Heat exhaustion or heat stroke?
One of them is a killer, so it’s good to know which is which and what to do about it.
Overheating on a hike: a personal story
Exploring the great outdoors does wonders for the soul and the body but doing so in hot conditions is no walk in the park.
The editor of Great Walks magazine recently posted his personal story of delayed heat exhaustion in Central Australia. Drinking lots of water was not enough!
You can read his cautionary tale here.
“Heat exhaustion” was said to be a contributing factor in the death of British TV doctor, Michael Mosley, who died last year on a Greek Island. However, the coroner determined heat stroke could have led to his death.
Heatwaves can kill, so it is important to learn how to stay cool in hot weather and watch for the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
People aged over 65 and young children are most at risk of heat-related illness.
Heat exhaustion occurs when your body loses excess amounts of water and salt, typically from sweating. Heat stroke is a serious medical emergency that occurs when your body is unable to control its internal temperature.
Both heat stroke and heat exhaustion are caused by your body’s inability to cool itself.
Sweat helps cool the body down. If you overexercise or work strenuously in hot weather or a heated room, the body may have difficulty producing enough sweat to keep it cool.
Other causes of heat exhaustion and heat stroke include:
Dehydration
Wearing heavier, tight clothing
Consuming alcohol.
Heat exhaustion happens when someone becomes dehydrated due to fluid loss from a hot environment and/or excessive physical activity.
The symptoms of heat exhaustion include:
Normal or mildly higher body temperature
Cool, pale, clammy skin
Excessive sweating
Thirstiness
Headache
Muscle cramps
Rapid, weak pulse
Fainting or dizziness.
Treatment
Help the person to lie down in a cool or shady area to monitor.
Remove excessive clothing and loosen any tight clothing.
Immerse hands and feet in cold water, cool by fanning and moisten the skin, if possible.
If fully alert and responsive, give them frequent small drinks of water.
If muscle cramps occur, gently stretch the affected muscles to ease pain.
Experiencing heat exhaustion for an extended time can lead to heat stroke.
Heat stroke can come on quickly if it’s very hot or you’re overexerting yourself. That’s why it’s important to begin treatment at the first signs of heat exhaustion.
Heat stroke is a life-threatening emergency and can cause a person to collapse or fall unconscious. Heat stroke is serious and means the body is no longer regulating its temperature by cooling the skin’s surface by sweating. The internal body temperature rises, and organ damage can occur.
The symptoms of heatstroke include:
Reduced sweating
High body temperature (above 40°C)
Dry, flushed, hot skin
Nausea
Muscle spasms
Pain throughout the body
Unusual behaviour or signs of confusion
Seizure or possible loss of responsiveness.
Treatment
Immediately call 000 for an ambulance.
If available, have the person take a cold shower or bath.
Cool the person with household items such as wet towels, fans, or icepacks placed in the neck, groin and armpits.
If the person is unresponsive or not alert, place them in the recovery position.
Prepare to give CPR if necessary.
Australia, ‘the sunburnt country’ is no stranger to scorching summers and unrelenting heatwaves.
While we may think the weather is hotter now than in the past, The Conversation reports how Australians coped with a heatwave crisis in 1939, during which 420 people died due to high temperatures.
The article, Sleeping on beaches and staying social, is a timely and at times nostalgic reminder that Australians adapted to extreme weather – without the contemporary comforts of air-conditioning and refrigeration.
Related reading: Healthline, The Conversation, Red Cross
