Having spent the past several days inside avoiding the Arctic temperatures of the Midwest, I’ve begun to feel a little lethargic. Several others I know have complained of the same — and attribute it to the weather. They’re right. It’s typical for people to eat and sleep more when it’s cold and dark outside — or even to feel blue. However, others suffer more pronounced symptoms associated with winter Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
The winter sports season is in full swing as central Wisconsin again hosts the Badger State Games. While most of us are prepared for conditions when we go outside to participate in typical wintertime activities, you would be surprised how often cold-related injuries still occur. Many times, these injuries occur on more temperate days – conditions need not mimic those seen during playoff games at the frozen tundra of Green Bay for an injury to occur. Winter sports enthusiasts are at risk for cold-related injuries that include hypothermia and frostbite, so let’s take a close look at these two conditions.
At this time of the year, we frequently see people who complain of problems tolerating cold weather. Many of these complaints are related to a dislike of the cold, but others may be associated to a medical problem.
When briefly exposed to the cold, do your fingers turn white and get numb? Do they hurt? Does the white color turn to a bluish hue? Once warmed, do they turn bright red? This may sound like a normal response to the cold, but there may be an underlying medical problem called Raynaud’s Disease or Phenomenon. Let’s take a look at this somewhat rare condition.
In the midst of the holiday season, visits to the doctor and the emergency department usually increase. People frequently ask me what conditions are prevalent in the emergency room at this time of year, so let’s look at what we are seeing on an emergent basis.
As we embark on the cold and flu season, you’ll hear various new recommendations from your pediatrician, family doctor, emergency physician, or primary care provider concerning how to treat your young child’s cold. One recommendation to take note of is the findings of a recent panel of Federal Drug Administration (FDA) officials who examined the effectiveness and safety of over-the-counter cold medications. Their conclusion was that children under the age of six should not take any over-the-counter cold medications.
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