How to Treat Hypothermia: Immediate First Aid and Recovery Steps

Hypothermia occurs when the body loses more heat than it produces. It is caused by exposure to cold or immersion in cold water (a frozen lake or river). It is also caused by prolonged exposure to temperatures below 10°C, and the risks are greater if you are tired or dehydrated. If left untreated, hypothermia can be fatal

Recognizing the symptoms of hypothermia

Take the patient's temperature . Use a rectal, axillary, or oral thermometer to take the patient's temperature. Body temperature is the best way to identify the severity of the problem. 

• A person with mild hypothermia will have a body temperature between 32°C and 35°C.
• A person with moderate hypothermia will have a body temperature between 28°C and 32°C.
• A person with severe hypothermia will have a body temperature below 28°C.
• A caregiver can tell if a person is suffering from hypothermia. This condition not only affects judgment, but also causes confusion and behavioral disturbances. The patient may not realize their condition and will need to undergo an examination to confirm their condition.

Look for signs of mild hypothermia. These include:

• shivering
• fatigue and asthenia
• pale and cold skin
• hyperventilation or breathing difficulties
• the person has difficulty expressing themselves and cannot perform simple tasks such as picking up objects or moving around a room

Look for signs of moderate hypothermia. These include: :

• confusion or drowsiness
• fatigue and asthenia
• pale and cold skin
• hyperventilation and breathing difficulties
• A person with moderate hypothermia will experience tremors, difficulty speaking, and reduced judgment. They will try to cover themselves even though they will still be cold. This means that their condition is deteriorating and requires immediate medical attention.

Seek immediate medical attention if you experience any of these symptoms. Even if the person has mild hypothermia, you should get them to a doctor immediately. Mild hypothermia can worsen if left untreated .

• Take the person to the hospital if they are unconscious or have a weak pulse. These symptoms are signs of severe hypothermia. The person will appear dead, but you must notify emergency services immediately to confirm their condition and determine if they can still be treated. Their condition is potentially life-threatening.
• Medical treatment remains an option to resuscitate a person suffering from severe hypothermia. However, there is no guarantee of success.

Touch your baby's skin if you think he or she has hypothermia. Babies with hypothermia appear normal, but their skin is cold and they are unusually quiet or refuse to eat. .

• If you think your baby has hypothermia, call emergency services for immediate care.

Treat symptoms while waiting for medical attention

Call emergency services . Regardless of the type of hypothermia the person has, you should call emergency services for immediate care. The first half hour after symptoms appear is the most critical phase. You can treat the patient while waiting for the ambulance or doctor to arrive

Move the person away from the cold. Place the person with hypothermia in a room warmed to room temperature. If you can't get in somewhere, protect them from the wind with extra clothing, especially around the neck and head..

• Use towels, blankets, or other clothing to protect her from the cold floor.
• Don't let her help you, as she may only waste her energy and make her condition worse

Take off his wet clothes. Replace these wet clothes with other warm, dry clothes (or warm, dry blankets

Gradually warm the person with hypothermia. Do not heat them too quickly with a heat lamp or a hot bath. Instead, apply warm, dry compresses to their trunk, neck, chest, and groin..

• If you are using hot water bottles or hot water bottles, wrap them in a towel before applying them to these areas.
• Do not warm their arms, hands, or legs. Heating or massaging limbs in this situation is harmful to the heart and lungs and can cause more serious health problems..
• Don't warm her up by hugging her. You might just irritate her skin and put her into shock 

Give her a warm, sweet, non-alcoholic drink. Ask her if she can swallow before giving her any liquid or food. Caffeine-free herbal tea or hot water with honey and lemon will work. The sugar in these drinks will recharge her batteries. You can also give her high-energy foods like chocolate..

• Don't give him alcohol, as it slows down the body's warming process. Also, avoid cigarettes and tobacco products, which impair blood circulation and also slow down the body's warming process

Make sure they stay warm and dry. Once the person has started to warm up and their condition has improved, keep them covered in warm, dry blankets (or towels) until help arrives

Perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation . If the person with hypothermia shows no signs of life, help them. If they are not breathing, coughing, or moving, and their pulse has weakened, you should perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation .

• Locate the center of his chest. Look for the space between his ribs at a bone called the sternum.
• Place the palm of one hand over this space. Place the other hand over the first and interlace your fingers. Keep your elbows straight and align your shoulders with your hands.
• Begin compressions. Press as hard as you can on the sternum while counting to 30. Your compression rate should be 100/minute. Compress while listening to the disco song "Stayin' Alive" to maintain a steady rhythm. Allow the chest to return to its original shape between each compression.
• Tilt his head back and lift his chin. Pinch his nose and place your mouth on his. Blow until you see his chest rise. Blow twice, making sure each breath lasts one second.
• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation must be performed over a prolonged period. Young patients with severe hypothermia have reportedly survived after an hour of resuscitation. If there is another person with you, take turns to avoid overexertion.

Assist emergency services

Let the medical personnel determine the severity of the situation. Once help arrives, paramedics will assess the condition of the person suffering from hypothermia .

• A person with mild to moderate hypothermia, but no other problems, does not require hospitalization. Paramedics may recommend other home treatments combined with gradual rewarming. If the person has severe hypothermia, they will need to be hospitalized.

Let paramedics perform CPR if necessary. If the person is unconscious or unresponsive when help arrives, paramedics should perform CPR

Ask your doctor about cardiopulmonary bypass. This is possible in cases of severe hypothermia. Once you arrive at the hospital, discuss possible treatment options with your doctor, especially if the person's condition is critical.

• Cardiopulmonary bypass involves pumping blood to warm it before returning it to the body. The procedure is also known as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
• This technique is only offered in large hospitals with specialized emergency departments or units accustomed to performing cardiac surgeries.
• A person with severe hypothermia is generally more likely to survive if taken directly to one of these hospitals (even if that means skipping smaller hospitals along the way). There are alternatives to cardiopulmonary bypass, such as intravenous fluid warmers, chest tubes with a warming device, or heated hemodialysis.