We should all know how to treat heat illness. It’s summer, it’s hot, we are all out and about doing things and going on vacation…did I mention it’s hot? While out and about this summer there is a good chance you may get too much sun, not enough water, and end up with a heat illness. But can you recognize heat illness in yourself, other adults, or children? Do you know how to treat heat illness at home or know when you have to go to the hospital? Knowing how to treat illness and knowing when you should go to the hospital is something we should all know, so let’s learn together.
Learning To Recognize Heat Illness
I won’t lie, when I moved to Texas I was not prepared for the level of heat that is constant year round. Not that I haven’t dealt with heat illness other places, but I felt like heat exhaustion was near constant the first year I was in Texas.
The problem was, I wasn’t able to recognize it until it was too late. But as I became more familiar with it and learned to recognize the difference between heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and sun poisoning it became easier to prevent it.
It only took 2 heat strokes, 1 case of sun poisoning, and multiple cases of heat exhaustion to learn. And now I can share with you everything I learned from recognizing heat illness to teaching you how to treat heat illness.
What Are The 3 Types Of Heat Illnesses?
There are, at least in my mind, 3 type of heat illnesses though people generally focus on 2. But I want to break them down for you so you can understand the difference in them and how serious each one is.
1. Heat Cramps
Heat cramps are when you have cramps or muscle spasms in your stomach, arms, or legs. This is the first sign of a heat illnesses and the warning signal that you need to take time to cool down. Heat cramps are believed to be causes by an imbalance of electrolytes in the body caused by sweating.
2. Heat Exhaustion
Heat exhaustion is when your body overheats. It’s not just getting hot, but actually overheated. Heat exhaustion is the second heat illness that can lead to more serious problems. Heat exhaustion is usually caused by the rise in body temperature and dehydration.
3. Heat Stroke
Heat stroke is also cause when your body overheats from prolonged exposure to high temperatures and heat and is the most serious of the heat illnesses. This happens when your core temperature is 104F or higher and requires emergency treatment as it can kill you or at the very least cause serious complications.
Recognizing Heat Illness Symptoms
Okay, now that you understand what the 3 stages of heat illness are let’s talk about the symptoms of the three heat illnesses so you will know how to treat heat illness in yourself, a loved on, or a stranger or whether you need to go to the hospital.
1. Heat Cramp Symptoms
Well good news is that heat cramps tend to be brief. But these painful muscle cramps that may cause your muscles to jerk involuntarily. Heat cramps can occur while you’re in the sun or even later when you’re no longer in the sun. The cramps usually happen in tired muscles from people who work or exercise for long periods in the sun. You may feel the cramps in places like: calves, thighs, arms, and shoulders.
Symptoms of heat cramps are:
- Muscle Spasms
- Muscle Pain
2. Heat Exhaustion Symptoms
There are 2 types of heat exhaustion. One is caused by water depletion and the other salt depletion. Both are dangerous, and while not as bad as heat stroke, should be taken seriously. If you don’t take care of your heat exhaustion it can lead to heat stroke.
Symptoms of heat exhaustion are:
- Dark Colored Urine
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Muscle Cramps
- Muscle Spasms
- Stomach Cramps
- Fainting
- Sweating
- Pale Skin
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarhea
- Sweating A Lot
- Fast Heart Beat
- Excessive Thirst
- Weakness
3. Heat Stroke Symptoms
As you can guess, heat stroke is the most dangerous of the 3 heat related illnesses and can kill you or cause brain damage or damage to other internal organs. Heat stroke is caused by prolonged exposure to heat and dehydration. Usually the core temperature is 104F which can cause central nervous system issues.
Heat stroke symptoms are:
- Fainting
- Throbbing Headache
- Lack of Sweating
- Dizziness
- Light Headedness
- Muscle Fatigue/Weakness
- Muscle Cramps
- Red, Dry, And Hot Skin
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Rapid Heart Beat
- Weak Heart Beat
- Shallow Breathing
- Rapid Breathing
- Seizures
- Unconciousness
- Confusion
- Disorientation
- Staggering
- Seizures
- Coma
How To Treat Heat Illness
Now that you know what the 3 heat illnesses are, what causes them, and their symptoms, now you can learn how to treat heat illness at home or know when to go to the hospital.
