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Preparing for dangerous frostbite is best way to prevent it

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People will need to use good judgment in coming days as single-digit temperatures and double-digit winds push wind chills to dangerous levels.

Both cases of frostbite treated at Mercy Hospital so far this winter resulted from people making bad decisions, said Dr. Joseph Mazzei, board certified emergency medicine physician.

"One was associated with alcohol use. The other was a person making a poor decision to take a very long, unnecessary walk in cold weather, not prepared and without proper clothing," Mazzei said.

"So check weather conditions, limit time outside and make sure that if your clothes become wet to change into dry and get out of the cold," he said.

"If damage to tissue is severe enough, it won't heal, and those affected parts would have to be amputated," he said.

The National Weather Service, Sullivan, forecasts northwest winds of 15 to 25 mph with wind chill readings as low as 39 degrees below zero today through Thursday.

Mazzei said the best way to be safe is recognize the early signs of frostbite.

"One of the first things you'll feel is pain," he said.

When that happens, "get out of the cold," Mazzei said.

Cold and wind contribute to putting a person at risk for frostbite along with the duration of exposure.

"Moisture also conducts cold into the skin faster and puts you at risk," Mazzei said.

Those with diabetes or poor circulation are at greater risk.

"People with diabetes usually have poor blood flow. And if you're not getting blood flow, you're not getting heat to your extremities, which puts you at risk for getting colder faster and getting frostbite," Mazzei said.

Those who let themselves get dehydrated also put themselves at risk.

"Again, it's a blood flow thing. If you're out in the cold, the body needs all its energy and functions working properly to maintain body heat. Having enough water and fluids is very important for the body to maintain all its functions," Mazzei said.

Hands and feet are the most susceptible to frostbite, then the face, ears, nose and lips because they are usually exposed to the cold more than any other body parts, he said.

Most important, Mazzei said, is to "get out of wet clothes, put on dry, then get to safety."

Those who must work outside during extreme weather should make sure they are properly dressed and recognize early symptoms—discomfort in hands, feet or face—then take breaks from the cold.

"You can't stay out there continuously," Mazzei said.

"During the coming days, it can happen a lot faster than on other days. It all depends on the weather conditions you're in," he said.

It's time to seek medical attention when your pain is persistent, if you have loss of feeling, swelling or redness, Mazzei said.

But if after going inside the redness disappears, you have no loss of feeling and are able to move freely, "I wouldn't worry," he said.