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Hands Tender, Swollen And Bruised After Playing In Cold. Are Veins Getting Damaged?
After playing soccer in cold weather (~0ºc) my hands get cold (as you d expect). They get kinda swollen because I m running and look red, but are very cold and feel numb. After I warm up and return tto normal, parts of both hands feel almost bruised. While there is no actual visible bruising, parts are tender to the touch, and are also painful when hanging in their normal positional my sides, almost as if when blood rushes to my hands it s causing extra and more intense pain. Im thinking that maybe my veins/capillaries are getting damaged... anything i need to worry about?
Sat, 22 Feb 2014
Hello,
Thanks for your query.
Exposure to extremely cold temperatures for prolonged periods of time causes frostbite.
When you first notice signs of frostbite, come out of the cold immediately and rewarm the affected area as rapidly as possible.
Do not rub the skin in an effort to get blood flowing back to the area. This causes friction and will destroy the already damaged skin and underlying tissue, as well as increase the risk of infection.
Immerse the affected part in a bath kept at a constant temperature of 104 to 105 degrees F for an hour or more. This will cause the blood vessels to dilate and circulation to return to the area.
Rapid rewarming is an intensely painful procedure. Take two ibuprofen, aspirin, or acetaminophen to dull the pain.
Do not smoke or chew tobacco. Nicotine constricts the blood vessels, reduces blood flow to chilled areas, and delays the healing process. If you do not have access to warm water, stick the frozen body part under an armpit or between the thighs.
When the skin has thawed and rewarming is complete, cover the damaged skin with bandages and warm clothing. Contact your doctor or go to an emergency room.
I do hope that you have found something helpful and I will be glad to answer any further query.
Take care
Thanks for your query.
Exposure to extremely cold temperatures for prolonged periods of time causes frostbite.
When you first notice signs of frostbite, come out of the cold immediately and rewarm the affected area as rapidly as possible.
Do not rub the skin in an effort to get blood flowing back to the area. This causes friction and will destroy the already damaged skin and underlying tissue, as well as increase the risk of infection.
Immerse the affected part in a bath kept at a constant temperature of 104 to 105 degrees F for an hour or more. This will cause the blood vessels to dilate and circulation to return to the area.
Rapid rewarming is an intensely painful procedure. Take two ibuprofen, aspirin, or acetaminophen to dull the pain.
Do not smoke or chew tobacco. Nicotine constricts the blood vessels, reduces blood flow to chilled areas, and delays the healing process. If you do not have access to warm water, stick the frozen body part under an armpit or between the thighs.
When the skin has thawed and rewarming is complete, cover the damaged skin with bandages and warm clothing. Contact your doctor or go to an emergency room.
I do hope that you have found something helpful and I will be glad to answer any further query.
Take care
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