With snow and freezing temperatures ahead of us, it’s important to take precautions this winter season. Accidents do happen, and they often occur more during the winter season. From slipping on frozen sidewalks to hypothermia, AFC Urgent Care West Hartford is here to keep you prepared and informed this winter season.

Heart Problems

With temperatures dropping outside, it can be easy to have a sedentary lifestyle throughout the cold months. When the snow starts to fall, however, it can be a shock to your body to get your heart rate up so quickly. Many emergency rooms prepare for an uptick in heart attacks when the snow starts to fall. Some ways that you can protect your heart this season is by:

• Warming up your muscles before starting
• Take frequent breaks with water
• Shovel smaller piles instead of large ones
• Go inside immediately if you begin to feel lightheaded or notice any chest pain

Car Safety

Car safety has a lot of different meanings when it comes to winter. One thing that should be checked before snow begins to fall is the tires on the car. These should be replaced with snow tires or all-weather tires to ensure they have enough tract to grip the ice and not spin out. Make sure the gas tank has at least half of a tank of gas to eliminate the fuel line freezing risk.

It may be tempting to start driving before the windshield has completely defrosted, but it can also be incredibly dangerous. Impaired vision is already heightened in the winter with blind spots and black ice, so adding to that can be catastrophic.

Hypothermia

Hypothermia happens when the body loses heat faster than it can make it. This can occur from not wearing the proper clothing for the temperature outside or staying out for too long. Symptoms of hypothermia include:

• Shivering
• Slurred speech
• Slow, shallow breathing
• A weak pulse

These symptoms usually happen slowly and impair judgment, so it’s important to take the proper precautions before heading outside. Be sure to take breaks and warm up inside before heading back out into the cold. Moving too quickly while enduring hypothermia can cause irregular heartbeats, which can be fatal. Move slowly, or help someone with hypothermia move slowly inside and warm up with blankets and other layers.

For any more information on staying safe this winter, call AFC Urgent Care West Hartford today.