TUESDAY, Jan. 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The record-shattering cold weather that's gripping much of the United States can pose extreme health risks, doctors warn.
"It's best to limit your outdoor activity as much as possible, since prolonged exposure can lead to frostbite and hypothermia," said Dr. John Marshall, chair of emergency medicine at Maimonides Medical Center in New York City. "Both of these conditions can become serious, and even life-threatening if untreated."
Monday's deep freeze broke records for the date in Chicago, where the mercury plunged to minus 16. Records also fell in Oklahoma and Texas, the Associated Press reported.
In normally more temperate Atlanta, the temperature sank to 8 degrees. And New York City set a record low for the date Tuesday morning at 4 degrees.
When temperatures drop that low, there are many simple safeguards you can take to prevent severe injury, Marshall said.
They include:
When you're out in the cold, the part of your skin that's exposed will chill rapidly, experts say. This can lead to decreased blood flow and your body temperature can drop, leaving you susceptible to frostbite and hypothermia.
According to Marshall, frostbite "starts with tingling or stinging sensations. The face, fingers, and toes are the first body parts to be affected. Then muscles and other tissues can become numb." Additional signs of frostbite include redness and pain in the skin. This can lead to discolored and numb skin, he said.
Hypothermia, which often goes hand-in-hand with frostbite, can affect the brain, making it harder to think clearly and make smart decisions. Warning signs of hypothermia include shivering, confusion, slurred speech and drowsiness, Marshall said.
"If any of these symptoms become noticeable, you should protect the exposed skin, get to a warm place and seek immediate medical treatment," he said.
Some people are especially vulnerable to the dangers of cold weather. They include the elderly, those with diabetes, heart, or circulatory problems, and people who use alcohol, caffeine or other drugs that inhibit the body's ability to protect itself against the cold.
Dr. Robert Glatter, an emergency medicine physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, said there are several key factors that determine how long people can endure extremely cold temperatures. Those factors are wind speed, how well a person is dressed, and if their skin is wet or moist.
Shoveling snow or working in extremely cold temperatures can be dangerous because sweat decreases the ability of clothes to provide needed insulation.
Dressing in layers may help. Use the "three-layers guideline" to provide more effective insulation. The first layer helps to drain moisture or sweat. The second layer serves as insulation, while a third sturdy outer layer can help to block out the cold, Glatter said.
If you think you or another person is suffering from frostbite, get to a health-care professional as fast as possible or call 911. If you can't get immediate medical help for at least two hours, re-warm the affected area with warm water -- but it shouldn't be boiling or excessively hot. And drink warm, non-alcoholic fluids, Glatter said.
Cindy Lord is director of the physician assistant program at the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Conn. She likes to use the acronym C.O.L.D. when advising people on dealing with the cold.
More information
For more on protecting yourself in the cold, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.