Cold injuries

Background

• Frostbite occurs only when ambient temperatures are well below freezing
• Nonfreezing cold injuries occur due to exposure to cold conditions above freezing

Differential Diagnosis

Cold injuries

• Generalized
  • Hypothermia
• Freezing
  • Frostbite
• Non-freezing
  • Trench foot
  • Pernio (Chilblains)
  • Cold panniculitis
  • Cold urticaria
  • Polar thigh

See Also

• Therapeutic hypothermia

Authors:

Ross Donaldson