It looks like Mother Nature isn’t taking any breaks this winter; another Arctic blast is heading our way.

If you have to go outside, it’s important to make sure you’re bundled up. The risk of frostbite is very real in these frigid temperatures.

“Frostbite typically happens when the tips of your fingers and your toes freeze. It also commonly can be seen in your nose and your ears, though,” said Carole Parsons, MD, emergency medicine physician. “The ways to prevent this are by making sure that you are wearing warm apparel when out in the cold, but also changing your apparel whenever they get wet.”

Dr. Parsons said frostbite can happen any time temperatures drop below 32 degrees.

Symptoms tend to appear in three stages: the first is cold, soreness, and pain in the area, followed by pins and needles, and finally, numbness.
She said it’s critical to get to the emergency department if you suspect you have the second or third stage of frostbite.

There, they can get you the necessary treatment to help prevent long-term damage. In more mild cases, however, a person can usually treat their frostbite at home.

“If you do get the redness and that burning pain in your fingers or toes, it typically is safe to try to rewarm them at home,” she said. “You want to submerge them in a warm bath for about 30 minutes.”

She adds that hypothermia is also a big risk in this weather. Hypothermia happens when your body temperature drops below 95 degrees. If left untreated, it can be deadly.

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