cold shock
Icy water jolt
Cold shock is the body's violent physiological response to sudden immersion in cold water—gasping, hyperventilation, and rapid heart rate that can lead to drowning or cardiac arrest within minutes.
The term also applies more broadly to any abrupt exposure to extreme cold: The cold shock of stepping outside hit her instantly.
In biology, cold shock describes cellular damage from rapid temperature drops.
- hypothermiaDangerously low body temperature
- body temperatureInternal heat level
- shiverInvoluntary trembling sensation
- plungeSudden steep descent
- ice bathTherapeutic immersion in frigid water
gasp · sharp intake · ice · freeze · deep freeze · jolt · cryotherapy · polar · dip · immersion · frostbite · numbness · bracing · arctic · goosebumps · thermal · stress · fight or flight
- stressstress, chronic stress, acute stress, strain, stressor
- Cold Sensationschill, chills, shiver, shivers, shivering
- biological responsesthermoregulation, stress response, physiological response, fight or flight, reflexes
- cold damagefrostbite, hypothermia, frozen pipes, burst pipes, ice dam
- cold injuriesfrostbite, frostnip, hypothermia, chilblains, trench foot
- shocksanaphylaxis, electroshock, aftershock
cold shockheat stress
Body overwhelmed by temperature
hot flash · hyperthermia · heat stroke · thermal shock · burning sensation
cold shockheat exhaustion
Condition from excessive warmth
overheating · fever · warmth · hyperthermia
cold, shock, colder, coldest, coldly, coldness, colds, shocks, shocked