Cold water effect on hands

[Laban]

Did my first dry suit diving this weekend. 5 dives in water around 1 degree Celsius (33.8 Fahrenheit). Amazing stuff, did a deep dive to 30 meters and my first wreck dive. Anyway, on my very first buoyancy dive I had a pair of faulty wet gloves. My hands got really cold, so cold that they actually lost all feel, which is why I stayed down a bit too long. Now, two days later my hands feel a bit swollen and are a bit sensitive to touch. They also feel a bit stiff. Is this normal after several cold dives? Should I do something about it? Grateful for advice.

 

[LUBOLD8431]

Probably got a bit of frostbite, or just alot of cold on your hands... Try Dry GLoves next time for really cold water (anything below 40 degrees F). They will keep you warm and dry. Just keep your hands warm for the next few days, and try not to rub them. Use a warm water solution to help them out... If it doesnt get better, see your Doctor...

 

[Poseidon]

I had the same problem when I went diving in 42F water with no gloves... hands lost all feeling so I stayed down until I was finished.
The next couple of days my hands were stiff... like my joints were swolen and didn't want to move. It passed, and I learned my lesson.

 

[rmediver2002]

Chilblains (Erythema pernio) - during a working dive in water 34 degrees f, I had a leak in one leg of a drysuit. Since I was working uprigth in the water column only one foot was affected.

The foot went numb and after surfacing and rewarming began to swell and turn red and I felt an intense pins and needles sensation.

The temperature was not cold enough to freeze the tissue but the injury is pretty painful...

http://www.vnh.org/GMO/ClinicalSection/17ColdInjuries.html

Jeff Lane