Frostbite

The Lonely One

Why is a raven like a writing desk?
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Actually my character, who is barefoot in the snow (though it is imagined snow--a literal mirage--this is not realistic fiction) has begun to feel the onsets of frostbite, or perhaps not frostbite just total numbness.

This is hard to explain but another character who is an animal is warming his feet with her fur.

The feet are at a stage they will recover fully, but what is the sensation like of the feeling returning? I imagine it's worse than when a limb falls asleep briefly. Be as detailed as possible. Thanks in advance.
 

PeterL

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I think that you did describe it. There isn't a lot to the feeling, except pain and later itching.
 

Kitty Pryde

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Any bit that goes numb in the cold will hurt like a beeyotch when it warms up again. The longer it's numb, the more damage is done, and the more it hurts.
 

Mike Martyn

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Run the cold water tap until it's ice cold then hold your hand under it (or your foot if you prefer)for a few minute. It will go numb. Then run the appendage under hot water. You'll learn far more about the sensation than you'll ever want to know!
 

RJK

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You're an evil man Mike Martyn, but a good teacher.
 

boron

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Apart from numbness, his feet would become pale and partially paralyzed - he would not be able to use his ankles reliably when starting to walk, so he would hesitate to proceed to walk...

While heating up, he would start to feel a really unpleasant pain "under the nails" and would probably want to embrace the toes with the hands or dig them into some clothes with an extreme urgency. This "agony" could lasts for several seconds, maybe 10. It's a feeling that makes you cry, moan or swear, even if you usually don't. Then pain slowly goes away, and a really pleasant warmth (and, like mentioned, some transitional itch) replaces it.
 
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The Lonely One

Why is a raven like a writing desk?
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Apart from numbness, his feet would become pale and partially paralyzed - he would not be able to use ankles when starting to walk, so he would hesitate to proceed to walk...

While heating up, he would start to feel a really unpleasant pain "under the nails" and would probably want to embrace the toes with the hands or dig them into some clothes with an extreme urgency. This lasts for several seconds, maybe 10. It's a feeling that makes you cry, moan or swear, even if you usually don't. Then pain slowly goes away, feet/toes may be still sore or numb for like a minute, and then the warmth comes as a great relief.

Just the kind of detail I was looking for.

Thanks, everyone.