1. How To Treat Heat Cramps
Heat cramp first aid is fairly simple. If you are having heat cramps you should do the following:
- Rest
- Cool Down
- Drink Fluids That Have Electrolytes
- Gently Massage The Cramping Muscles
- Don’t Resume Strenuous Activity Or Go Back Into The Heat For A The Rest Of The Day
It’s fairly simple, rest, cool off, and get electrolytes. But when should you go to the doctor for muscle cramps? If you muscle cramps don’t go away within a couple hours of cooling off, resting, and rehydrating you may want to call your doctor because it may be more serious than just heat cramps if they’re not going away.
2. How To Treat Heat Exhaustion
Heat exhaustion first aid is basically the same you would do for heat cramps, though there are a couple more suggestions. To treat heat exhaustion you should do the following:
- Rest
- Cool Down In The Shade or AC
- Drink Something With Electrolytes
- Remove Tight Or Heavy Clothing/Accessories
- Apply Ice Packs Or Cold Water To Forehead, Wrists, Back Of Your Neck, And Arm Pits
- Don’t Resume Strenuous Activity Or Go Back Into The Heat For A The Rest Of The Day
You should recover in a few hours, however, if your symptoms do not go away in a few hours or get worse, seem medical treatment immediately. I will say if you’re heat exhaustion is getting worse, there is a chance you have heat stroke and need either the Urgent Care or ER.
3. How To Treat Heat Stroke
If you think you have heat stroke, please seek medical attention asap. Like call 911, or go to Urgent Care or the ER. Because it’s very serious. That being said, if you are in a circumstance where you cannot go to the doctor because of a situation (in the middle of nowhere, civil unrest, a hurricane, etc) then these steps should help you treat heat stroke. Again, I’m not doctor, this is in case of emergency and medical attention is not available. To treat heat stroke at home you should do the following:
- Have Them Lay Down And Rest
- Cool Down In The Shade or AC
- Drink Something With Electrolytes
- Remove Tight Or Heavy Clothing/Accessories
- Apply Ice Packs Or Cold Water To Forehead, Wrists, Back Of Your Neck, And Arm Pits
- Immerse In Cool (not cold) Water If Possible
- Monitor Their Breathing
- Don’t Resume Strenuous Activity Or Go Back Into The Heat For A The Rest Of The Day
Again if you think you have heat stroke you really need to be checked out by a doctor and treated at a medical care facility as it can have lasting effects. This is purely for last resource use.
How Do Hospitals Treat Heat Illness?
If you go to the hospital for a heat illness what do they do to treat you? Well, they will do a number of things to ensure your organs aren’t damage and to check symptoms like:
- Checking Rectal Temperature
- Doing A Blood Test
- Asking For Urine For A Urine Test
- Muscle Function Test
- Imaging
From here they’ll be able to decide the next steps. And the next steps may be simple or may require more intensive care like:
- Immersing You In A Cold Bath
- Evaporation Cooling Techniques
- IV
- Medications To Prevent Seizures
- Pack You With Ice and Cooling Blankets
- Give You Other Medications To Deal With Symptoms
- Give You Oxygen
How Long Does A Heat Illness Last?
Well to be honest, each heat illness kind of has it’s own time frame. Heat cramps will generally last for about 30 minutes to an hour. They can be intermittent. And sometimes they can last longer.
Now, heat exhaustion is a little different. Heat exhaustion can take up to 3 or 4 days to recover. It’s quite a bit longer than heat cramps.
Heat stroke on the other hand can take about a week to fully recover. Though in a hospital setting it will only last a few days. However, if their is any significant damage done by heat stroke it can take 2 months to a year to recover.
Are Heat Illness Symptoms Different In Adults and Children?
The symptoms of heat illness are kind of universal in everyone, however, children may not be able to express that they are having a problem. Children, immune compromised, and the elderly are more prone to heat illness than a healthy adult. Something to keep in mind when enjoying the sun during the summer.
Tips To Prevent Heat Illness
Now that you know how to treat heat illness and how to recognize it, let’s talk about how to prevent it. It’s always important to take preventive measures when trying to protect ourselves and not just wait for the aftermath.
So, what are some things we can do to prevent heat exhaustion? We can:
- Get Plenty Of Fluids
- Take Breaks
- Wear Light Clothing
- Put On Sunscreen (depending on how you feel about the whole sunscreen debate)
- Stay Cool Indoors Or In The Shade
- Schedule Outdoor Activities To Avoid The Hottest Part Of The Day
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