PRINCETON, W.Va. – WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital reports that every year the emergency room there sees patients with cold weather-related injuries.
An emergency medicine physician at the hospital says they see injuries related to falls, thermal damage, vehicle injuries and much more.
Now while all those injuries increase in the winter months, he says over exertion leads to the biggest increase.
“The big thing that we see is overexertion and with the cold temperatures it masks other symptoms such as chest pain, and so we do see an increase in heart attacks and strokes during this time of year related to shoveling snow and other activities outside,” Bryon Smith, Emergency Medicine Physician for WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital.
Dr. Smith recommends asking for help, if possible, when working outside in the cold.If you can’t find help, make sure to take plenty of breaks.
As well as keeping an extra seat of clothes and shoes in your vehicle if problems should arise while traveling.
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