Why are hands swollen from frostbite?

Chilblains are an extremely common skin disease in winter. It is due to the cold climate in winter that the exposed skin is stimulated by freezing. Over time, the subcutaneous arterioles spasm and contract. Blood stasis occurs, causing local tissue hypoxia, resulting in damage to tissue cells.

The damage initially appears as a localized broad bean or finger cap-sized purple-red mass or induration, with bright red edges and purple center. It is symmetrical and tends to occur at the distal ends of the limbs, on the back of the hands and extensor sides of the fingers, the edges of the feet and toes. It is more common on the extensor sides, lower limbs, cheeks, auricles, etc. Consciously, there is local swelling and pain, itching, which is worse after exposure to heat, and pain after ulceration.

Suffering from cold attack, the frozen skin will appear pale, red and swollen, purple spots, burning itching, numbness, skin blisters, and ulcers. These symptoms can last for 1-2 months until the weather gets warmer, and some patients will relapse at the original site in the next winter. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that chilblains are caused by insufficient protection from cold in exposed parts, invasion of cold evil, and stagnation of qi and blood. In addition, it is also related to factors such as the patient's poor physical condition, intolerance to cold, inactivity, sedentary time, and overwork. Moisture can accelerate the heat dissipation on the body surface, so people with excessive sweating on their hands and feet are also prone to chilblains.

Precautions for self-treatment

(1) Actively participate in physical activities to speed up the circulation of qi and blood to facilitate the repair of sores. It can also prevent new onset of chilblains.

(2) Be careful to keep warm during the cold season.

(3) Clothes, shoes and socks should be loose and dry.

(4) Those who relapse every year can gradually develop the habit of washing face, feet, body and bathing with cold water in summer to improve cold resistance.

(5) People who are afraid of cold in winter can eat more hot and cold-dispelling foods, such as mutton, dog meat, venison, pepper, ginger, and cinnamon.

(6) Those who suffer from the disease every year can be treated in the winter and in the summer. In Futian, the effect will be better if you apply several external medicines for self-treatment and add infrared physiotherapy if possible. It is advisable to conduct internal and external treatment in advance before winter.

Autonomous therapy

1. Autonomous therapy with prescriptions

(1) 6 grams of cinnamon twig, 12 grams of white peony root, 10 grams of angelica root, 3 slices of ginger, and red dates 10 grams, 5 grams of licorice for moxibustion, decoction in 2 times, 1 patch per day.

(2) 10 grams of Angelica sinensis, 10 grams of Guizhi, 10 grams of white peony root, 3 grams of asarum, 5 grams of licorice, 6 grams of Akebia, 3 grams of Evodia, and 9 grams of ginger, fried in 2 times Take it, 1 post per day.

(3) Use an appropriate amount of purple-skinned garlic. Mash the garlic before winter and rub it on areas commonly affected by chilblains. Apply once a day for 5-7 days. If the skin blisters, you can stop using it. . This prescription is suitable for the prevention of frostbite.

(4) 25 grams of ginger, 1 white radish, 0.5 grams of white monkshood, and 25 grams of cinnamon twig. Add the medicine and decoct it in water, wash it while it is hot, and wash it for 2 days to recover. The above is a daily dose, once in the morning and once in the evening. This prescription is suitable for the treatment of frostbite before it breaks out.

(5) Boil the natural juice of ginger and apply it on the ointment. This method can treat frostbite on hands and feet. In addition, gargling with ginger juice from time to time can also treat aphtha.

2. Self-medication with diet

(1) 500 grams of mutton, 3 grams of pepper, 15 grams of ginger, 30 grams of angelica, cooked.

(2) Soak 10 grams each of ginger, angelica, safflower, and Ligusticum in 500 ml of white wine. You can take it after a week. Drink 10 ml each time, 2-3 times a day.

(3) 15 grams of hawthorn, 15 grams of angelica root, 10 grams of red dates, cooked.

3. External treatment and self-therapy

(1) Apply Shangshi Pain Relief Ointment and Ziguizhi Cracking Ointment externally to the affected area.

(2) Wash the affected area externally with boiled water and saltpeter.

(3) Uproot the red frost eggplant straw and wash it. Soak the affected area in decoction for about half an hour, twice a day.

(4) Apply ginger juice or chili water to the affected area.

(5) Soak 10 grams of pepper in 100 ml of 95% alcohol, and rub the affected area externally after 1 week.

(6) For cactus, remove the thorns, smash them, and apply externally to the affected area. Replace after 3 days. The above treatments are suitable for those who have not suffered ulcers.

(7) Sprinkle Yunnan Baiyao on the frostbite ulcer and bandage it.

(8) Cut the mantis (ie mulberry mantis) open, take the yellow juice and apply it on the ulcerated area, once a day.

(9) Apply a piece of puffball to the ulcer and change it daily.

4. External treatment and self-therapy in the hot summer days

(1) Mash garlic and rub it on the old scars, once a day for 1 week.

(2) Mash fresh sesame leaves and rub on the affected areas, wash off after 1 hour, several times a day.

Avoid misdiagnosis

After being frozen, it is not advisable to warm with hot water or bake with fire, otherwise the frozen area will fester.

If the skin is itchy after being cold, do not scratch it with your hands, otherwise it will easily cause the epidermis to become ruptured and infected.

Massage method one

1. Commonly used techniques

(1) Use kneading, rubbing, rubbing, etc. to operate on the affected area for 5 to 10 minutes. Be light and gentle, avoid being harsh and rough.

(2) If a local blister or ulcer occurs, avoid the local area during the operation and operate around it first. After the local ulcer has healed and the blood vessels have circulated, the operation can be performed locally.

(3) With the child lying on his back, parents should aim their palms at the Guanyuan point and rub it counterclockwise for 2 to 5 minutes to warm the yang and dispel the cold.

2. Modifications and subtractions according to the syndrome

(1) For patients with frostbite on the ears,

① Massage Waiguan and Yifeng points for 1 minute each.

② Parents use the thumbs and index fingers of both hands to rub the child's ears relatively hard for 2 to 5 minutes.

(2) For those who suffer from chilblain at the tip of the nose, add

① Massage Yingxiang point for 1 minute.

② Take Hegu for 1 minute.

③ Parents gently rub the nose with the pulp of their thumbs to measure the heat.

(3) For those with frostbite on the face, add

① Press and knead the Hegu point for 2 minutes.

② Massage the Xiaguan, Yaguan and Cheek points 20 times each.

③ Parents gently rub the face with thenar to measure the heat.

(4) For those who suffer from chilblains on their hands,

① Press the Quchi and Hegu points for 1 minute each.

② The parent presses the Quepen point on the affected side with the pulp of his thumb for about 1 minute, and then slowly releases his hand. The child will feel that heat is being transmitted to the hand.

③ With the palms of both hands facing each other, rub the upper limbs horizontally for 1 to 3 minutes.

(5) For those with frostbite on the feet, add

① Massage the Zusanli point for 1 minute.

② Parents rub the sole of the child’s affected side with one palm to detect localized fever.

③The child should lie on his side, with his legs separated from the front and back, with the affected side underneath. Then, the parent should press the inner side of the flexor and limbs with the heel of the palm, keep pressing for 1 minute, and then slowly release it. Hand, the child feels a stream of heat rushing towards the foot, and uses the same method to operate the other side.