What is the typical duration of the acute cold shock response phase after immersion?
Answer
One to three minutes
The acute phase of the cold shock response (CSR) is characterized by violent, involuntary physiological reactions designed to cope with sudden thermal shock, and safety experts agree this period is extremely short. This initial phase, marked by gasping and hyperventilation, is consistently cited as lasting only for the first one to three minutes following immersion into cold water. This brief window is critical because if the head is submerged during an involuntary gasp, drowning can occur immediately, before the longer-term effects of cold set in. Once this period passes, the body transitions into the next stage, Cold Incapacitation, which lasts significantly longer.
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