Overview
- Emergency departments in Chicago and across the region report rising cold-exposure cases and are preparing for more as temperatures plunge.
- Hennepin Healthcare in Minneapolis says 25 people have been hospitalized with frostbite this winter, and one patient required a lower-leg amputation after severe injury.
- Clinicians stress that frostbite can develop in 5–10 minutes in extreme wind chills, with early signs including numbness, waxy or pale skin, and later blistering.
- Experts highlight added risks beyond frostbite, including hypothermia, heart strain and heart attacks during exertion like shoveling, and respiratory irritation from cold, dry air.
- Preventive steps include layered, moisture-wicking clothing that stays dry, fully covering hands, feet, face, and head, avoiding cotton and alcohol, and using tepid water for rewarming without rubbing if frostbite is suspected.