Heat Stroke: Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention Tips for Staying Safe in Hot Weather
- 25 Apr 2023
- #Heat Stroke
- #Heat Stroke Symptoms
- #Heat Stroke Treatment
Heat stroke occurs when your body overheats due to overexertion in high temperatures. This condition requires emergency treatment; else, it can be life-threatening. Heatstroke occurs when the temperature of your body rises above 40°C from 37°C. Dehydration can also contribute to heat stroke. It is sometimes also called hyperthermia. Untreated heatstroke can damage your muscles, kidneys, heart, and brain. It can even lead to death in extreme cases. You can also get heatstroke if you exercise or work in hot conditions and don’t drink enough water.
If someone has sunstroke, you should try to cool them down while waiting for medical assistance. Move them into a cool place, remove excess clothing, and offer sips of a cool drink or water to help their body get back to normal temperature.
Heat strokes are of two types non-exertional and exertional. Non-exertional heatstroke affects people with chronic health conditions like diabetes and older adults. This type of heatstroke may come on gradually for several hours or days. Its effect can increase due to dehydration. Exertional heatstroke is caused by intense physical exertion outdoors during hot and humid weather and dehydration. Heat exhaustion can become a medical emergency in small babies as they cannot regulate their body temperature effectively.
There are various steps you can take to avoid heat stroke.
Let’s take a look at the common signs and symptoms of heat stroke:
If you or your friend or relative exhibits such signs and symptoms, ask them to drink water, move them to a cool shaded area and seek medical attention immediately.
Sunstroke is a severe medical condition that requires immediate medical treatment. To avoid heat stroke, you should know what is the normal body temperature range and what to do if the temperature rises. Dehydration can also contribute to heat stroke, so stay hydrated throughout the day. While waiting for an ambulance to arrive, you can do the following things:
At the hospital or clinic, the person with sunstroke may be given supplemental oxygen, an ice bath, a cooling blanket, cooled intravenous fluids or medications to prevent seizures. The treatment will depend upon the severity of the situation.
Sometimes cold-water lavage is given to patients wherein catheters are used to fill the cavities of the body with cold water. This instantly lowers the body temperature. Once the body reaches 38.9 degrees Celsius, doctors will stop cooling treatments for sunstroke.
Leave a Reply
Related articles
Prev Obesity: Causes and Consequences of a Growing ...
Next Understanding the Effect of UV Rays on Your Sk...