Cold exposure occurs when the body is exposed to a very cold environment. There are different types of injuries are occur during cold exposure.
- EXAMPLES OF COLD EXPOSURE INJURIES
- RISK FACTORS OF COLD EXPOSURE INJURY
- PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF COLD EXPOSURE
- DIAGNOSIS OF COLD EXPOSURE
- TREATMENTS FOR COLD EXPOSURE
- PROGNOSIS OF COLD EXPOSURE
- COMPLICATIONS OF COLD EXPOSURE
- COLD EXPOSURE AND AYURVEDA
- NIDANA- AYURVEDIC CAUSES OF COLD EXPOSURE
- PURVAROOPAM- AYURVEDIC PREMONITORY SYMPTOMS OF COLD EXPOSURE
- SAMPRAPTI – AYURVEDIC PATHOGENESIS OF COLD EXPOSURE
- LAKSHANA- AYURVEDIC SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF COLD EXPOSURE
- AYURVEDIC PROGNOSIS OF COLD EXPOSURE
- CHIKITSA- AYURVEDIC TREATMENT FOR COLD EXPOSURE
- AYURVEDIC LOCAL TREATMENT FOR COLD EXPOSURE
- AYURVEDIC SAMANA TREATMENT FOR COLD EXPOSURE
- AYURVEDIC SHODHANA TREATMENT FOR COLD EXPOSURE
- COMMONLY USED AYURVEDIC MEDICINES FOR COLD EXPOSURE
- HOME REMEDIES FOR COLD EXPOSURE
- DIET AND BEHAVIOUR FOR COLD EXPOSURE
- YOGA FOR COLD EXPOSURE
- RESEARCH PAPERS ON AYURVEDIC MANAGEMENT OF COLD EXPOSURE
EXAMPLES OF COLD EXPOSURE INJURIES
- Chill blainsare blisters on the hands and feet that occur after exposure to very cold temperatures.
- Blisters on the feet or hands
- Swelling of the skin
- Burning sensation on the skin
- Reddish skin rashes
- Itching
- Frostbite – skin becomes pale, cold, numb, rubbery to touch
- Hypothermia – abnormally low body temperature
- Cold allergy or cold urticaria
RISK FACTORS OF COLD EXPOSURE INJURY
- Living in an extreme cold climate
- Very young and old age
- Drinking alcohol
- Smoking
- In dehydrated conditions
- Certain diseases – hypothyroidism, Raynaud’s disease
- Have low body fat
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF COLD EXPOSURE
The pathophysiological mechanisms involving cold exposure injuries are not fully elucidated but seem to involve a multifactorial aetiology, including neural, vascular as well as humoral aspects. In cold urticaria, high levels of histamine and other chemical messengers are released into the skin when expose to the cold. These substances cause the blood vessels in the affected area of skin to open up and become leaky leading to redness and swelling.
DIAGNOSIS OF COLD EXPOSURE
- Proper history taking
- physical examination by the physician
- Skin biopsy –in case of chilblains
· Other blood investigations to find out underlying pathology
TREATMENTS OF COLD EXPOSURE
- Treatments are given based on the underlying pathology
- Corticosteroid cream application in case of chilblains
- Anti-inflammatory drugs, Antihistamines and Anti-itch medications in case of cold urticaria
PROGNOSIS OF COLD EXPOSURE
- Symptoms are manageable with appropriate therapy in the early stage
- Acute cold urticaria is typically self-limited and resolves with proper avoidance of triggers
COMPLICATIONS OF COLD EXPOSURE
- Chilblains – Bursting of blisters leads to painful ulcers
- Cold allergy or cold urticaria – Anaphylaxis, Affects the person’s quality of life
COLD EXPOSURE AND AYURVEDA
- In Ayurveda cold exposure is associated with an imbalance in vata and kapha dosha
- The treatment of cold urticaria is based on ‘seetha pitta’ and ‘Udarda chikilsa’.
NIDANA- AYURVEDIC CAUSES OF COLD EXPOSURE
Exposure to a very cold environment is associated with;
- Excess consumption of ununctuous, dry and cold food
- Virudhahara – unwholesome diet
- Excess vitiation of vata and kapha dosha
- Suppression of natural urges
- Defect in digestion – Agni mandyam
- Excessive physical exertion
- Depletion of body tissue
PURVAROOPAM- AYURVEDIC PREMONITORY SYMPTOMS OF COLD EXPOSURE
- Intolerance to the cold environment
SAMPRAPTI – AYURVEDIC PATHOGENESIS OF COLD EXPOSURE
- Vata, pitta and kapha dosha move through all channels of circulation. Due to the subtle nature of vata it impels the remaining two doshas.
