After surviving the nasty polar vortex that fell onto the northern part of the country, people will be surprised that their body temperature might not have been the only thing affected. Extreme weather such as this can put your health at risk in many ways besides a cold. With temperatures possibly getting worse, its important to know what risk you should look out for and how to avoid them.
Frost Bite
Most people would argue that they would prefer hot temperatures rather than cold. Cold weather can be unexpected and cause a drastic change in the environment going as far as to add multiple layers of clothing because our bodies can’t stand the chill. We do this in order to protect ourselves from the force of cold weather and avoid some of its nastiest effects. One of the effects is frostbite, which damages parts of your body, most often your ears, nose, cheeks, chin, fingers, and toes. This extreme weather can even leave unrepairable damage that can cost a limb.
Hypothermia
Another condition that occurs through the extreme cold is Hypothermia, which if not handled with haste can result in death. Hypothermia happens when your body temp drops below 95 degrees F. Your body ends up losing more heat than it can produce causing shivering, clumsiness, and confusion.
Heart Risk
Cold weather can also cause heart problems and can also increase risk of heart attacks. It’s harder for your heart to work in these extreme conditions, your heart rate and blood pressure are increased dramatically. You might also be at risk of blood clots due to the changes in your blood. If not managed properly severe damages can be foreseen.
Joint Pain
Cold weather can also cause severe pain to your joints. Without a key reason on why this happens, but many theories such as constriction from cold this pain can get sever enough to make even walking difficult.
Increased Cold Risk
It sounds silly, but we do not catch colds due to the cold weather, but it does play a part. During winter months we are inside more and most likely together in smaller areas. Our immune system takes a break during the winter season since your body becomes focused on blood flow. Although this is done to help your body stay warm, it also makes you less protected from disease.
Ways To Tackle The Cold
So how do you combat the threats brought upon by the cold weather? For one, you can try your best to bundle up and keep warm in your home. Stay away from the cold foods that might cause your body temperature to drop. Many thin layers are actually better to keep you warm than one thick layer. If you ever feel chills frequently or out of the normal you should seek a doctor immediatly to avoid any possible damage.
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