Arctic bleeding.

[Chris the Cat]

On the wonderfull Norwegian Arctic trip with BcUK this feb I managed to get a small cut
on my top lip.
We were outside having lessons and it was a chilly -22 that afternoon.
The interesting thing was that I could not get the the bleeding to stop for about 2 hours!
despite constant pressure!
I thought that the sub-zero temps would help with vaso-constriction!?
So why do we bleed like stuck pigs in arctic conditions??
Any ideas?
Chris

 

[Shewie]

Could it be because the body is trying extra hard to pump blood to the extremities ?

No idea really, the coldest I've been down to was -12 in Scotland

 

[Chris the Cat]

Could be Rich, I hadn't thought of that.
Its funny tho because cold water stops bleeding ( small razor cut say..)
but not in these conditions!
Chris.

 

[Tony]

What an excellent question. I've no idea.

Does the body change it's blood composition to compensate for cold weather? Does the body thin it at all because it's getting thicker because of the cold? Umm, that sounds a bit daft but hey

 

[Chris the Cat]

Even Woody didn't know Tony!
But he did point out in one of the edged tools talks that if you cut yourself out here
you WILL bleed!
Its been on my mind off and on since I got back, and as I have just cut my self shaving
( and staunched it with very cold water ) I was reminded!
Chris.

 

[Chris the Cat]

P.s This is my 1000th post!
Thank you for having me, I look forward to putting some names to faces at the moot!
Cheers BcUK! ( raises large glass of cold white wine! )
Chris.

 

[Retired Member southey]

as far as I know it because the blood has thinned due to the bodys reaction to the cold, your vascular system is trying to move oxygen around to heat and fuel the muscles, this reduces the platelets so it moves more freely but dosent clot well hence long term bleeding, i'll dig my aid memoir I think it's got better explaination.

 

[_scorpio_]

well the vaso constriction of the cold would not push the two halves of the wound together it would need to expand to close the wound not contract... i think...

 

[Retired Member southey]

my cold weather aid manual, advises to pro tect and warm any exposed cuts so to promot the richer blood flow and aid clotting, also that any formed clotting will be very brittle and detach easliy and the area will be more suceptable to frost bite, COOOL! did it stop bleeding when you went into the warm?.

 

[Chris the Cat]

No!
But warm is a relative concept! It was well below freezing wherever we were unless we were stood right in front of the fire or in our bags at night.
Thanks for the info.
Chris

 

[sam_acw]

Fascinated to find out why this is, luckily I've never cut myself out at 20 below before!

 

[Harley]

Prolonged vasoconstriction will usually result in frostbite at those temperatures, so the system favours constriction followed by short periods of dilation to maintain the tissue of the bodily extremities (until it gets so cold and then shuts down completely, thereby accepting the inevitable freezing and subsequent tissue damage).

In cold weather, the blood does not tend to thin, in fact it thickens and so will generally clot faster. The capillary bleeding in this case is likely due to the effect of the periods of vasodilation of the mouth/nose/lips, this being one area the body will not sacrifice to the cold (unlike, say, the toes or ears).

 

[Chris the Cat]

That makes sense Harley, thank you!
What do I need to read to gen up on cold weather injuries?
My best.
Chris.

 

[Wayland]

This is something I have never experienced but it is a very useful heads up.

 

[Chris the Cat]

Its foxed a few folk I have asked Wayland!
You live and learn, thats one of the great things about this site.
Thanks all.
Chris.

 

[Harley]

What do I need to read to gen up on cold weather injuries?

I can recommend the Oxford Handbook of Expedition and Wilderness Medicine for general information on all climatic areas, or Dr Jane's 'Bugs, Bites and Bowels' for a somewhat lighter read (Jane also has a specific book for travellers with children).

 

[Wayland]

Following the thread we have added blood coagulating products to all our first aid kits now.