Assessing and Treating Hypothermia
If you suspect that someone may be suffering from hypothermia, you can use the following tests to help determine which degree of hypothermia the person is under:
- If their shivering can be stopped voluntarily, the hypothermia is most likely mild
- If shivering cannot be stopped voluntarily, the hypothermia is moderate to severe.
- A person who is hypothermic will not be ale to answer a question that requires higher reasoning. An example of this would be asking the person to count backwards from 100 by 9's.
- If you cannot get a pulse at the wrist, the victim likely has a core temperature below 90° (severe hypothermia).
- If you find the victim curled up into the fetal position, try to extend their arms. If the victims arms curl back up, he/she is still alive. Dead muscles will not contract.
Treating Mild to Moderate Hypothermia
Reduce Heat Loss
- Add layers of dry clothing.
- Replace any wet clothes with dry ones.
- Increase physical activity.
- Seek suitable shelter.
Add Heat
- Fire/external heat source
- Body heat (2 people in a sleeping bad with dry clothes)
Helpful Foods
- Warm/hot liquids.
- Sugars
- Carbs: quick heat/energy source
- Proteins: long release of heat/energy
- Fats: long release of heat/energy, but requires more energy to break down and leads to increased fluid loss
Avoid the Following
- Alcohol: Increases heat and fluid loss.
- Caffeine: Leads to increased fluid loss.
- Nicotine: Constricts blood flow.
Treating Severe Hypothermia
Reduce Heat Loss
- Make sure the victim is dry.
- Protect the victim from all moisture in the environment
- Use multiple sleeping bags, blankets, and clothing.
- Create a minimum of 4 inches of insulation around the victim. This is especially important between the victim and the ground.
Add "Fuels" and Fluids
People suffering from hypothermia will not be able to digest solid foods. However, they can absorb water and sugars. Give the victim a warm, diluted mixture of sugar and water every 15 minutes. If possible, substitute Jello ® in place of sugar. The Jello contains sugar as well as some protein. Remember, use diluted mixtures only. Concentrated mixtures will not be absorbed. Also, you will need to help the victim urinate. This is helpful because the urine absorbs body heat. An empty bladder allows the body heat to be used heating up vital organs.
Add Heat
Heat sources can be applied to transfer heat to major arteries. The best places to increase heat transfer into the body is at the sides of the neck, under the armpits, near the groin, and at the palm of the hands. Possible heat sources can include, but are not limited to: hot water bottles, warm rocks, warm towels/clothing. Also, do not rub any part of the body to rewarm it. Frostbitten tissue will become even more damaged from the rubbing.
About Afterdrop
Afterdrop is the decrease in core temperature during the rewarming process. This happens when cold, stagnant blood is allowed back into the core due to the dilation of peripheral vessels (arms and legs) as they are rewarmed. To avoid this, try to rewarm the core only. Also, do not expose a severely hypothermic person to extreme heat.
About CPR and Hypothermia
When a person is severely hypothermic, he or she may display all the clinical signs of death. However, the person may still be alive. "A hypothermic person is never cold and dead only warm and dead. Make certain that the pulse is absent before you begin CPR. You will have to continue CPR as you rewarm the body.