Table of contents:
- Various causes of hypothermia that you need to know
- 1. Soak in cold water
- 2. Exposure to cold air
- 3. Operations
Living in tropical Indonesia, you may not be familiar with the term hypothermia and have only seen it in Western films. Most films usually depict hypothermia with people freezing cold from being caught in an Antarctic snowstorm. However, this problem does not only occur in places with snow or cold climates. Even if you can't take care of yourself during your activities in Indonesia, you can also get hypothermia. What can be the causes of hypothermia?
Various causes of hypothermia that you need to know
Hypothermia is a term used to describe a drastic and rapid drop in body temperature. The normal human body temperature is around 37.5 ° Celsius, but hypothermia can lower the body temperature to well below 35 ° Celsius.
Hypothermia occurs when the body fails to warm itself because the temperature changes so rapidly. Normally, the body will shiver once it starts to feel cold. Furthermore, the body will burn fat to produce heat in order to maintain normal core temperature. However, when you are constantly exposed to cold, this self-warming mechanism cannot work properly because the heat generated will not be sufficient. As a result, various symptoms of hypothermia appear.
Hypothermia is a medical emergency that needs to be treated immediately so that it is not fatal. When the body temperature drops dramatically, the work of the heart, nervous system, and organs will slowly begin to slowly fail to function. Without treatment, hypothermia can lead to heart failure and lung failure which can lead to death.
The most common cause of hypothermia is exposure to cold air or water. Various other causes of hypothermia that may occur as reported by Very Well, include:
1. Soak in cold water
Soaking in cold water for a long time can cause hypothermia. The cold water will dissipate the heat generated by the body, even 25 times faster than cold air.
You can also experience hypothermia if you swim for too long or constantly wear sweat-soaked clothes after exercise.
2. Exposure to cold air
Hypothermia is a major threat to mountaineers, which is often underestimated. The higher you climb, the lower and more windy the ambient temperature will be. The cold wind not only makes you shiver, but also gradually reduces your body temperature.
If cold air and rain occur when you go up a mountain, the combination of the two puts you at a greater risk of developing hypothermia.
3. Operations
Hypothermia is not always caused by the surrounding weather, but also when you get medical treatment such as surgery, especially major surgery.
Standard operating room temperature can range from 19–24ºC with a fairly low humidity (45–60 percent). This meant that the operating room was very cold and dry. Plus you will always be in a state of unconscious and naked (only under the gown) during the surgery. This can inhibit the body's mechanism for warming itself.
In addition, the skin that is supposed to be the heat guarding layer in the body will be slashed and opened. As a result, cold air can enter the internal organs of the body.
