Look at my new post - Hypothermia & Hyperthermia; Prevention and Treatment

Guest Article Written by: Anthony Urso

When you think of bugging out, you may have some grand plans of sleeping under the stars and roughing it like a real survivor. Unfortunately, it isn’t quite as glamorous as many people assume. It may be incredibly cold or extremely hot. Both situations can be deadly. One of the most important rules of survival is in the top 5 Laws of 3. You have 3 hours to maintain your core body temperature. That means, you can only be really cold or really hot for about 3 hours before you start to experience hypothermia or hyperthermia. When your core body temperature fluctuates up or down by a couple of degrees from the 98.6 Fahrenheit goal, you are going to have problems. Symptoms come on quickly and spiral out of control even faster. You need to know how to prevent hypothermia and hypothermia and how to quickly treat it once you recognize the signs.

Hypothermia

Hypothermia is what happens when your body is too cold and the core body temperature begins to drop below 95 degrees. If you were walking through a snowstorm, you would have around 3 hours depending on your clothing and the outdoor temperature, before you started to lose body heat. When your body cannot generate enough heat, you begin to experience signs of hypothermia.

Symptoms

Some of the early warning signs of hypothermia include:

• Shivering


• Nausea


• Dizziness


• Confusion


• Feeling hungry


• Rapid breathing


• Rapid heart rate


• Trouble forming words


• Tiredness


• Lack of coordination

 

When you first notice these symptoms, it is time to find shelter and get out of the weather. You have to act quickly to start bringing up your body temperature. As the hypothermia worsens, you will experience more severe symptoms.

• Shivering begins to subside


• Extreme confusion, may get lost, take off coat and other clothing


• Slurred speech


• Extreme lethargy, will want to lay down and sleep


• Clumsy, unable to walk


• Shallow breathing


• Weak pulse


• No concern about self-preservation, giving up

 

The symptoms mentioned above are red critical. You have moments to seek shelter and warm up the body before you become unconscious and ultimately pass away if no intervention is taken. Often times, you won’t recognize the symptoms in yourself. It is easy to chalk your lethargy up to the fact you have been walking a while and you are really hungry because you haven’t had a good meal in a day or two. This is why it is important to teach your entire family the signs of hypothermia. They need to be able to recognize it in you and others so they can take immediate action.

 

Treatment

Once you know hypothermia is setting in, it is time to move.

• Get out of the cold and find some heat. Seek shelter and start a fire.


• Remove any wet clothing.


• Body heat is an excellent way to warm somebody. Sandwich a person experiencing hypothermia between two warm bodies in front of a fire.


• If person is conscious, try to get them to sip on warm soup or broth. Avoid giving them alcohol, coffee or tea. Warm water is also an option.

 

Prevention

• Keep dry, if you do get wet, change quickly


• Wear wool clothing


• Wear a hat to prevent body heat from escaping


• Only work outside in short spurts when the temperatures are freezing

 

Hyperthermia

Hyperthermia is the opposite and means your body is overheated. This can happen in extreme heat or high humidity situations. It is often called heat exhaustion and in the most severe form, heat stroke.

 

Symptoms

Early warning symptoms are as follows:

• Headache


• Fainting


• Dizziness


• Fatigue


• Muscle cramps


• Nausea or abdominal cramps


• Dark urine—indicating dehydration


• Rapid heart rate


• Profuse sweating


• Clammy skin

 

If the condition is not treated right away, it can progress into a heat stroke, which is life threatening.

• Confusion


• Lack of coordination


• Vomiting


• No sweat despite being very hot


• Seizures


• Unconsciousness

Hyperthermia is extremely dangerous. It is important you take action at the first sign of a headache, which is the key indicator of heat exhaustion.

 

Treatment

• Get out of the heat immediately. Find shelter in the shade.


• Drink water, slowly in order to re-hydrate the body. Do not gulp water as this will cause vomiting, which exacerbates the dehydration.


• Gently fan the overheated person.


• If ice is available, place ice packs in the groin area, under the armpits, the back of the neck and on the person’s back.


• Taking a dip in a lukewarm bath or standing under a cool stream of water can also help lower the body temperature back to a safe level quickly.

 

Prevention

Your best treatment of hyperthermia is prevention! Avoid getting overheated.

• Do any outside work in the cool hours of the morning or late evening


• If you are walking, walk at night or in the early morning and seek shelter during the heat of the day


• Wear cotton clothing that will stay damp with sweat and help cool you


• Cover your head with a hat or scarf


• Cover your skin with lightweight cotton or silk to prevent sunburn


• Double the amount of water you would normally drink

 

Before you ever head out into the wilderness, make sure you are prepared for the weather. Extreme heat or cold can be more deadly than whatever it is you are running from.

 

As a firefighter, I see every day how an emergency can affect a family. I strive on helping people with their emergency and survival plans while continuing the course on my own preparedness journey.

You can learn more on our  HomesteadandPrepper.com

 

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