READERS COMMENTS

The best way to warm severe hypothermia victims in the field is to try to warm their TORSO first. This can be done with very warm water bottles against the torso flesh.

Do NOT warm the arms and legs with extra heat at the same time. To do so will cause "Rebound" Hypothermia". i.e. the colder blood in teh extremeties will flow more rapidly into the core and lower the cor temperature dangerously.

A warm water enema is also a good way to warm the core. In all cases warming fluids need to be measured with a thermometer to be sure they are around 100 F. to 110 F.

Once a hypothermia victim is lucid and recovering warm electrolyte drinks like CytoMax should be given.
Posted: Feb 28, 2012 Eric B.

The best way to warm another person is skin on skin contact. This is the fast way to do it which according to this article is necessary because the hypothermia is severe. The warm person will be hugging a popsicle and will feel uncomfortable whereas the cold person will be getting hope. Also, administer warm/hot fluids that are not to hot to burn them but hot as possible.
Posted: Feb 06, 2012 Art of War

From my experience and learning, if you put a person with acute hypothermia into a sleeping bag, that may not help at all. REASON: His body can't produce heat to keep himself or the bag warm. My understanding is a sleeping bag already warmed up is a possibility or keep the person moving and then into the bag. If reasonable, put the patient in with another person who will provide the body warmth for both (minimal clothing). I've also been led to understand that having a person with hypothermia go to sleep while cold without warming them up may lead to death - since his extremities may end up getting less blood, including the brain, and increase the possibilities of organ shutdown. Confirm or correct please!
Posted: Feb 05, 2012 Ed A

Obviously the assumption one has to make when reading this is that there is no heat source available, because the first treatment (after moving the patient out of the weather and removing any wet clothing) is to *slowly* warm the person with a fire, a stove, a car heater, etc. (though where those 'hot water bottles' came from then is beyond me).
That said, I think the author intended "mild" to mean "sub-acute". And, as long as the subject is still shivering (i.e. mild or sub-acute hypothermia) it is absolutely fine to have them exercise, since this is essentially what shivering is, the muscles generating heat. Just don't let them sweat in the cold weather. And of course, warm liquids (never hot!) and high carb foods are always prescribed.

Posted: Feb 04, 2012 Scoutmaster Ed

Sorry not trying to be a know it all, but this article leaves some critical info out.
This article needs more details as to HOW the patient became hypothermic before you can really treat effectively, and safely.
Is the patient suffering Acute, or sub-acute hypothermia?
Acute hypothermia= man is doing fine until he falls into freezing water. Pull him out of the water and treat him as above.
Sub-acute hypothermia= person has been wandering all day without a jacket or too lite of a jacket in cool weather. (Around 45 degrees or so.) His body is now at the point where it is no longer capable of producing enough heat to compensate for ambient temps. Telling this man to do jumping jacks could actually make this person worse. He needs nutrients replenished and a warm sleeping bag, or fire to bring him back up.

Posted: Feb 03, 2012 Archbishop

Sorry not trying to be a know it all, but this article leaves some critical info out.
This article needs more details as to HOW the patient became hypothermic before you can really treat effectively, and safely.
Is the patient suffering Acute, or sub-acute hypothermia?
Acute hypothermia= man is doing fine until he falls into freezing water. Pull him out of the water and treat him as above.
Sub-acute hypothermia= person has been wandering all day without a jacket or too lite of a jacket in cool weather. (Around 45 degrees or so.) His body is now at the point where it is no longer capable of producing enough heat to compensate for ambient temps. Telling this man to do jumping jacks could actually make this person worse. He needs nutrients replenished and a warm sleeping bag, or fire to bring him back up.

Posted: Feb 03, 2012 Archbishop

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