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Whenever summer starts, the whole environment gets changed. When the environment changes, new diseases appear with the change. The most common disease in summers is heat stroke or sunstroke. What is heat stroke?
Heat stroke, also known as sun stroke, is a type of severe heat illness that results in a body temperature greater than 40.0 °C and confusion. Other symptoms include red, dry or damp skin, headache, and dizziness. Onset can be sudden or gradual. Complications may include seizures, rhabdomyolysis, or kidney failure.
Source: Wikipedia
So in this article, I am going to write about heat stroke, its symptoms, causes, effects and how you can avoid heat stroke in extreme summers. So let us get started.
What is Heat Stroke?
Heat stroke is a situation in which your body is overheated usually due to long exposure to high temperatures just like in summers. This is the most serious form of health injury which can occur if your body temperature increases to 40 C or more (Normal human body temperature is 37 C). Heat strokes usually occur in summers.
Heat stroke is a severe type of health injury which requires emergency treatment. If it is left untreated then it can damage human brain, kidneys, muscles, and heart and if the treatment is not taken then it can cause death too.
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Causes of Heat Stroke:
Heat stroke can occur due to the following reasons:
Exposure to a Hot Environment:
When the environment is hot, it leads to a rise in core body temperature. A long exposure to hot and humid weather can easily cause heat stroke. It mostly occurs in older adults or people with chronic illness.
Hard Working in Hot Weather:
Doing any physical hard work in extremely hot weather is also another cause of heat stroke. Anyone working in hot weather or doing any kind of exercise can get heat stroke but it is most likely to occur if you are not used to working in high temperatures.
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Wearing Excess Clothing:
Such kind of cloths which prevent sweat from evaporating easily and cooling your body can also be the cause of heat stroke because sweat should be evaporated from your clothes so that your body remains cool.
Drinking alcohol:
Drinking alcohol can affect your body's natural ability to regulate your body temperature. Since the body cannot regulate the temperature, it may result in a heat stroke.
Dehydration:
Dehydration means loss of internal water of your body. If a person does not drink enough water during summers then he may become dehydrated which can cause heat stroke. It is advised to drink more and more water during summers.
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Symptoms of Heat Stroke:
There are many signs and symptoms of sunstroke. Memorize them so that you could be a better analyzer.
1) High Body Temperature:
Normal Human body temperature is 37 C but if your body temperature rises to 40 C then you should be worried. It might be a fever or a heat stroke. For a heat stroke, you need to check further symptoms too listed next.
2) Vomiting and Nausea:
This could be another sign of sunstroke. You might feel sick to your stomach and start vomiting.
3) A headache:
When you are struck by heat stroke, you definitely feel a headache. This is another sign of heat stroke.
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4) Altered Behavior:
Your behavior gets changed. You are struck by anger issues, you feel dizzy, agitation, slurred speech and irritability. These all are the signs of heat stroke.
5) Alteration in Sweating:
Your skin will feel dry and hot when it is touched if you are struck by the heat stroke caused by hot weather and your skin will feel slightly moist if you are struck by heat stroke caused by strenuous exercise.
6) Red Skin:
Your skin may also turn red if you are really struck by heat stroke.
7) Rapid heartbeat and breath:
Your heart starts to beat rapidly because heat stress places a large pressure on your body to help cool down your body. Your breathing also become rapid.
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Preventions from Heat Stroke:
Heat Stroke can occur any time in summers. Care must be taken in order to avoid Heat Stroke in summers so that you do not face any health problems. Here are some of the preventions which you can take in order to avoid heat stroke in extreme summers.
1. Wear loose fitting and lightweight clothing:
You should be wearing loose and lightweight clothes so that the air passes through and the sweat gets dry and your body can regulate temperature.
2. Drinking Plenty of Fluids:
In summers, there is extreme heat which burns your internal water level in the form of sweat. So you need to drink a lot of water so that your body remains filled with the required amount of water in summers and maintain a normal body temperature.
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3. Protect Against Sunburn:
Sunburn affects your body's natural cooling factor. So whenever you go outside, cover yourself with a hat or an umbrella so that the heat from the sun does not fall on you directly. You should also use sunscreen to those areas of your body which are exposed to the sun.
4. Never stay in a parked car:
This is a common practice of most of the people that they leave their children in a parked car which can cause their death in summers because temperature rises very quickly inside a parked car even if the doors or windows are open. So never leave anyone in a parked car otherwise, consequences would be extreme.
5. Reduce your working time:
If you can afford to not to work in hot weathers than you should not work but if you cannot then work less. This could be the best advice I can give to you so that you can avoid heat stroke in extreme summers.
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Here is the video which will explain more about heat stroke and prevention against heat stroke.
Video Credits: WestValleyMedCtr via https://www.youtube.com
