Hypothermia
That cold shiver up your spine isn't just uncomfortable, it could also be the beginning of a very deadly condition called hypothermia. It occurs when your core body temperature drops significantly, and can be exacerbated by water, wind and exhaustion. Temperatures don't need to be below freezing to induce hypothermia. Wind chill gets worse as wind speeds increase, and the longer you're out, the worse it gets. One of the early signs of potential hypothermia occurs when you start feeling cold and you can't decide if you should pull over or not. The answer is always yes, but your judgment may be clouded. Long before this point occurs, you should have pulled into that nice warm cafe and had some hot chocolate or soup. Uncontrolled shivering and chattering teeth are signs of real danger. You may start to feel dizzy, or even drunk, as your muscles begin to stiffen. Continued exposure may cause the shivering to slow down or even stop, but by then you're in serious trouble. FrostbiteThat cold scalpel of air is a sure warning sign to cover up. Exposed skin is at risk of frostbite in temperatures as warm as 55 degrees. Your nose, earlobes, fingers and toes are some of the more likely targets of frostbite. The early symptoms include a pins-and-needles sensation, with the skin turning very white and soft. At this point, no permanent damage has occurred, and you can reverse the effects of exposure by soaking the areas in luke warm water or breathing on them. In the next stage, waxy patches may occur and the skin may feel numb. After this, you may lose feeling in the affected area. Permanent damage is on its way. Again, it's the speed of the wind and the length of exposure that drastically lowers wind chill temperatures. That means riding at just 30 mph on a 45 degree day will put you in danger of both hypothermia and frostbite in as little as a half hour. next-->
A sampling of cold weather gear suppliers © 2001, American Motorcyclist Association |
