Doctors Seeing Frostbite Cases In The Northland

DULUTH, Minn. — It’s been a cold week to say the least in the Northland. Frigid temperatures can cause many issues for people, a big one being frostbite.

A doctor at Essentia Health in Duluth says they’ve seen many cases ranging from severe to mild frostbite this winter. He says alcohol and the below zero temps are contributing factors. Other causes can be from outdoor activities such as snowmobiling and skiing or people getting into car accidents and are stuck on the side of the road.

The most common places to get the condition is noses, ears, and fingers. Doctors are even seeing injuries from responding to frostbite.

“You know sometimes people just take their cold hand and put it right on the heater which makes the problem worse. Or if they’ll put it in water, they’ll put it in too hot of water to try to rewarm it. Or rubbing it aggressively can make frostbite all the worse cause you’ve created another problem,” said Chris Peters, Emergency Physician.

Ways to treat mild frostbite are from indirect heat such as a car heater, putting your hands inside your shirt, or placing your hands in lukewarm water. Signs of frostbite are numbness, redness, and blisters.