36 Am I hypothermic if I am shivering and/or my hands/feet are cold?
Description
This article is from the Sea Kayaking FAQ, by Todd Leigh with numerous contributions by others.
36 Am I hypothermic if I am shivering and/or my hands/feet are cold?
Mild shivering and cold hands/feet does not indicate you are severely
hypothermic. These signs do mean you are losing more heat than you are
producing and your body is adjusting its temperature. Shivering is one
way your body produces heat to warm itself. Cold hands and feet
indicate your body is fighting the cold by reducing the flow of blood
to the extremities. Reduced blood flow to the extremities helps to
reduce heat loss and helps maintain the body's core temperature. Do
take these signs as a warning.
Uncontrolled shivering does mean you are hypothermic. A lack of
shivering does not mean you are not hypothermic since a symptom of
severe hypothermia (core temperature less than 90 degrees F) is the
lack of shivering.
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