With global temperatures soaring and summer feeling as if it’s the hottest it has ever been, it’s essential to clue yourself up on the health conditions that can be caused by exposure to high temperatures.
One of the most common heat-related illnesses is heat stroke – a condition caused by your body overheating due to prolonged exposure or physical exertion in temperatures higher than 40 C, as per Mayo Clinic.
Today, we’re answering netizens’ most frequently asked questions when it comes to heat stroke – how heat stroke happens, what heat stroke does to the body, when does heat stroke occur, and other important things you need to know.
How heat stroke happens
As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people are prone to suffering heat-related illnesses when the body’s temperature control system is overloaded. Heat stroke, in particular, is the most serious heat-related illness that occurs when the body is unable to cool itself down, in temperatures commonly ranging from 37 C to 40 C and upwards.
Factors such as humidity affect the body’s ability to regulate temperature effectively. For example, when humidity is high, sweat – the body’s natural method for cooling itself down – does not evaporate quickly, which prevents the body from releasing heat quickly.
What heat stroke does to the body
With heat stroke, body temperature can rise to 41 C and up within minutes.
Once heat stroke sets in, it can trigger confusion or unconsciousness as the brain becomes particularly sensitive to elevated temperatures. The heart rate also begins to rise and breathing becomes more rapid, as the body’s mechanisms for dissipating heat and sustaining oxygen delivery become impeded.
Heightened body temperature may also lead to the disruption of cellular processes that are essential for organ function. This disruption may lead to progressive organ damage, particularly affecting the brain, liver, kidneys, and heart.
Without prompt medical intervention, heat stroke can culminate in organ failure and systemic collapse.
Heat stroke symptoms
According to the CDC, these are the signs of heat stroke one should look out for:
- An extremely high body temperature (above 39 C)
- Red, hot, and dry skin (no sweating)
- Rapid, strong pulse
- Throbbing headache
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Confusion
- Unconsciousness
What do do when someone is displaying heat stroke symptoms
If you notice that someone is exhibiting any of the above-mentioned symptoms, immediately call for emergency medical assistance and help the victim to cool down by following these steps provided by the CDC:
1. First, ensure that the person experiencing the symptoms is in a shaded area.
2. Try and cool them down. Do this by getting the victim into a cool tub of water, a cool shower, or sponging them with cool water. Alternatively, if humidity levels are high, wrap the person in a cool, wet sheet and fan them vigorously to assist in dropping body temperature. Make sure to always keep a thermometer at home to check temperatures in case of an emergency.
The CDC also notes not to give the victim alcohol to drink, and to get medical assistance as soon as possible.
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