What to do in case of sunstroke? What is the best way to deal with (impending) sunstroke? Heatstroke involves overheating and dehydration. Simply put, someone with heatstroke is too hot and too dry. Heat stroke presents itself with headache, nausea, fatigue, dizziness and muscle weakness or muscle cramps. In case of ‘mild’ heat stroke (actually: ‘heat exhaustion or ‘overheating’) you can still take measures to prevent (severe) heat stroke.
What to do in case of sunstroke?
- What are the causes of heat stroke?
- Too high body temperature
- Mechanism
- What are symptoms and characteristics of heatstroke?
- Mild heatstroke symptoms
- Severe heatstroke symptoms
- What can you do against sunstroke?
- When to consult a doctor?
- How can you prevent heatstroke?
What are the causes of heat stroke?
Too high body temperature
Heat stroke is also called ‘heat stroke’. Heat stroke refers to a situation in which the body is no longer able to cool down sufficiently. The result is that the temperature in the body rises: the body overheats. Heatstroke is caused by a lack of moisture, by dehydration. The body can overheat not only due to prolonged exposure to the sun (especially the head and neck), but also outside the sun, for example when you work in a warm room and drink too little. The temperature can also rise due to exertion, as the muscles then produce more heat than the skin can release through perspiration. Due to the heat combined with too little fluid intake, you lose too much fluid and salts. This means that the body cannot cool down sufficiently and the temperature continues to rise. This can cause people to become very ill or even die.
Mechanism
The mechanism behind this is very simple. The thermoregulation system in your brain ensures that your body temperature is kept constant at about 37°C. The body does this by opening the blood vessels in the skin more or less, or by sweating/perspiring. This is how the body cools itself. But if you lose more fluid (and salts) than you take in, at some point your body will have too little fluid to evaporate. The result is that body temperature rises. The skin of the torso, arms and legs does not receive proper blood circulation due to the lack of fluid in the body. As a result, the skin becomes pale and you stop sweating. This causes the body temperature to become even higher. When you have heat stroke, you are essentially too hot and too dry.
What are symptoms and characteristics of heatstroke?
In fact, two phases can be distinguished in which you can end up when suffering from heatstroke or heat stroke: a mild or mild heatstroke and a serious form, which requires immediate medical assistance. If the temperature remains below 39°C and no neurological symptoms occur, there is in fact heat exhaustion.
Headache with mild heatstroke / Source: Istock.com/JackF
Mild heat stroke symptoms
The following symptoms occur with mild heat stroke:
- an elevated body temperature, 38 to 40°C;
- nausea;
- headache;
- dizziness or light-headedness;
- muscle pain/cramps;
- warm and red skin/cold, perspiring clammy skin;
- increased heart rate;
- dilated pupils;
- stomach cramps;
- drowsiness and weakness;
- fatigue.
Severe heat stroke symptoms
If the first symptoms are not responded to quickly and adequately, the mild form can develop into a serious form that requires immediate medical attention. In the severe form, the body temperature has risen even further and the following symptoms may occur:
- body temperature has risen above 40°C;
- pale skin color;
- neurological symptoms, such as:
- delirium (acute confusion, possibly restless or aggressive behavior or seeing or hearing things that are not there);
Pulse / Source: Dragon Images/Shutterstock.com
-
- convulsions (convulsions); or
- become unconscious.
- fast and/or irregular heartbeat or breathing;
- pulse is often rapid and blood pressure may be high or low;
- moving is difficult.
What can you do against sunstroke?
As soon as someone shows symptoms of heatstroke, it is important to respond quickly and adequately, so that the mild variant does not turn into the serious variant with all the possible consequences. To this end, take the following measures:
- Place the person under a cool shower;
- Make sure it gets out of the sun or heat and puts it down in a cool environment;
- Cooling can also be stimulated by keeping the person moist by placing washcloths with slightly lukewarm water on the head and regularly sponging the body;
- Remove excess clothing;
- Give him something to drink (obviously no alcohol) so that the fluid level is replenished;
- Give him to drink little by little: too large amounts may cause the person to vomit;
- Use a special rehydration solution (as ORS, for children there is junior-ORS);
- Let him rest and stay with him.
When to consult a doctor?
Notify a doctor immediately or call 112 if the person continues to vomit, is confused or restless, or loses consciousness. Also consult a doctor if you have any doubts about the severity of the symptoms or if the condition does not improve quickly. If the person is in danger of fainting, have them lie down on the floor so that blood flows to the brain again. In case of severe heat stroke, a person will be admitted to hospital, sometimes even to the intensive care unit. An infusion is often administered to replenish fluid and salt loss. Medication is also administered to lower body temperature. Any complications can also be treated in hospital.
How can you prevent heat stroke?
You can prevent heatstroke by taking the following measures, among others:
- Drink enough water. You drink too little if your urine is dark yellow.
- Do not drink only when you feel thirsty, because thirst is already a sign of dehydration. So drink before you get thirsty.
- Many people drink cola and other soft drinks such as ice tea, energy drinks or coffee, but it is known that your blood pressure rises and you should avoid that in the heat.
- Do not drink alcohol, because it has a diuretic effect.
- You lose more heat with thin, airy (preferably cotton) clothing.
- Avoid alcohol / Source: Istock.com/karelnoppe
On a hot day, provide sufficient cooling, for example with wet sponges or a cool shower.
- Avoid strenuous exercise and do not practice sports in the heat for long periods of time.
- Do not exercise when it is warmer than 28°C.
- Keep the heat out as much as possible by avoiding direct sunlight in the house by using sun blinds or shutters and by keeping windows and doors closed during the day and ventilating as much as possible in the evening and at night (when it has cooled down).
- Let the body get used to high temperatures. For example, if you go on holiday to a warm country, do not lie in the sun with your body naked all day. Take a siesta between noon and 3 p.m., the hottest hours of the day.
read more
- Heat stroke child or heat stroke: symptoms and treatment
- Heat stroke: symptoms, signs, cause & treatment
