无毛视频

Jan 15, 2025 By Zach Petroff 3 min read

It appears that the only thing in Western Pennsylvania that’s colder than the Steelers’ run defense is the actual temperature.

“It looks like we’re going to have a cold weather advisory for Southwestern Pennsylvania … into Wednesday,” said Jason Frazier, a meteorologist with the National Weather Center in Pittsburgh. “We’re looking at near-zero temperatures with the potential of the windchill getting down to -10 degrees.” 无毛视频╓ith temperatures expected to drop well below freezing over the next couple of days, people of all ages are at risk of cold-induced medical emergencies like frostbite and hyperthermia. Dr. Sundeep Ekbote, regional chief medical officer and regional chief of emergency medicine for Penn Highlands Southwest, emphasized the importance of taking precautions during these chilling times.

“We are all more susceptible to frostbite and hypothermia than we’d like to think. It is far more common than most people realize,” Ekbote said. “Prevention is going to be far more effective than trying to recover from these conditions.”

Frostbite is an injury that occurs when body tissues freeze because of sustained exposure to cold temperatures. It can lead to permanent damage and in some severe cases, amputation.

“When it gets cold, your blood vessels constrict and in order to keep your core – your brain and heart and lungs – warm there’s decreased circulation to the extremities through the constriction of the blood vessels. (T)he constriction can lead to some damage to soft tissues with ice crystal formation or even freezing the soft tissues,” Ekbote said.

While staying in helps folks stay out of harm’s way, Frazier and Ekbote had advice for those who have to venture outside.

“If you have to be outside, make sure you wear plenty of layers to shield from the cold, try to reduce the time outside, and please remember that long-term exposure can lead to some very potentially dangerous outcomes, like loss of limb,” Frazier said.

Ekbote echoed that advice, noting that no one is immune from frostbite.

“I have seen numerous cases of frostbite of fingers and toes from people shoveling snow in subfreezing temperatures,” Ekbote said. “It can happen when people are outside for any prolonged amount of time with inadequate clothing or protection.”

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When the temperature drops low enough, even shoveling snow can lead to frostbite.

Along with frostbite, prolonged exposure to the cold can lead to hypothermia, which occurs when the body loses more heat than it can make causing the body’s temperature to drop dangerously low, usually below 95 degrees.

“The earliest sign of hypothermia is shivering – which is your body trying to generate heat involuntary to compensate for the external exposure,” Ekbote said. “As it progresses and becomes more severe, the shivering can actually diminish and stop altogether.”

Ekbote said a number of factors can lead to an increased risk for frostbite or hypothermia, including age, dehydration, malnutrition, alcohol or tobacco use, and conditions that include diabetes, thyroid dysfunction and difficulties with the circulatory system.

In cases of suspected hypothermia, Ekbote said it’s imperative to get the person out of the cold and to immediately get them medical attention.

The exposed area of someone experiencing the beginning stages of frostbite will feel cold, numb or firm. Ekbote advised circulating the area in water that’s around 100 degrees and then seeking medical help.

“We don’t want you to rub the area that is frostbit, because that could actually further damage the tissue that is frozen and increase the risk of losing a limb,” he said.