- The aggravated vata having provoked these two doshas, exacerbated and fills up the empty channels and moves greatly inside them or by getting enveloped by the other doshas.
Chilblains – The aggravated vata resides in the whole body and produces cold intolerance as one of the symptoms. If the doshas are greatly aggravated blister formation occurs in the skin.
Cold urticaria – Due to the causative factors, doshas become vitiated with the predominance of pitta dosha, which resides in the skin and finally, udarda, seethe pitta is manifested.
LAKSHANA – AYURVEDIC SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF COLD EXPOSURE
- Ushna kamitwam – liking the warm environment
- Sheeta asahishnutha – cold intolerance
- Sopha – swelling of the skin
- Twak roukshyam – dry skin
AYURVEDIC PROGNOSIS OF COLD EXPOSURE
- Symptoms are manageable with ayurvedic management
CHIKITSA- AYURVEDIC TREATMENT FOR COLD EXPOSURE
AYURVEDIC SAMANA TREATMENT FOR COLD EXPOSURE
- Haridra khanda
- Gandhaka rasayana
- Ulcers are washed with triphala kashaya
- Patolakaturohinyadi kashaya
- Nimbamrita asavam
- Tribhuvana keerthi rasa
- Sathadaudha Ghritham
- Jeevantyadi Yamakam
AYURVEDIC SODHANA TREATMENT FOR COLD EXPOSURE
- Vasthi – medicated enema
- Abhyangam – oil massage on the body (Marichadi tailam)
COMMONLY USED AYURVEDIC MEDICINES TREATMENT FOR COLD EXPOSURE
Ayurvedic medicines for Internal administration for cold exposure
- Haridra khanda
- Gandhaka rasayana
- Patolakaturohinyadi kashaya
- Nimbamrita asavam
- Tribhuvana keerthi rasa
HOME REMEDIES FOR COLD EXPOSURE
- Intake of warm water frequently
- Cover the body with clothes.
DIET AND BEHAVIOUR FOR COLD EXPOSURE
- Avoid food items that produce dosha imbalance like cold and dry food, hard to digest. Because dosha imbalance aggravates the symptoms.
- Consume easily digestible food items
- Oil massage on body advised. Which alleviates vata dosha
- Practice regular exercise
- Avoid exposure to the cold environment
YOGA FOR COLD EXPOSURE
- Nadi Shuddi Pranayam – calms the mind and gets relief from the feeling of cold intolerance
The patient needs to be seated in a meditative posture with the head and spine erect, and the body relaxed. The patient has to close one nostril (e.g. left nostril if using the right hand and vice versa) with the thumb and exhale completely through the other nostril. Again, he will have to breathe in deeply through the other nostril while the opposite nostril is still closed with the thumb.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, United States. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Please consult your GP before the intake.
Please consult Dr. Rajesh Nair for Cold Exposure here-
https://www.ayurvedaforall.com/online-consultation.html
Writer:
Dr. Rajesh Nair, the co-founder and chief consultant of Ayurvedaforall.Com, is a graduate of prestigious Vaidyaratnam Ayurveda College (affiliated with the University of Calicut), Kerala, India. Additionally, he holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Yoga Therapy from Annamalai University.
Dr. Nair offers consultation at two busy clinics in and around Haripad, Alleppey, Kerala, the southern state famous worldwide for authentic ayurvedic treatment and physicians. While offering consultation on all aspects of ayurvedic treatments Dr. Nair has a special interest in Panchkarma, Yoga, and Massage.
Through Ayurvedaforall, Dr. Nair offers online consultation to patients worldwide and has served hundreds of patients over the last 20 years. In addition to his Ayurvedic practice, he is the chief editor of ayurveda-amai.org, the online portal of Ayurveda Medical Association of India, and the state committee member of Ayurveda Medical Association of India.
Dr. Nair is a regular speaker at Ayurveda-related conferences and has visited Germany to propagate Ayurveda. You can write directly to him-rajesh@ayurvedaforall.com
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