Cold weather complications — emergency physician discusses health risks to the body

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — Our bodies face a number of potential health risks and complications when temperatures drop.

Dr. Steve Shelton, Emergency Care Physician with Prisma Health, says the human body is really good at losing heat, but not the best at holding on to it.

One of the most dangerous threats cold weather brings? Hypothermia.

“Couple of symptoms they need to notice. If they start to feel confused. If you start to feel like you have some ‘fumbly’ fingers. If you notice someone is not acting right as they normally would, that is a concern. Those are some of the early signs of potential hypothermia. Early on you’ll have involuntary shivering, but that shivering could stop as your temperature gets below 90 degrees, and you significantly lose temperature from there,” says Dr. Shelton.

Once that occurs, severe confusion and rapid heart beat sets in — until the person becomes unconscious.

“Temperature will initially cause the blood pressure to go up some. Which is interesting and can make some risk for folks, but as the body cools itself, we’re talking moderate to severe hypothermia, your body will have challenges maintaining blood pressures, blood pressures start to drop and then you get some concerns of some shock with it,” says Dr. Shelton.

Cold weather also exacerbates conditions like COPD, asthma, and emphysema.

“Cold weather not only causes irritation to the lungs themselves as your body’s temperature starts to drop, it can cause issues within normal breathing, normal movement, the inflammation that’s potentially in the lungs. For those with COPD, asthma, and emphysema, it could cause those to be made worse.”

Dr. Shelton says our immune systems also react less quickly during winter weather — leading to an increased potential of catching pneumonia.

Certain medicines can make you more vulnerable to the cold as well — including those for blood pressure, certain psychiatric conditions, and diabetes.

“It can significantly cause complications of hypothermia if your body’s blood sugar drops too much,” he says.