal rings. They cool quickly and become an additional source of cold. Too tight jewelry interferes with blood circulation in the fingers. So wearing them is generally harmful.

You will have to give up cigarettes in the fresh air. Smoking slows blood circulation in the extremities and increases the risk of frostbite on the hands. It is recommended to go out into the cold well-fed, then the body will be able to spend the calories received on warming up. If you need to stay outside for a long time, you can take some vasodilator drug from your home medicine cabinet for better blood flow.

Frostbite is tissue damage that occurs under prolonged exposure to low temperatures. Frostbite usually occurs in winter, especially if there is high humidity and windiness. Most often it occurs at temperatures of -10 degrees Celsius and below, but under certain conditions it can occur even when the air temperature is significantly above zero. The most susceptible areas of the body to frostbite are the fingers and toes, so this article is entirely devoted to the topic “Frostbite of the fingers, symptoms and treatment.”

Frostbite of the fingers is divided into four degrees of severity, each with its own symptoms:

In most cases it occurs with short exposure to cold. The first degree of frostbite - the skin becomes swollen and pale, and its sensitivity is absent or significantly reduced. When the fingers are already warm, the swelling increases, and the skin becomes blue-purple, burning, itching and Blunt pain. All these symptoms go away on their own in about a week. But increased sensitivity of the fingers to low temperatures may persist for many years.
The second degree of frostbite occurs with longer exposure to cold. First, frostbitten fingers become cold, pale and lose sensitivity. During warming up, the fingers gradually become blue-purple and swelling begins. The main sign that this is stage 2 is the appearance of blisters with transparent contents on frostbitten fingers (appear in the first days after frostbite). The skin of the fingers is completely restored in 1-2 weeks, usually no scars remain.
Dark brown and dark red blisters appear, and skin necrosis occurs. Fingers are cold and pale. At 2-3 weeks, the rejection of dead tissue ends, then scarring occurs and this process can already last about a month. Rough scars remain.
The most severe degree of frostbite involves the death of all tissues, and sometimes even bones. Frostbitten fingers have a marbled or bluish color. After warming up, swelling begins and increases rapidly. The temperature of frostbitten fingers remains much lower than in non-frostbitten areas. One of the signs of fourth degree frostbite is the absolute loss of sensation in the fingers.

Know the symptoms and treating the problem will become easier. Frostbite can cause you to lose a limb because severe frostbite often provoke the development of gangrene, how can you save your fingers from frostbite? So, frostbite of fingers, treatment and first aid:

As trivial as it may seem, at the first signs of frostbite, you need to make every effort to stop it. Get rid of wet clothes as soon as possible, and carefully wash your fingers in lukewarm water, then wrap them in several layers of warm clothing and warm them up. This method is applicable only for first degree frostbite.
Massage your fingers from time to time.
Lubricate frostbitten fingers with hygienic lipstick before starting to warm them up, this will reduce the chance that the skin will crack, and, as you know, frostbitten, cracked skin is not at all easy to treat in winter.
Can be used for massage next remedy: grind a few peppercorns, then fry them in 1 tbsp. l. sesame seed oil or hot mustard. Strain the resulting mixture and rub in while it is warm.
In case of frostbite of the second degree and above, you should first carefully and gently rub your fingers with a napkin, after moistening it with alcohol or vodka, after which you can dip your fingers in barely warm water, then start very slowly (20-30 minutes) to bring the water temperature to 36-37 degrees Celsius. After this, you can begin to rub your fingers little by little (lightly) until sensitivity begins to appear.
You should try not to move frostbitten fingers. Hemorrhage may occur in a frostbitten finger, since the blood vessels become much more fragile during frostbite. You can even apply a splint.
Give the victim a hot liquid to drink, it could be milk, tea or something else.

In what cases should you seek medical help?

Increasing pain when warming up, and the fingers remain cold and pale (most likely this indicates very serious frostbite).
Frostbite in an elderly person or child.
The appearance of blisters on the fingers. It is important to remember not to pop the blisters yourself.
If the following symptoms appear: cold and pale skin, slow breathing, severe trembling, lethargy, drowsiness, extreme fatigue, impaired consciousness or confusion (all these are symptoms of general hypothermia, which can be very dangerous).

What to avoid if you have frostbite.

Under no circumstances should you open blisters (if any) on frostbitten fingers.
Drink coffee or alcohol or any other drinks that dilate blood vessels, as this can lead to rupture of fragile frozen blood vessels.
Lubricate your fingers with ointments or grease, as this only worsens the cooling and injures the skin.
Rub intensively, immerse in hot water, take a hot shower and other methods of sudden warming. The fact is that because of this, too sharp a temperature difference occurs in the tissues, which prevents blood flow from being restored, and this in turn can lead to skin necrosis.
Rub your fingers with snow. In this case, the cooling only intensifies, while warming is necessary.

Prevention.

If it’s frosty outside, you should only go out after putting on some clothes. layered clothing and ensure that shoes are loose and dry.
Smoking in the cold is not recommended, as smoking reduces blood circulation in the extremities, making them more vulnerable to cold.
You should not lubricate your face with moisturizing creams before going out into the cold. If the temperature is very low, then you should avoid cosmetics altogether; in mild frost, you can use oily cosmetics.
Refrain from wearing metal jewelry; metal cools quickly and turns into another source of cold.