by 
Cincinnati remains covered in snow after a winter storm. Look
Cincinnati remains covered in snow after severe winter weather. Look around the city with our drone images.
The number of cold-related deaths in the US has doubled over nearly 25 years, according to an article published last month in the medical journal JAMA.
The same study found that death rates were highest among Americans over age 75, Black Americans, and Native and Alaska Native Americans. Regionally, the Midwest had the highest death rate due to cold.
After Friday’s snowfall, the Greater Cincinnati region continues to experience below-freezing temperatures this week. Even from the apparent safety of your own home, extreme cold temperatures can be limb or life threatening.
Here are four cold-related dangers you may experience at home – and how to prevent them.
Hypothermia
Hypothermia occurs when your body temperature drops dangerously low due to prolonged exposure to the cold. A body temperature below 35 degrees often hinders the functioning of your brain, preventing you from thinking clearly or moving your body.
Who is most at risk?: Unhoused Americans, older adults with inadequate heating or clothing, and infants sleeping in cold bedrooms are often victims of hypothermia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Drinking alcohol also puts you at greater risk: even if alcohol makes you feel warm, it lowers your body temperature.
How to prevent it: If it is extremely cold, try to stay indoors. If you go outside, wear layers and waterproof clothing and boots.
What to do if it happens: Hypothermia is an emergency, according to the Cleveland Clinic. If you or someone you know is shaking, confused, exhausted, and experiencing memory loss or slurred speech, call 911 or go to the emergency room immediately. In the meantime, stay in a warm, dry place, remove any wet clothing, and drink warm fluids.
Freezing
Frostbite is skin damage caused by exposure to freezing temperatures. Even if you wear cold-weather clothing, you can get frostbite, and people usually experience it on their fingers, toes, nose, and ears. Although most cases of frostbite are mild, one study found that 20% of severe cases resulted in amputation.
Who is most at risk?: Unhoused individuals are at high risk for serious injury from frostbite. Children and the elderly are also at increased risk because their bodies have difficulty regulating temperature.
How to prevent it: Limit your time outdoors when it is freezing or wet and windy. If you must go outside, wear socks, mittens and a hat that covers your ears, and wear sweat-wicking materials. When driving in cold weather, be sure to bring emergency clothing in case you become stranded.
What to do if it happens: If your skin feels cold, sore and sore, there is mild frostbite, you should go in immediately and consult your doctor. If you experience a tingling sensation, or your skin begins to feel numb, the tissue under your skin is frozen and you need immediate medical treatment. If you are in a remote area or cannot get medical attention, go indoors and remove any wet clothing, rings, or jewelry from around the affected area. Immerse your skin in warm but not hot water and let it soak until your skin is soft, or after 30 minutes. Avoid walking on or rubbing frozen areas.
Snow-related heart problems
Shoveling snow can cause a heart attack or cardiac arrest, according to the American Heart Association, with one estimate killing about 100 people in the U.S. each year during or soon after snow removal. Along with cold temperatures, which constrict your blood vessels and can increase your blood pressure, shoveling snow increases your heart rate, which could increase your risk for acute heart events.
Who is most at risk: If you have a history of heart problems, have cardiovascular risk factors, or are an older adult, it is best to avoid snow shoveling altogether. One expert, researcher Barry A. Franklin, recommends that anyone over 45 avoid shoveling snow, due to a study showing that 85% of Americans over 50 have underlying coronary artery disease. However, age isn’t the only factor at play: you have a lower risk if you exercise regularly.
How to prevent it: If you need to clear your own driveway, using a snow blower increases your heart rate less than using a shovel. Avoid scooping immediately after eating. Lift smaller loads and push the snow instead of lifting it. Take regular breaks and don’t work to the point of exhaustion.
What to do if it happens: If you feel pressure or pain in your chest, dizziness, or an irregular heart rhythm, stop shoveling and call 911 if your symptoms do not go away shortly afterward. If you see someone collapse after shoveling snow, call 911 and initiate CPR if he or she is unresponsive.
Carbon monoxide poisoning
Extremely cold weather can cause power outages and cause people to turn to alternative heating measures, such as generators, furnaces and space heaters, to heat their homes. However, this increases your risk of diabetes carbon monoxide poisoning. Exposure to carbon monoxide, a colorless and odorless poisonous gas, can cause you to lose consciousness and suffocate within minutes.
Who is most at risk?: Although anyone who inhales high levels of carbon monoxide can become sick and die, the elderly, children, and people with chronic heart disease, anemia, or breathing problems are most susceptible to carbon monoxide poisoning.
How to prevent it: Make sure your carbon monoxide detectors are working. If your home does not have one, call your local fire department, which may have a limited number available for distribution. If you are using a generator, some of which produce as much carbon monoxide as 450 cars, do not run it in an enclosed area even if the doors or windows are open. Instead, keep it outside and as far away from your home as possible.
What to do if it happens: If your carbon monoxide detector goes off, evacuate your home immediately. Call 911 and have first responders check your home before going back inside. Hearing the alarm stop or leaving your windows open does not guarantee that you can enter your home safely. If you experience headache, dizziness, nausea, shortness of breath and weakness or confusion, evacuate the premises and seek medical attention.
