Hypothermia
A dangerous dip in body temperature below 35C is known as hypothermia (average body temperature is around 37C). It is a medical emergency that requires hospital treatment.
When to rush to a medical emergency
When you suspect someone, and they exhibit any of these symptoms:
- Shivering
- Their skin is pale, chilly, and dry; their lips might be blue
- Muddled speech
- Slow breathing
- Fatigue or forgetfulness
If a newborn has hypothermia, they could be:
- They could be chilly to the touch and have red skin
- Floppy
- Unusually quiet, sleepy, and possibly unwilling to eat
What to do while you wait for assistance
Do
- Move the individual as soon as to an indoors or a protected area
- Take off all of their wet clothing, cover their head with a dry towel, blanket, or sleeping bag, and take off any shoes
- If they’re awake, give them a warm, non-alcoholic beverage and some sugary food, like chocolate
- Talk to them and keep them awake until assistance arrives
- Assure them that you or someone else remains with them
Don’t
- Don’t warm them up with a hot bath, water bottle, or a heat light
- Don’t rub their hands, feet, legs, or arms.
- Never provide them with alcohol to drink
- These are ineffective and might even make matters worse
What causes hypothermia?
When you become too chilly, and your body temperature falls below 35C, hypothermia occurs.
Hypothermia can occur if you:
- Don’t dress warmly enough while it’s cold outside.
- Linger too long outside in the cold
- Drop into chilly water
- Wear wet clothing and become chilly
Living in a cold home puts older individuals in danger, especially those who live alone
Hospital treatment
You’ll have your heart rate checked and oxygen to help you breathe. To assist your body in warming up, you might also receive warm liquids directly injected into a vein.
You might require treatment in an intensive care unit if you have severe hypothermia.
Reviewed by – Dr. Priyanka, MBBS MD Microbiology
Page last reviewed: 04 October 2022