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Frostbite of the feet and legs is quite common during the Polish winter. Unfortunately, the weather around is not very pleasant, already in January, and sometimes even in December, the temperatures very often exceed minus ten to twenty degrees Celsius. It is easy to get frostbite even on a regular walk, if only we are not properly prepared. How to treat frostbite, when to see a doctor?
Causes of frostbite of the feet and legs
- Firstly, frostbite can occur if the shoes in which we move are completely slipped;
- Very cold air temperature and shoes that are not suitable for the weather can also contribute to the occurrence of frostbite;
- It is worth taking care of putting on warmer socks and thicker, insulated, waterproof shoes during the winter to prevent excessive cooling of the feet. It is worth paying special attention to the clothes of children who travel alone to school.
Frostbite of the feet and legs: how to act?
If frostbite is not very painful and you see that you do not need to call a doctor (e.g. toes return to their natural color after a moment spent in warmth), then home remedies for treating frozen feet and legs should be used. Protecting the skin of the feet after frostbite should be a priority for us, so it is worth investing in better footwear right away.
First of all, it is worth taking a hot bath and, above all, a warming massage, which will facilitate blood supply to those body tissues that have been frostbitten. When the feeling in the legs completely returns, it is worth starting to use ichthyol ointment, which is smeared on the entire frostbitten surface, excluding those places where the skin has been damaged. Sterile gauze should be applied to such places and covered with a larger plaster. At home, you can also use slightly warmed olive oil, with which you should slowly warm up your feet by massaging them.
What else will help with frostbitten legs?
- Thermal insoles that will warm your feet in shoes;
- Lubricating the feet and legs with lotion with vitamin A. Skin care in case of frostbite is extremely important.
Symptoms of frostbite legs. How to recognize them?
- Most often we feel a piercing cold, which goes away after a while. We lose feeling in our legs, including temperature;
- Places frostbitten begin to hurt, especially after returning home – to the warmth. This is the first sign of chilling these parts of our body;
- Feet and legs are additionally stiff and numb, difficult to move;
- The skin in these places of our body changes color, especially when the body warms up slowly;
- It is worth drinking plenty of fluids, warm drinks, such as slightly chilled tea.