Heat exhaustion is a heat-related illness caused by dehydration and over-exertion. Photo / 123rf
Heat exhaustion is a heat-related illness caused by dehydration and over-exertion. Photo / 123rf
There are simple ways to address it quickly. Here’s what to know.
Dangerously high temperatures can increase the risk of heat exhaustion and other heat-related illnesses. Knowing the signs of heat exhaustion and how to treat it can help prevent more serious problems.
What is heat exhaustion?
Heatexhaustion occurs when a person is no longer able to keep exerting themselves in the heat, usually because the heart can’t keep up with the demands on it.
The body loses too much water and salt, usually through excessive sweating. It can happen during exercise, factory work, or even a long wait at a bus stop in hot and humid weather.
Typically, when temperatures are high, someone experiencing heat exhaustion may start to feel dizzy, faint, or nauseated, said Dr Hany Atallah, an emergency medicine physician and chief medical officer of Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida.
“That means you’ve over-heated, you’ve over-exerted yourself,” Atallah said. “You really need to rest.”
Other signs of heat exhaustion include a headache, vomiting, muscle cramps, and an increased heart rate
Who is most susceptible?
Heat exhaustion typically occurs in warmer months and during heatwaves, said Dr Jacquelyn Bowers, director of emergency services at Ochsner LSU Health System of north Louisiana, the United States.
It most commonly affects people who are outdoors for long stretches without taking breaks to cool down and replace lost fluids. This can include outdoor workers, athletes, and people who are homeless.
Older adults, infants, and young children also face heightened risk of over-heating because they have less ability to regulate body temperature and balance fluids, said Dr Ronna Campbell, an emergency medicine physician at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
People who take certain medications, including some blood pressure pills, may also be at greater risk.
Outdoor workers and athletes are among the most at risk of heat-related illnesses. Photo / 123rf
Can you prevent heat exhaustion?
“We can control a lot of heat illnesses on our own,” Bowers said, including by limiting time outdoors and avoiding strenuous exertion when temperatures are high. You should also wear loose clothing and stay hydrated to help your body keep cool.
Staying physically fit – by doing exercise that increases your heart rate for at least 30 minutes four times a week – may be the best form of prevention, said Douglas Casa, a professor of kinesiology at the University of Connecticut. It means your heart will be in better shape to tolerate stress during times of high heat.
For people who spend significant amounts of time in the heat, such as athletes and labourers, heat acclimatisation – gradually increasing exertion in high heat over several days – can provide protection against heat exhaustion and other heat-related illness.
Heat exhaustion can strike even in shaded areas if humidity is high. Photo / 123rf
How is heat exhaustion treated?
If you’re showing signs of heat exhaustion, you need to find a way to quickly cool down and hydrate, the doctors said. Casa also recommended letting someone know you’re not feeling well in case your symptoms worsen and you need assistance. You should also stop any activity you’re doing and rest.
If you’re at the beach or out hiking, find some shade and remove any extra layers of clothing to help bring your body temperature down. You can also return to your car and blast the air conditioning, Atallah said.
Taking a dip in a cold body of water can help you cool off quickly, though experts recommend only doing so if someone else is around, in case your symptoms get worse and you aren’t able to get out or seek help.
If you’re indoors without access to air conditioning, go to a cooling centre, take a cold shower or mist yourself with cold water and blow a fan on your skin. This can help sweat to evaporate and your body to cool down, Campbell said. Propping your feet up will help blood return to the heart, lessening the strain on it.
“Freezing cold towels over the entire body while the feet are propped is like the magic elixir to heat exhaustion,” Casa said.
Sipping cool fluids will also help. Bowers recommended sports drinks to replace electrolytes such as sodium and potassium that you sweat out when dehydrated.
These measures typically help people who have heat exhaustion feel better almost immediately, Casa said.
If your symptoms worsen or don’t improve within 30 minutes – or if you are experiencing confusion, seizures, or other changes to your mental status – call 111 or go to your closest emergency department, the doctors said.
A core body temperature of over 40C, together with these other symptoms, is also a red flag that you need immediate medical attention.
Sports drinks replenish lost sodium and potassium during excessive sweating. Photo / 123rf
