It’s the dead of winter, and you need to run to the mailbox or let your dog out. It’s just a minute, you think. A sweater and sandals will be fine.

Not so fast, says Maddy Draper, APRN, a health care provider at OSF OnCall who sees cold weather injuries often. She says exposure to frigid temperatures can have serious consequences.

Types of cold weather injuries

• Frostnip: Draper says this is a mild form of frostbite where exposure to cold temperatures turns the skin pink or red. Your skin may feel burning or numb.

“The numbness typically goes away with rewarming,” Draper says.

• Frostbite: This is a more severe case of cold exposure. Your skin may be numb and appear yellow, white, gray or black. It may feel waxy and have blisters.
   
• Hypothermia: This is when the body’s temperature drops below 95 degrees.

“There are different stages,” Draper explains. “The first is our natural response of shivering. It gets more severe. The person may get confused and have lethargy, memory loss and slurred speech. It can lead to a coma and death.”

Inside, too?

Yes, there’s a risk for these injuries inside, too, Draper says. Notably, there have been cases of infants getting hypothermia.

“The room may be too cold, and they’re not dressed appropriately,” Draper says. “If they’re in a bassinet or crib with just a onesie and it’s cold, that can lead to hypothermia.”

Signs of infant hypothermia are bright red skin and decreased energy. Sleep experts use a thermal overall grade scale (TOG) to suggest how much clothing a baby should wear to sleep depending on the temperature of the room.

Treatment

Draper says she usually sees cases of frostbite and hypothermia sent to the emergency department. Providers will rewarm you with warm water or blankets and may provide warm liquids to drink, warmed oxygen through a mask and nasal tube or heated fluids through an intravenous line (IV) or other methods. Medication can also help with pain and blood flow.

“The hospital has more imaging resources to see the impact of the tissue damage,” compared to urgent care, Draper says.

For frostnip, you can take steps to warm up at home.

“It’s not as fast as possible. It’s not as hot as possible. It’s just that gradual warming,” Draper says. “Get off your cool or wet clothes immediately. You don’t want to stick your hands or feet into hot, steaming water. Just warm water.”

That’s because hot water can burn your skin. And if your skin is numb, you may not feel the burn before the damage is done. If water is not available, you can place your hands in your armpits. And handle the sensitive skin gently. Don’t rub or massage it. If your feet are affected, get off your feet.

Prevention

Draper says older adults, people who work or do activities outside (like hunters or hikers), unhoused people and people with medical conditions (like peripheral artery disease, diabetes and Raynaud’s disease) are at a higher risk of cold weather injuries. Getting stranded in a vehicle without proper protection is also common in the winter. Drinking alcohol or using drugs may lead to you losing consciousness outside. And smoking impacts blood circulation, putting you at a higher risk, Draper says.

Some ways to beat the cold:

• Dress in layers. You can always take a layer off, but you can’t put one on if you leave it at home. Make a hat, scarf, gloves and winter boots part of your wardrobe. Make sure the clothes aren’t too tight to allow for blood circulation. And look for water-resistant garments when buying clothes.
   
• Have winter weather supplies, like blankets, flares, a first aid kit and food, in your vehicle.
   
• Be well fed and hydrated. Body fat, though unhealthy in excess, helps us stay warm. For drinks, avoid alcohol and caffeinated beverages.
   
• During outdoor activities, take breaks and go with a buddy. Keep a close eye on kids who may not realize how cold they are. Come inside to change from wet to dry clothes. Let others know your plans and when you’ll be back. If you’re not back in time, that’s a sign you may have fallen victim to the cold, and help should be sent.

Interview clips

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Running in the cold

Ron Carlson had been hampered by various health problems for several years.

The Rockford resident has lived with diabetes for 30 years. Nearly 20 years ago, Carlson had quadruple bypass surgery.

Then in 2022, the retired salesman developed a sore above his left ankle that wouldn’t go away. 

Carlson says it was a significant-sized wound. “When I first looked at it, my concern was, 'Hey, I'm not going to have a foot.' And they said, 'Yes, you will. And we can get through this, but it's going to take a while.' They were absolutely right.”

“They said it was an ulcer that had to heal from the inside. Well, never healed and never healed. Just kept getting worse,” he added. “And so finally, that's what eventually led me to Dr Cox.”

Samantha Cox, DO, is a vascular surgeon with OSF HealthCare, who determined that Carlson needed limb salvage surgery as part of his care plan.

Limb salvage is surgery to repair and restore a limb (arm, leg or foot) that’s diseased or injured. The surgery is an attempt to save a limb instead of opting for amputation.

“When it comes to limb salvage, he hits on all the pieces,” says Dr. Cox. “He's got arterial disease, he's got venous disease, he's got diabetes. He's had a long-standing wound; all those things play into it.”

