Health Concerns Regarding Frigid Temperatures

Medical professionals say it's possible to get frostbite after 5 minutes of being outside in this cold weather

FARGO, N.D. — The frigid temperatures we’ll be experiencing over the next couple of days are accompanied with health concerns.

Those at Sanford say frostbite is the number one concern when it comes to negative temperatures.

Family nurse practitioner Autumn Nelson says dressing in layers and minimizing any exposed skin is key.

The first signs of frostbite include redness, tingling and numbness of the exposed skin.

She also warns of pets being out in the cold for too long.

“Another thing to look out for is when you lose salt or if there are sidewalks that do have salt, some animals can get irritation on their paws from that and peeling, so they do have these little booties that you can put on dogs or cats, if you walk your cat, so make sure their paws are covered and the animals aren’t outside for a long period of time,” says Nelson.

If you do experience any signs of frostbite, get to an emergency room right away.