MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – During the freezing cold conditions, people are advised to stay indoors as much as possible. However, it isn’t always easy for those who work outside in the conditions.
Dr. Christopher Harkin, an Urgent Care physician at SSM Health, says it’s important to dress properly in layers to prevent frostbite and hypothermia.
“When people get cold, they start to shiver. When do we start to get worried about hypothermia and it becoming an emergency? Is when all of a sudden you go from shivering to not shivering anymore,” Dr. Harkin said.
He says if you get to the point where your speech starts to get slurred, you start getting confused or feeling drowsy, then it’s an emergency.
“Those people do need to be taken to the emergency room and be warmed,” Dr. Harkin added.
He also says, when you’re working outside in the cold, you need to stay hydrated.
“They forget that when they’re working outdoors like this and especially if it’s so cold and in the wind, you got to keep drinking water. Because one of the things that happens, you forget that you do get dehydrated. That cold will suck the fluid out of you,” he said.
Harkin also says to cover up your face, ears, nose and fingers. He suggests even wearing ski goggles to protect your eyes from the cold.
“The big thing is with hypothermia, remember when you stop shivering and you start having a little bit of confusion, it’s time to get warm.”
He adds people who have coexisting illnesses like heart disease, high blood pressure or diabetes are more susceptible to having problems in the cold.
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