In adults, signs of hypothermia can include constant shivering, confusion, sleepiness, muscle stiffness, slurred speech, trouble seeing and memory loss. When hypothermia worsens, the person will stop shivering, so lack of shivering does not mean the person has recovered. In infants, hypothermia may cause symptoms such as bright red, cold skin and very low energy. Symptoms of frostbite might include skin turning very white and soft or yellowish accompanied by an itching or burning sensation, to numbness and reddened or swollen skin. Severe frostbite symptoms include blistering and hardened skin.

What to Do

You can help someone with hypothermia by getting the person out of the cold and to a dry, warm place and by calling for emergency care right away. Remove wet clothing and warm the person with dry clothes, blankets, towels or your own body heat. Be sure to cover the person’s head and keep them still because too much movement may cause cardiac arrest. Keep the person in a horizontal (flat) position. Give artificial respiration or CPR (if you are trained) as necessary.

To help someone with frostbite, get the person to a warm, dry place and remove constrictive and wet clothing. Rapidly re-warm any frostbitten area in a water bath with the temperature of about 110 degrees F (similar temperature to a hot bath or shower). Do not rub frostbitten areas or apply direct heat. Once the area is warm, keep it warm. Don’t warm, freeze and re-warm, because doing so can cause major damage.

With hypothermia and frostbite, medical attention should be sought as soon as possible. ACEP wants you to stay warm with these tips:

• Limit your exposure to cold and go indoors if there is any doubt you are too cold. 
• Ingest plenty of food and liquid and stay as active as possible. 
• Be careful of things that restrict your circulation such as smoking, tight clothing and footwear, and fatigue.

Ask your doctor if any medications you are taking can affect your circulation.

• Limit your hot toddies! Alcohol also affects your circulation. 
• Dress in multiple layers of clothing to trap warm air between layers. 
• Wear a hat outside. Doing so can prevent up to 20 percent of total body heat loss.