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Hypothermia
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Hypothermia is when body temperature falls below 35 °C (95 °F). It happens when the body gives off more heat than it absorbs or produces. It is like a bathtub that drains faster than the faucet can fill it.
In hypothermia, heat is most likely to escape by one of these routes. Convection is when cold air moves past the body and carries the heat away. Conduction is when the body touches something cold, such as water, and the heat passes straight into it. And evaporation is when excessive sweat evaporates from the skin.
When core temperature, the temperature deep inside the body, reaches about 30 to 32 °C (86 to 90 °F), shivering, that trembling from the cold, typically stops. And in severe hypothermia, blood flow to the brain keeps falling until the person stops responding.
In brief
Hypothermia is a drop in body temperature below 35 °C (95 °F): the body releases more heat than it absorbs or generates.
A bathtub that drains faster than the faucet can fill it.
It is most likely to be caused by cold air (convection), cold water (conduction) or excessive sweating (evaporation).
Shivering typically stops at around 30 to 32 °C (86 to 90 °F), and in severe hypothermia, blood flow to the brain keeps falling until the person becomes unresponsive.
Sources (1)
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, StatPearls PublishingHypothermia, StatPearlsPublished
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
Updated