warm water hypothermia

Hello,

Does anyone have any info on this misunderstood phenomenon?

Ed

Hi Ed,

Since the wording of your inquiry suggests that you may have some info about it, why don't you kick off the discussion?

Thanks,

DocVikingo

Blacknet,

The 2001 NOAA Diving Manual discusses this subject in chapter 3, page 32. Let me quote the manual.

Warm Water Hypothermia: "Divers also have to be wary of hypothermia in warm environments. A phenomenon callled "warm water hypothermia" can occur even in the tropics, especially during long dives and repetitive dives made without adequate rewarming between dives. In warm water hypothermai, long slow cooling can take place in water temperatures as warm as 82 degrees F - 91 degrees F. Although warm water hypothermia is not easily recongnized as its cold water counterpart, it definitely warrants attention. The physiological mechanisms of warm water hypothermia have been demonstrated in various medical studies, but they still are not clearly understood. The victim is this situation may not shiver, because the drop in core temperature may not be rapid enough to activate the body's thermoregulator defense mechanism. There may be a discrepancy between the input of the receptors in the body's shell and core, making the diver's skin feel warm while his core is cooling. Warm water hypothermia can cause confusion, fatigue, apathy, incoordination, delayed raction time, and sudden anxiety. These mental and physical disabilities, especially whan concurrent with any problems during the dive itself, can result in panic, embolization, and drowning."

I Hope this helps.

Ed

DocVikingo,

What ed posted is the ONLY info I have on it.

Ed Jewell,

I have that volume and that's the only info I have on it and was looking for more.


Ed

In a nutshell, you get hypothermia when you body core temp drops below normal at a rate which your body's heat generation abilities cannot keep up. Mild Hypothermia takes place while the core temp is still above 90F. Profound Hypothermia takes place when the core temp drops below 90F. That is only about 9 degree F.

Any time a body is in an environment that is colder than 98.6 F, heat is lost. heat is lost to water conduction 240 times faster than to air. Heat loss in water in the low 70's exceeds the heat generation ability of the average person. Thin or small people, or people unacclimitized to the cold suffer the most. There is no significant difference between male and female bodies.

Not only that, primary heat generation is mainly done through exercise, specifically movement. This is actually detrimental in water due to the higher conductivity, as the movement pulls more cool water into contact with the skin increasing the cooling effect.

Hope that this helps

Ontario Diver,

Actually no that doesn't help any.

Ed

Well, then what do you want to know.

Hello,

Well that's simple. In my starting post I ask for any info on this specific topic, not hypo in general. The only info I have is what the NOAA manual states and I was looking for some more detail info about it.

Ed

As taught to me in my first aid, and rescue training (not diving tho - SAR); there is no symptomatic difference between warm water and cold water hypothermia. The only difference is the time before the onset of symptoms. and that the symptoms of warm water hypothermia *may* be more subtle.

FWIW

But I want some!!!

Sitting here looking out at 6" of snow......