Veteran of the Third Battle of Tannhauser Gate.
Joined:
Dec 2005
Posts:
83739
EE: 100% (6)
ID, USA
Posted: 3/28/2025 3:54:08 PM EDT
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It's generally advised to avoid alcohol when very cold, as it draws body heat from the core and ultimately makes the victim colder. What about when the victim is safe and warm, and in no danger of freezing? |
"The Creator may be seen in all the works of his hands, but none so clearly in the wise economy of the honey bee."
87% of the time, any question starting with "Why..." is answered with "Money."
87% of the time, any question starting with "Why..." is answered with "Money."
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More info needed. Drinking alcohol doesn’t necessarily draw heat and cause a shell to core shunt, but what kind of situation are you asking about? We talking a healthy mid twenties male with no significant medical history who twisted an ankle and and non ambulatory so you’re gonna stay the night and EVAC during daylight hours? In that case if no meds were given, or just ibuprofen or toradal, probably fine. I’d say 90% of the time if you’re with a patient and you’re not doing an EVAC at night, they’re probably stable enough to handle a drink or two. But there’s still a ton of medical reasons you would not, like is the patient going to be going into surgery soon, or if the patient is ambulatory and needs to get out under own power cause a broken wrist, negative interactions with meds, etc… But kinda need context. |
Veteran of the Third Battle of Tannhauser Gate.
Joined:
Dec 2005
Posts:
84060
EE: 100% (6)
ID, USA
| Coming inside after a difficult self-rescue. No one injured, and not expecting to drive till next day. |
"The Creator may be seen in all the works of his hands, but none so clearly in the wise economy of the honey bee."
87% of the time, any question starting with "Why..." is answered with "Money."
87% of the time, any question starting with "Why..." is answered with "Money."
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If you had a self rescue and you’re medically fine, just exhausted, not on medications that prevent drinking, and you'll have the amenities of a standard home like warm shower, dry clothing, normothermic environment or the ability to turn heat up, drink until you want. You’ll probably become intox faster. You medically speaking shouldn’t be affected by the alcohol as if we’re any other day. The reason why alcohol affects people in the cold and it leads to hypothermia or frostbite is because it causes people to feel warm. Alcohol dilates the blood vessels causing you to dump heat. The same thing happens in hot environments or a sauna. Your body makes the vessels larger and that makes you want to take clothing off, sweat to cool down, etc… what you describe as making the blood go to your core is more of a hypovolemic issue where your body is loosing volume and compensates by restricting blood to extremities in order to supply blood and oxygen to parts of your body critical for survival. Often referred to as shell to core shunt. That’s more of a I got shot, stabbed, etc… and loosing blood. |