As divers, we are often exposed to extreme temperatures for prolonged periods of time. Due to this, temperature-related injuries happen to divers more often than they happen to most other sports enthusiasts. Part of the problem is that the temperature beneath the surface is often drastically different from temperatures encountered topside; this contributes to problems such as hypothermia, hyperthermia, heat stroke, and heat exhaustion. Luckily, there are methods for preventing these issues; here, we’ll discuss these, along with the symptoms of and treatments for some temperature-related injuries.
Understanding Temperature Related Injuries
Our bodies are designed to function properly within a certain, narrow range of temperatures. If our core temperatures are higher or lower than the optimum range, a number of biochemical reactions cannot take place; even worse, if our core temperatures drop to extreme lows or skyrocket to extreme highs and remain there for an extended period of time, serious health problems can result – and in some cases, death can occur.
Hypothermia
When the body’s core temperature drops below the temperature required for normal operation, which is 95 degrees Fahrenheit or 35 degrees Celsius, hypothermia can occur. This condition is triggered by rapid loss of heat to the point that the body is not able to compensate. Once it happens, the body’s functions begin to shut down. This compromises your judgment and may make you feel sleepy; as your body begins to freeze, your normal metabolic functions slowly shut down. If the body is not warmed, death will occur.
In divers, hypothermia is typically caused by prolonged exposure to cold water without appropriate exposure protection. Symptoms include shivering, rapid heartbeat, and mild hypothermia; in severe cases, brain activity is affected, causing confusion and adversely affecting the sufferer’s ability to make decisions. Paralysis occurs prior to coma.
Hypothermia is fairly simple to prevent – just keep your body warm, and your risk will be reduced. Never dive without proper exposure protection, and drink warm liquids to help ward of chills.
If someone is suffering from hypothermia, get him or her to a warm environment and replace wet clothing with warm, dry clothing, and blankets. Have the affected party rub his or her chest rapidly to promote circulation and increase warmth. If the victim is not able to do this, someone else should do it for them. If breathing stops, begin rescue breathing. Check the victim for a pulse; if none is present, administer CPR. In all cases, call for emergency medical aid and get the affected party to a hospital if possible.
Hyperthermia
Hyperthermia is the opposite of hypothermia; it happens when the body overheats and core temperature remains higher than 101 degrees Fahrenheit or 38.5 degrees Celsius. When the body absorbs more heat than it can dissipate via sweating and respiration, as can happen during prolonged periods of exposure to very hot water, direct sunlight, and hot wind, hyperthermia is the result.
The symptoms of hyperthermia include nausea, headache, and dizziness. When someone fails to sweat when exposed to hot conditions, this could indicate hyperthermia.
Preventing hyperthermia is fairly simple. By ensuring that you keep yourself hydrated, you promote the body’s cooling system to work properly. In the absence if the ability to sweat, hyperthermia can happen rapidly.
Treating hyperthermia involves cooling the affected party. Get him or her out of the sun, and remove any warm clothing. Provide the victim with liquid to drink (not too cold, as this can shock the system,) and call for medical assistance. If at all possible, spray the body with cool water or cover the victim with a thin layer of fabric, such as a sheet, which has been soaked in water. This will facilitate evaporation and speed cooling.
Heat Stroke
In heat stroke, the body’s core temperature rises rapidly, ultimately reaching at least 106 degrees Fahrenheit or 41 degrees Celsius. If not treated immediately, heat stroke can result in death.
The causes of heat stroke are identical to those of hyperthermia. Even short periods of exposure to intense heat can lead to heat stroke, and people who are obese, very young, or extremely elderly, along with those suffering from heart conditions, have higher risk levels than others. Symptoms include headache, confusion, nausea, and vomiting; unconsciousness and seizures follow rapidly if treatment is not provided.
By preventing hyperthermia, you will also prevent heat stroke and heat exhaustion. Be sure to stay hydrated and avoid direct exposure to hot sun – even a small spot of shade is cooler than a fully exposed area. If treatment is required, get the victim out of the sun or hot wind, and get them to a cool place. Remove warm clothing or anything tight fitting, then cool the body by spraying it with water. Monitor temperature if possible, and provide cool (not cold) non-alcoholic beverages. Call for medical help.
Heat Exhaustion
The aftereffects of heat stroke and hyperthermia are often referred to as heat exhaustion; in addition, it can be caused by prolonged periods of exposure to hot temperatures. As with hyperthermia and heat stroke, heat exhaustion can be much worse for the old, the very young, the obese, and anyone with cardiovascular problems.
The symptoms of heat exhaustion include headache, heavier sweating than normal, mild fever, nausea, and a weak pulse; cramping can also occur. To treat heat exhaustion, get the affected party to a cool spot where he or she can rest comfortably. Provide cool non-alcoholic beverages (not ice cold), and spray the body with cool water. If possible, allow the victim to take cool baths to aid in speeding the body’s cooling process.
Preventing temperature-related illness is much easier, not to mention much safer, than taking risks and ultimately having to provide treatment. By wearing the appropriate exposure protection including a hood and gloves in cold water, and by monitoring the way your body is responding to the environment and the stresses that come along with exposure, you can almost certainly prevent hypothermia, heat stroke, hyperthermia, heat exhaustion, and even simple discomfort from occurring.