How to act before a heat stroke? Discover the first aid you should perform when it occurs, finding yourself facing a really serious medical emergency if it is not treated quickly.
Heat stroke, which is usually confused with sunstroke, appears when our body gets too hot and is not able to cool itself, maintaining a low temperature and thereby counteracting the high temperature of our body.
Medically it is known by the name of hyperthermia, although it is more common for most people to know it precisely by the name of heat stroke -or sunstroke-.
Medically explained, we are faced with an increase in temperature above the normal hypothalamic value, caused above all by a failure of the heat evacuation systems of our body.
That is, especially due to the existence of a very high outside temperature, our body is not capable of cooling itself. Hence, it is a fairly common problem in the summer months, although there are also other causes that can cause its appearance not only during the summer months, but ultimately, at any time of the year (fever, muscular effort or malignant hyperthermia).
What are the symptoms that appear to know if a person is suffering from heat stroke?
Given that the first aid that is carried out on the affected person is essential (since we are dealing with a serious medical emergency that can lead to death), it is very important to know its main symptoms:
- Excess sweat.
- Tachycardia and difficulty breathing normally.
- The skin when touched is very hot, and becomes dry.
- Dizziness and nausea with the possibility of vomiting.
- Muscular weakness.
Before the appearance of any symptom or signal that may indicate that the person is possibly suffering from heat stroke, first aid maneuvers should be started, to prevent it from going further. The main problem is that, if not treated quickly, it can have a series of serious complications, which can cause some type of permanent disability, or in more serious cases, lead to death.
How to act before a heat stroke?
It is essential to try to lower the person’s body temperature, so it is important to:
- Quickly move the person to shade in a cool, well-ventilated place and place them in a semi-sitting supine position.
- Remove all unnecessary clothing when. In case of being near a fan or air conditioner, it is advisable to move it to a nearby area.
- Fan it with cold air.
- Wet the skin with cold water.
- Apply cold water compresses to the head.
- Give water to drink in small sips.
- Submerge the person in a tub of ice water.
- Use a fan directed at the person.
On the other hand, if the person has a temperature above 40ºC, it is essential to bathe them with cold water, until the body temperature is reduced and drops to 38ºC. From this moment on, it is convenient to stop applying cold, to avoid the risk of hypothermia.
In addition, it is essential to control the temperature from time to time, for example, every four hours (15 minutes). In this way, if we observe and verify that the temperature of the organism has risen again, repeat the cold treatment again.
And how can we prevent sunstroke?
Remember that when it comes to preventing sunstroke, it is essential to:
- Avoid physical activity when it is very hot.
- Wear light clothing and always light colors.
- Stay in well-ventilated spaces.
- Avoid large meals.
- Drink a lot of liquid.
- Wear a hat or cap.
In addition, it is advisable to avoid alcoholic beverages on hot days, since they tend to increase metabolism and therefore also the temperature of our body. The same goes for stimulants.
