Wisconsin winter weather; staying safe in the cold
MILWAUKEE - With the bitter cold comes safety concerns of frostbite and hypothermia. That's why doctors recommend being prepared for anything.
It only takes minutes before frostbite can kick in and doctors say if you don't have to be outside, avoid it.
Why you should care:
Ascension Columbia St. Mary's Regional Burn Center is gearing up for a bitter cold and busy week ahead.
Wound care specialist Melissa Kersten said right now, they're seeing a few frostbite patients a week, but expect those numbers to increase.
"The colder it gets, the quicker you can suffer from frostbite on your limbs or any part of your body really," Kersten said. "Making sure that we know what our bed capacity is, making sure we’re stocked up on all of our supplies."
SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News
Frostbite is a cold injury similar to a burn. Kersten said your limbs are the most at risk, including fingers, nose, ears and toes.
If you feel tingling or numbness, get inside and when it comes to re-warming, take it slow.
UW Health emergency physician Jeff Pothof said if your skin starts to turn red, or worse, purple, see a doctor. He also recommends always being prepared, like having gloves or a hat in the car, just in case your car breaks down.
Arctic air, potentially dangerous wind chills slated for Wisconsin
Bitter cold arctic air returns to Wisconsin. The National Weather Service may issue a Cold Weather Advisory for potentially dangerous wind chills Monday night and Tuesday morning.
"Water can get too hot and you can actually boil your fingers or toes if the water gets too hot," Pothof said.
And don't rub your hands together.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX6 News app for iOS or Android
"If you have frostbite, you have ice crystals in your tissues and they are sharp," Pothof said. "And when you rub your hands together you’re just damaging your tissues by pushing those ice crystals in and out of the tissues."
What's next:
Ascension is in the process of approving a new medication, iloprost, also known as Aurlumyn, that treats severe frostbite. It was approved by the FDA last year.
The Source: Ascension and UW Health information contributed to this story.