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It is a common misconception that being physically cold means you will catch a cold, perhaps due to respiratory infections they usually fly during the winter months. While the coldest weather it can make us more susceptible to infections – for example, sitting down immune defenses against respiratory viruses – cold conditions don’t really do that cause the disease in the first place.
But there are various other conditions that are caused by colder temperatures. An example is hypothermia, which is caused by a dangerous drop in body temperature.
Normally, the human body temperature is tightly regulated at about 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius). award or receive a degree or more. This allows all normal physiological processes in the body to continue.
Related: How does a person rise to death?
However, if one is exposed to extremely cold temperatures, the body it may not be able to produce heat as fast as it loses itcausing a person’s core body temperature to drop. If an individual’s body temperature falls below 95 F (35 C)may develop hypothermia.
Hypothermia causes a variety of symptoms, including shivering; pale, cold and dry skin; slurred speech; and slow breathing. If left untreated, hypothermia can result in organ dysfunction and failure. which can eventually lead to death. Every year, between 700 and 1,500 people die of hypothermia in the US.
Exposure to temperatures below 32 F (0 C), especially for long periodsit can also cause a skin condition known as frostbite. children, homeless people and the elderly are particularly at risk of this condition. Freezing usually occurs in the extremities of the body, like fingers, feet, nose and ears. Intense cold causes the water inside the tissues to freezerestricting blood flow and potentially resulting in tissue death. Consequently, the patient’s skin may turn purple or blue, and in severe cases, the dead tissue may have to be removed by surgery or amputation.
Another condition that is caused by cold weather and affects blood circulation is Reynaud’s syndrome. Dr. Rachel Amduran assistant professor of medicine at Northwestern University, told Live Science.
Reynaud’s disease causes blood vessels to narrow – especially those in the extremities, such as the fingers and toes, turning them white or blue. The condition is triggered by the cold in people who are predisposed to having the syndrome, Amdur said. This includes individuals with a family history of the conditionpeople with certain other diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, or those who are taking certain medications, including some used to treat high blood pressure or migraines.
Further examples of diseases that are caused by cold weather include trench foot – a type of foot injury caused by prolonged exposure to cold and wet conditions; chilblains, in which itchy swellings appear on the skin; and cold urticaria, in which the skin forms hives.
Cold weather can also aggravate other diseases, such as eczema and respiratory conditions like asthma OR chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), said Amdur. What’s more, heart attacks are more common in winter—likely because people’s blood vessels constrict, raising blood pressure and forcing the heart to work harder than usual.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice.
