3 Ways to Beat Heat-Related Illnesses
It cannot be helped; man was not built invincible to his changing environment. One way or another, due to other complications brought upon by the changing temperature, he would succumb to it. Particularly if he is not aware of it or done anything to prevent illness which usually abounds during the summer.
The increasing warmth aggravates small ailments in humans that on cold weather are hardly noticeable but unbearable during the summer.
1. Heat cramps – described as painful spasm, mostly in the legs and abdomen that usually results from heavy
sweating and intense exertion. To recognize heat cramps, the patient would feel tremors or ripples usually in the legs and abdominal muscles, which might occur during or after an exhausting activity. Experts advise to apply dense pressure to cramping muscles or lightly rub down to reduce spasms. Drink liquids and consult your physician.
2. Heat exhaustion – this usually happens when people work out a lot during the hot weather or work under the sun in a damp place where fluids of the body are gone in the course of excessive sweating. The symptoms of this illness are pale, cold and damp skin, weakness, and heavy sweating. Add to that a fainting, weak pulse and vomiting could also be possible. What should you do when it happens? Loosen the patient’s clothing, lie the patient down in a cool place, and then apply a cool wet cloth on his forehead. Administer fanning or moving the person to an air-conditioned room or place to help cool down his temperature. Give him sips of water. Seek advice from your doctor.
3. Heat stroke – also known as sunstroke, as the term connotes a health emergency that could render a person unconscious. It is when the temperature control system of the body stops working, and fail to produce sweats to cool down the body heat. The symptoms are rapid and strong pulse, dry and hot skin, and high body temperature (around 106+). The body temperature can rise so high that damage and death may result if the body is not cooled quickly. Don’t let the patient lose consciousness, fan vigorously for air.
What’s more important when these emergencies occur is to have presence of mind and administer first aid if you know how or better yet seek the assistance of somebody who knows how or medically fit like a doctor or rescuer. Maybe an oximeter is also needed to be used to see if your lungs, heart and blood are all working together to get oxygen delivered to all the various parts of your body. Focus on what you can do to help the patient than panic, since it will not help the both of you.
