Jackfrost Nipping At Your Nose?

We have all heard the old wives tale that going out in cold weather can make you catch a cold. It is simply not true. The way colds are caught is by coming into contact with someone who already has a cold virus. Wet hair, cold weather and chills do not cause colds. Colds seem more contagious in the winter because people are indoors more often and the viruses are spread more easily. When you are inside you have more contact with dry air and people with colds. Dry air can possibly lower your resistance to infection.

While cold weather can not cause the cold virus, spending time outdoors in cold weather or in a building that is not well heated can cause people injuries. One of the injuries cold weather can cause is frost nip. Frost nip affects the skin on your face, ears, or fingertips. It can cause numbness and blue-white skin color for a short time. There is no permanent tissue damage.

Another injury you can develop from exposure to cold weather is frostbite. Frostbite is the freezing of the skin and the tissues under the skin because of temperatures below freezing. The symptoms of frostbite include pale or blue, cold, numb and stiff or rubbery skin. There is another thing to watch out for when you are exposed to cold weather. When you develop trench foot or chilblains, your skin looks pale and blistered after it has been warmed. The skin is not actually frozen like it is when you are frostbitten.

One very serious injury you should try to prevent when exposed to the cold weather is hypothermia. Hypothermia is when the body loses heat faster than it can make heat. Some symptoms to look out for are shivering, clumsy movement, apathy, poor judgment, and cold, pale, blue-gray skin. Hypothermia can lead to unconsciousness or death if heat loss is not stopped.

There are risk factors that will make you more susceptible to the cold weather. They are:
-Being a baby or an older adult.
-Imbibing alcohol.
-High altitudes, windy or wet weather.
-Not dressing properly.
-Having wet skin or wearing wet clothes.
-Being tired or dehydrated.
-Working in a cold environment like a cold storage unit.

Smoking cigarettes or drinking caffeine will also make you colder because it narrows the blood vessels in hands and feet and less blood flows to those places making them chillier.

Here are some keys to prevention to follow:
-Bring an emergency kit including high calorie foods, extra water, clothing and blankets when you travel to a cold climate.
-Head for shelter when the weather gets colder.
-Avoid sweating because it increases heat loss through evaporation.
-Avoid touching metal.
-Eat plenty of food.
-Drink plenty of water.
-Keep hands and feet dry.
-Wear glasses or goggles for outdoor activities.
-Wear layers.-Cover head, neck and face. A lot of your body heat is lost from these areas.