Dr. Cox says it’s important to take a holistic view of limb salvage when attempting to improve someone's lower extremity vascular disease. Surgery is becoming more common around the world as the number of people with diabetes increases.

Complex case 

Carlson had an extremely complex issue. In addition to his leg wound, Carlson had peripheral arterial disease (PAD), a condition where the arteries narrow and reduce blood flow to the arms or legs and causes pain. PAD can be the result of high cholesterol or diabetes.

“We had to get his blood sugar under control; we had to optimize his nutrition; we had to get into the wound care center,” says Dr. Cox. “We had to fix his arterial disease; we had to fix and maintain his venous disease.”

Dr. Cox performed two surgeries on Carlson to repair the arterial and venous diseases. Then she fixed his wound before sending him to the wound care center for further treatment.

Feeling good again 

Carlson is happy to be back on his feet again.

With help from his wife, Carlson manages to care for his wound daily, including cleaning and changing the dressing. Carlson says his leg looks much better, and the circulation in his leg has improved.

And he has no restrictions. He’s watching his six grandkids play sports and other activities.

“I couldn't really travel anywhere to go see them, to a sporting event or anything like that,” Carlson says. “Just lately, I've been able to make that distance in traveling, for an hour or two hours, whatever it takes to get to where they're going. I can do that now.”

Many people experience leg pain or heaviness, especially as they get older. Dr. Cox says it’s important to have a conversation with your primary care provider to determine if you have a problem and the best way to approach treatment.  

“The sooner you seek help from a professional, the quicker you are going to be on the road to recovery,” says Dr. Cox. “These are very complex issues. We often say when it comes to limb salvage, it takes a village, and it truly takes a village of support for patients to get through these issues, whether it's management of arterial disease or venous disease, as in this patient's case. If it's a matter of wound care, we have resources to help people.”

For more information on vascular programs and services, visit the OSF Cardiovascular Institute website.

Dr. Samantha Cox Interview Clips

Ron Carlson Interview Clips 

B-Roll

You see the phrase as you browse the grocery aisle: helps lower cholesterol.

But have you looked into what that means for you? And more importantly, is this something my children need to worry about?

The answer to the second question is yes, says Tricia Herman, a cardiac rehabilitation registered nurse at OSF HealthCare in Danville, Illinois. And it’s a perfect time to change lifestyles to avoid cholesterol problems as we enter a holiday eating season where you may be chowing down on unhealthy food.

What is cholesterol?

Herman says cholesterol is a fatty, waxy substance that’s responsible for building cells in our body. It also helps produce hormones and vitamin D.

“When we have our cholesterol checked, it’s not just total cholesterol that we’re really looking at. We’re looking at three different levels,” Herman says.

“The bad cholesterol is LDL [low-density lipoprotein]. You can consider it lousy. The good cholesterol is HDL [high-density lipoprotein]. And triglycerides is another level that we take a look at.”

LDL values should be less than 100 milligrams per deciliter. HDL should be greater than 60 milligrams per deciliter. And triglycerides should be less than 150 milligrams per deciliter.

Be proactive at all ages

The average person doesn’t need to memorize those numbers. Herman recommends that when you get your yearly physical, get a blood test to measure cholesterol as well. You’ll need to fast for 12 hours before the test, so Herman says to do it first thing in the morning if possible.

After the results come in, your health care provider will come up with a course of action, if necessary. That may involve follow up lab work or medicine.

What you should think about daily: a healthy lifestyle.

For kids, try for 60 minutes of exercise per day. That could be as simple as walking, Herman says.

And cut down on less healthy food choices like fried or fatty foods, sweets and red meat.

Or as Herman puts it: don’t brake and hit the drive thru because it’s the quick and easy option. Keep your foot on the gas.

“Eating habits are the hardest thing for a lot of people,” Herman says. “It’s the way we were brought up. What was served at our table when we were younger become habits we grow up with.”

Instead, try lean meats like fish or poultry. Bake, grill or broil your meat instead of frying it. Use whole grain bread instead of white bread.

“Create a meal plan for your child that has lots of fruits and vegetables,” Herman says. “Don’t have them eat on the go. Have them sit down and eat so it’s more meaningful and thoughtful.”

The consequences

High cholesterol leads to plaque building in arteries of the heart, brain or legs.

“You’re at risk for stroke if it’s happening in your brain or even in your carotid arteries [in your neck],” Herman says. “You’re at risk for heart disease if it’s happening in your heart. And peripheral artery disease if it happens in your legs.”

Herman notes that high cholesterol often doesn’t come with symptoms until it’s too late. So talk to your primary care provider if you have concerns.

Interview Clips

Previous coverage

What you can eat can help improve your cholesterol

The good and bad about cholesterol