Hypothermia: Types, Symptoms, Historical Perspectives and Causes

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Historical perspective of Hypothermia
Causes of Hypothermia
Metabolic Mechanisms That Are Associated With Hypothermia
Diagnosis of Hypothermia
Remediation
Conclusion
Works Cited

Introduction

The human body functions well under certain body conditions. One such condition is temperature. For metabolism and other processes to go smoothly, the temperature of the body has to be kept at a certain level. There are times when due to certain reasons that will be identified later in this essay, the body temperature drops below the required level, thus affecting the rate at which metabolism takes place. This is what is called hypothermia (Mccullough & Arora 2325-2329). Hypothermia is a combination of two words with different root meanings. Hypo is a scientific connotation for less or below while thermic has its etymology linked to thermal which refers to heat. Thus the word formed, hypothermia makes perfect sense when it refers to low body temperature

The human body functions at a temperature that experiments and measurements have fixed at 36.5 degrees Celsius. But at times it drops to a low of 35.5 degrees Celsius or even much lower and at this point, no metabolism can take place. Hypothermia a metabolic disorder has been divided into three categories. These categories or divisions are based on the severity of the base temperature of the body. The first case is the worst for hypothermia (Mccullough & Arora 2325-2331). It is called and one is declared to be suffering from extreme hypothermic conditions if the temperature of the body is below 20 degrees Celsius. At this point, no metabolism takes place at all and no remedial procedures are needed so that the victim does not lose his life because the victim is already dead. The next level is called severe hypothermia. An individual whose hypothermic situation has reached severe levels has a body temperature of between 21 degrees Celsius and 32 degrees Celsius. At this point, metabolism is also not possible and speedy steps to restore the normal body temperature are unnecessary since, in clinical terms, the body is already dead. The brain is however functional at this point. The problem is that it does not continue functioning for long and the fact that the body is already dead means that the function of the brain is of no value.

Leaving severe hypothermia aside, there is moderate hypothermia. In this case, an individual’s body temperature falls below the 29 degrees Celsius to 32 degrees Celsius range. The last category of hypothermia is when the temperature of the body of an individual falls below the 36.5 degrees level but it does not drop much lower. It remains above the 32 degrees range but it does not rise to the normal level.

Historical perspective of Hypothermia

There has been little to no mythic connection to low body temperatures from most cultures. It is one of the few metabolic disorders in particular and health complications in general that are understood to be naturally linked to exposure to the elements. Throughout history, some victims of heavy snows and floods have suffered and died from hypothermia. It is also not uncommon to reverse the complication upon the exposure of the victim to warm conditions. But this is only applicable in cases where the person or people have not reached the severe level of hypothermia given that at the severe hypothermic levels, the body or bodies are already dead. Another key historical fact that is associated with hypothermia is that it has never occurred without an asymptomatic disposition. In most cases, the symptoms are very clear and the people who are close to hypothermic individuals can easily identify them and carry out remedial actions to avoid extreme outcomes. There is also a symptom progression whereby the shift is from the non-threatening symptoms of mild hypothermic cases to the life-threatening symptoms of severe hypothermic cases.

Also, in hypothermia, there is no significance in symptom management. This, therefore, renders ineffective the symptom management theories taught to nurses (Brant, Beck & Miaskowski, 228-235). This is the same case with the theory of unpleasant symptoms (Hutchinson & Wilson 143-148). The main idea in hypothermia is that once someone has been identified as hypothermic the solution is to supply the individual with sufficient boosters of body temperature and the situation is controlled. It is not a case of getting medication that deals with one symptom as one prepares to deal with the other. For instance, if the response to a hypothermic person in a moderate case is to stop the shivering as more solutions are sought, no change takes place because stopping the shivering does not increase the heat levels of the body. It is also important to remember that shivering is a natural reaction of the body to try to raise the temperature of the body so that metabolism can go up and therefore generate more heat for the body. What are the symptoms of all these forms of hypothermia?

To start with, the symptoms of extreme hypothermia include a highly folded skin whose color may assume a deep dark for dark-skinned people to a bluish for white-skinned people. At this stage, both the brain and the body of the victim are dead. No regurgitation or remedial measures can make any difference at this level of hypothermia. It is also not unusual to find limbs curling as well as the fingers and toes. The skin is also stiffened by the extreme cold and the body can take a longer period without producing a smell. This is due to the low temperature.

In the case of severe hypothermia, the person is usually considered dead. This is according to clinical assumptions. The victims have no speech power at all and if there is any thinking that is going on, it is extremely slow. The power of the brain to retain any memories is lost completely and no food is broken down to release energy. The skin also folds and takes a stiff nature with the limps folding in most cases. It is also not uncommon for the body hairs to take a straight disposition. The ears and the nose reduce in size due to skin contraction. It is always understood that in severe cases of hypothermia the person’s body is dead while the rain may have a functional ability. But this is not a condition that allows for long-term brain functioning. The period separating bodily death and brain death are usually very short.

