What to do about frostbite (Hands)

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Is there anyone out there who has had frostbiten hands and knows how to treat them? My hands have been frostbiten and each year I suffer from the effects. Right now my hands are beginning to feel better, but I still have to wear gloves sometimes during the night, ect. In the winter they hurt terribly and most of our work is outside...anyone who has any advise, please help! Thanks...

-- Deborah Carmichael (brownswiss99@yahoo.com), May 09, 2001

Answers

I don't know any treatments,but I've heard native Americans used to use bear fat on their babies skin to protect them from cold winter weather.If you know people who hunt bear you may be able to obtain some through them.This might help protect your hands from getting serverly frost bitten again.I remember getting bad frost bite when I was a child although it healed by it self I still remember it was very painful for a few days.

-- SM Steve (A12goat@cs.com), May 10, 2001.

Vaseline petroleum jelly might also work as a substitute for bear fat.

-- SM Steve (A12goat@cs.com), May 10, 2001.

Were any nerves damaged as well??

-- Pat (mikulptrc@aol.com), May 10, 2001.

Hmm... just wondering if those analgesic jels you use to rub on sore muscles would work. They seem to heat up the skin, tingle and keep the blood moving in the area where applied. You have to be careful though not to get it in your eyes, One brand I can think of is Thera-Gesic. Curious as to how you got frostbite originally. Good luck to you. C

-- Carole (carle@earthlink.net), May 10, 2001.

Severe frost bite (loss of feeling, redness, 'hardness', turning blue) automatically causes nerve damage. There really isn't much you can do to repair nerves, even though recent research indicates that they can grow again.

Warmed olive oil (sweet oil) can be used, but I would avoid vaseline/petrolium jelly (just personally) because they are not 'organic' - they are the by-products of refining crude oil (sort of like glycerine is the by-product of refining vegetable oils). That is ONLY my personal opinion, though.

If you want to make a salve that you can work into your hands (rubbing in small circles will help a little anyway), use the following:

1/2 cup calendula (pot marigold) petals 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (powdered) 1 teaspoon aloe gel or glycerine (either will work, both if you want) 1 cup or dried rosemary and or eucalyptus (some are allergic to the eucalyptus)

Put these into a cloth bag and secure tightly. Drop into heated oil (roughly 4 cups), either olive or a 'crisco-like' shortening (don't try to boil - it will burn. Just warm it till it begins to crackle and steam.). Turn off the heat, cover, and let simmer at least two hours - I leave mine over night.

Remove the bag, add melted beeswax (2 - 4 ounces, depending on how greasy you like it - it WILL stain clothing if its too greasy!), heat a little, stirring constantly. At this point, you can add honey or pollen if you wish - I don't. When it has been mixed thoroughly, put in jars and seal. If kept sealed, the jars should last for more than a year, but will begin to smell unless a little benzoin tincture (available at most drug stores) is added as a preservative. You can also scent this (it don't smell all that great to begin with, lol). Just use any 'aromatherapy' grade scented oil. Scent as a last step before bottling -

Sorry the measurements are estimates - I only use 'recipes' when I make things for sale.

This is basically a cream for arthritis. The calendula will heal skin as well. Aloe and glycerine will soften and moisturize the skin, which might help a tiny bit, but its the rosemary and/or eucalyptus that will help keep the muscles from cramping, and the joints lubricated.

The reason I gave THIS one, is because it will work on the conditions that cause the nerves to be constricted causing the pain. I hope it helps you - but I can't make any real promises -

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), May 10, 2001.



Hi Deborah, Do you get the chill-bane's, it's an ache that feels deep in the bones and last longer than just cold exposure, makes the joints hurt alot, but there seems to be no injury, it's because of the nerve damage. I have it in my feet they stay cold most of the year, and even sweat while cold, hands too but not so bad. I get the most relief by soaking feet or hands in hot water, this gets the circulation going good, then drying off well and on really cold days using the sore muscle heating lotion (this also causes sweating) so, I change my socks and shoes as much as 4 times a day to keep them dry,for my hands I must have some thing to keep the wind off, and have found that applying an external source of heat before the pain starts back [again] that I can keep ahead of it and stay comfortable for a longer time, For those times I must have bare hands in the cold, I set out with a plan, hot soak, dry well, heated rocks in pockets, with a cloth to dry any sweat, and take capsules of red pepper with food,{I can eat it strait now} it increases circulation. And don't blow on your hands to warm them,it gets them wet, rather hold the fingers against your neck or belly. a few pair of fingerless gloves to change into helps too. Some really nice hand warmers can be made out of cherry pits that are cleaned and sewn into 'bean' bags in the size you need. these are fantasic as bed warmers, by stiring the bag it brings the warmer pits to the surface as the outer layer begins to cool. I haven't gotten relief for this from any pain killer I've tryed, the pills just make me goofy, over the years of taking vitamins it seems to be somewhat better. But if I get cold, only the hot soaks will help. Good luck with it.

-- Thumper (slrldr@aol.com), May 11, 2001.

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