# Injured yesterday, freezing today. Related? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 29, 2008, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/injured-yesterday-freezing-today-related/479108 "2008-12-29T19:57:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Belrix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed655f/32.png) [@Belrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belrix)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/injured-yesterday-freezing-today-related/479108/1 "2008-12-29T19:57:51Z")
I took a dump on my motorcycle yesterday. Nothing horrible, just a very low speed slide over on the right side in a snowbank. I was pinned briefly between the bike & the guardrail and today have a deep bruise on my upper arm & also on my ribs. Last night, and again today, I just can’t get warm. I want to wear gloves inside, I want to snuggle up with heating pad. Is there a reaction to injury that could cause this or am I, perhaps, just on the verges of a cold? ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/injured-yesterday-freezing-today-related/479108/2 "2008-12-29T20:04:06Z")
Sorry to hear about the spill, wrecking a motorcycle sucks; hope you had all your gear on! WAG, your body is using its resources to heal the energy, and is therefore not able to use that energy to warm you up? Sounds like you’re alright, how’s the bike? Just body damage, I hope? ---
**Author:** ![Belrix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed655f/32.png) [@Belrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belrix)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/injured-yesterday-freezing-today-related/479108/3 "2008-12-29T20:24:17Z")
> [@Santo\_Rugger](#): > > Sorry to hear about the spill, wrecking a motorcycle sucks; hope you had all your gear on! > > WAG, your body is using its resources to heal the energy, and is therefore not able to use that energy to warm you up? > > Sounds like you’re alright, how’s the bike? Just body damage, I hope? Yup - had all my gear on - my riding jacket is all muddy now. I’m a big believer in ATGATT. I swung a hairpin a bit wide & got my front tire stuck in a snowbank. I rode it almost to a stop and just before I got all the way stopped, it dumped onto its right side & pinned me. Damage, so far, appears to be just a scratch on the aftermarket air cleaner, probably from rocks in the snowbank. Have to find a way to buff it out. There may be some fine scratches on the pipes, too. I have to wash it and see what remains - the right side is all muddy. I am inspired, however, to add some engine guards. They cost half of my air cleaner Yeah - using energy to heal is my speculation but I don’t know if I’m must rationalizing or there’s something to that theory. ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/injured-yesterday-freezing-today-related/479108/4 "2008-12-29T20:45:36Z")
I really tried to walk away from this. I have nothing to add. But, I want you to know that I’m in tears here picturing you trying to take a dump on your motorcycle. ATGATT? Must have assless chaps. Seriously, though, glad to hear you’re alright. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/injured-yesterday-freezing-today-related/479108/5 "2008-12-29T21:12:04Z")
> [@Belrix](#): > > Is there a reaction to injury that could cause this or am I, perhaps, just on the verges of a cold? Yes there is. [Brain Control of Responses to Trauma](http://books.google.com/books?id=MINgxtd-rFsC&pg=PA268&lpg=PA268&dq=injury+thermogenesis+non-shivering&source=web&ots=9s8QJDjsj0&sig=z1e89HbcOHHdneaenSX1egMQN7g&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=8&ct=result#PPA268,M1) > [@](#): > > **Mechanisms of metabolic and thermoregulatory responses to injury** > There is now extensive evidence to indicate that thermoregulatory and metabolic responses to injury are under direct control by the CNS. The brain receives both the neural and humoral afferent signals and subsequently activates peripheral effector mechanisms leading to changes in heat production and heat loss and thus to alterations in body temperature. As you can probably tell by the length of the words in the above quote, the discussion of such effects gets complicated very quickly, however there’s no doubt that injuries can and do sometimes alter thermoregulation. ---
**Author:** ![Belrix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed655f/32.png) [@Belrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belrix)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/injured-yesterday-freezing-today-related/479108/6 "2008-12-29T21:18:31Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > As you can probably tell by the length of the words in the above quote, the discussion of such effects gets complicated very quickly, however there’s no doubt that injuries can and do sometimes alter thermoregulation. I started to scan the article and now I’m freezing _and_ my brain hurts! ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/injured-yesterday-freezing-today-related/479108/7 "2008-12-30T03:55:21Z")
> [@brewha](#): > > I really tried to walk away from this. I have nothing to add. > > But, I want you to know that I’m in tears here picturing you trying to take a dump on your motorcycle. ATGATT? Must have assless chaps. Well, that explains the “mud” on the jacket… ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/injured-yesterday-freezing-today-related/479108/8 "2008-12-30T12:41:13Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > Yes there is. > [Brain Control of Responses to Trauma](http://books.google.com/books?id=MINgxtd-rFsC&pg=PA268&lpg=PA268&dq=injury+thermogenesis+non-shivering&source=web&ots=9s8QJDjsj0&sig=z1e89HbcOHHdneaenSX1egMQN7g&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=8&ct=result#PPA268,M1) > As you can probably tell by the length of the words in the above quote, the discussion of such effects gets complicated very quickly, however there’s no doubt that injuries can and do sometimes alter thermoregulation. Interesting. After every major operation I have had, I have then had trouble regulating my temp. I usually go without a coat even in very cold weather, but after an operation I would be sitting in a 74 degree with cold hands and shivering. I wonder if this phenomenon is related. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/injured-yesterday-freezing-today-related/479108/9 "2008-12-30T17:33:11Z")
> [@Khadaji](#): > > I wonder if this phenomenon is related. Yup, there’s a big literature on [postoperative thermoregulation.](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&c2coff=1&safe=off&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&hs=2J3&q=thermoregulation+postoperative&btnG=Search) ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/injured-yesterday-freezing-today-related/479108/10 "2008-12-30T17:49:29Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > Yup, there’s a big literature on [postoperative thermoregulation.](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&c2coff=1&safe=off&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&hs=2J3&q=thermoregulation+postoperative&btnG=Search) Pretty cool. I asked this question here a while back (probably more than a year, less than 3 years ago), but only got a few answers. Even my surgeon basically said: We don’t know why but it isn’t uncommon.