Moving on to moderate cases of hypothermia, the body takes on a very violent mode in shivering. This is an attempt to generate sufficient heat to keep the metabolism going. The body muscles of the individual stop working in the normal order and it is not uncommon to come across hypothermic victims whose fingers or toes cannot straighten. Also, the victims have a problem moving from place to place due to the increased inability to coordinate the brain messages and body movement. Metabolism is very low and blood vessels usually disappear from the body surface as they reduce the amount of blood flowing through them since too much blood flowing close to the body surface increases the amount of heat that is lost to the atmosphere. The hairs in the body take an erect position, the skin begins to curl and become stiff as speech becomes problematic to the victims. This is a level in which remedial steps can always bring the victims back to health if done at the right place and in the right way. In most cases, all that it takes is to ensure that the victim is taken to a place where there is warmth and then he or she is given a warm fluid.

The last set of symptoms is those associated with the mild form of hypothermia. Mild hypothermia leads to a slight impairment in the ability of the person to express himself or herself. Motion or movement may also be a problem and blood vessels that are normally seen on the body surface disappear. As noted elsewhere in this essay, this is an attempt by the body to reduce the amount of blood that is flowing close to the surface as a way of maintaining optimum body temperature. Another way to tell that someone is suffering from mild hypothermia is through the measurement of the metabolic rate. Most mildly hypothermic individuals have an increased rate of metabolism. The argument is that the body attempts to generate more heat to move the body temperature back to the norm.

Causes of Hypothermia

Hypothermia is associated with exposure to low temperatures. Swimming in cold rivers or swimming pools with water that is at low temperatures can lead to hypothermia. Snow and the climatic conditions of the North Pole and the South Pole are definite causes of hypothermia if precautionary measures are not taken. Other factors that can contribute to more complications include old age and alcohol.

Metabolic Mechanisms That Are Associated With Hypothermia

Several metabolic mechanisms are associated with hypothermia. These mechanisms are observable in the cases where the individual is still mobile and both the body and the brain are still capable of some degree of activity. This means that extreme and severe cases are not involved in the metabolic hypothermic mechanisms. The two conditions that are involved in these metabolic responses to hypothermia are moderate and mild hypothermia. What are these metabolic mechanisms?

In times of reduced body temperature, the catabolic form of metabolism increases. In other terms, the process of respiration or the breaking down of food to release energy is increased by the body. The ultimate reason for this is the restoration of the normal body temperature. Processes that use a lot of energy slow down as more energy tends to remedy the reduced body temperature. Other processes such as vasoconstriction that are not metabolically inclined also take place to recapture the normal body temperature.

Diagnosis of Hypothermia

There is always a problem with the determination of the hypothermic state of an individual by use of the body temperature of the individual. This is because the ability to make a clear measurement of low body temperatures can only be done with the help of a special type of thermometer which is different from the common clinical thermometers that are used for everyday temperature measurements. In the presence of this special thermometer, the esophagus, the rectum, and the balder can be used as the points of measurement for low body temperatures. The reason for the special low body temperature thermometer is that the normal type of clinical thermometer can’t measure low temperatures. Another important element in the diagnosis of hypothermia is the detection of the pulse rate. Since it is normally very low, it is always advisable to take close to one minute to feel the pulse rate. There are contradictory signals from victims in certain instances such as undressing which is either mentally initiated or a blood flow effect as well as hiding in areas perceived to be warm such as corners (Ramsay & Shkrum 417). What is the remediation for hypothermia as a metabolic disorder?

Remediation

The remediation for hypothermia begins with the movement of the victim to a warm environment (Marx 1862-1864). Given that cases of hyperglycemia may be present, intravenous glucose can go a long way in restoring the normal body sugar balance (Tintinalli 1181-1182). Warm fluids can also make a difference together with warm clothing (Mccullough & Arora 2325-2330).

Conclusion

In conclusion, hypothermia is a metabolic disorder that is a product of low body temperatures. The causes include exposure to cold water and snow. Alcohol and old age complicate the condition. Hypothermia exists in three forms and some cases, it is classified into four categories. There is extreme hypothermia, severe hypothermia, moderate hypothermia, and mild hypothermia. Shivering, constriction of blood vessels, and increased respiration are some of the signs or symptoms of hypothermia. Remediation involves the treatment of the resultant hyperglycemia and the transfer of the victim to environments with warm weather.

Works Cited

Brant, Jeannine, Beck, Susan. & Miaskowski, Christine. Building Dynamic Models and Theories to Advance the Science of Symptom Management Research. Journal of Advanced Nursing 66.1(2010): 228–240.

Hutchinson Sally. & Wilson Holly.The Theory Of Unpleasant Symptoms And Alzheimer’s Disease. Scholarly Inquiry for Nursing Practice 12 (1998): 143–158.

Marx, John. Rosen’s emergency medicine: concepts and clinical practice (7th ed.). Philadelphia:Mosby/Elsevier, 2010.Print.

Mccullough, Lynne & Arora,Sanjay. “Diagnosis and Treatment of Hypothermia.” American Family Physician 70.12 (2004) : 2325–32.

Ramsay, David & Shkrum, Michael. Forensic Pathology of Trauma (Forensic Science and Medicine). Totowa: Humana Press. 2006.Print.

Tintinalli, Judith. Emergency Medicine: A Comprehensive Study Guide, (6^th ed.). New York:McGraw-Hill Professional.2004.Print.

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