First Aid for Heat Exhaustion/Stroke

[Guest guest]

For my two cents I would add homeopathic belladonna is an excellent

and very important remedy for heat exhaustion and stroke.

Definitely a remedy I would keep in the first aid kit!

Be Well,

Misty L. Trepke

http://www..com

 

 

First Aid for Heat Exhaustion & Heat Stroke

American Institute of Preventive Medicine

 

http://healthy.net/scr/article.asp?Id=1291

 

Sweat acts like our natural air conditioner. As sweat evaporates from

our skin, it cools us off. Our personal cooling system can fail,

though, if we overexert ourselves on hot and humid days. When this

happens, our body heat can climb to dangerous levels. This can

results in heat exhaustion or a heat stroke which is

life-threatening.

 

Heat exhaustion takes time to develop. Fluids and salt are vital for

health. They are lost as children and adults sweat a lot during

exercise or other strenuous activities. It is very important to drink

lots of liquids before, during and after exercise in hot weather. As

strange as it seems, people suffering from heat exhaustion have low,

normal or only slightly elevated body temperatures.

 

Signs and Symptoms of heat exhaustion include:

 

Cool, clammy, pale skin

Sweating

Dry mouth

Fatigue, weakness

Dizziness

Headache

Nausea, sometimes vomiting

Muscle cramps

Weak and rapid pulse

 

Heat stroke, unlike heat exhaustion, strikes suddenly, with little

warning. When the body's cooling system fails, the body's temperature

rises fast. This creates an emergency condition.

 

Signs of heat stroke include:

 

Very high temperature (104 degrees F or higher)

Hot, dry, red skin

No sweating

Deep breathing and fast pulse - then shallow breathing and weak pulse

 

Dilated pupils

Confusion, delirium, hallucinations

Convulsions

Loss of consciousness

Chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, use of alcohol, and

vomiting or diarrhea can put children and adults at risk for a heat

stroke during very hot weather. Heat stroke in children is not only

due to high temperatures and humidity, but also to not drinking

enough fluids.

 

Prevention

Heat exhaustion and heat stroke can be prevented with this advice:

 

Do not stay in or leave anyone in closed, parked cars during hot

weather.

 

Take caution when you must be in the sun. At the first signs of heat

exhaustion, get out of the sun or your body temperature will continue

to rise.

 

Do not exercise vigorously during the hottest times of the day.

Instead, run, jog or exercise closer to sunrise or sunset. If the

outside temperature is 82 degrees F or above and the humidity is

high, do your activity for a shorter time.

Wear light, loose-fitting clothing, such as cotton, so sweat can

evaporate. And, put on a wide-brimmed hat with vents.

Drink lots of liquids, especially if your urine is a dark yellow, to

replace the fluids you lose from sweating. Thirst is not a reliable

sign that your body needs fluids. When you exercise, it is better to

sip rather than gulp the liquids.

Drink water or water with salt added if you sweat a lot. (Use 1/2

teaspoon salt in 1 quart of water.) Sport drinks such as Gatorade,

All Sport and PowerAde are good too.

If you feel very hot, try to cool off. Open a window, use a fan or

turn on an air conditioner.

Limit your stay in hot tubs or heated whirlpools to 15 minutes. Don't

use them when you are alone.

Do not drink alcohol or beverages with caffeine because they speed up

fluid loss.

Stay out of the sun if you are taking water pills, mood altering or

antispasmodic medications. Check which ones are safe with your

doctor.

Do not bundle a baby in blankets or heavy clothing. Infants don't

tolerate heat well because their sweat glands are not well-developed.

 

Some people perspire more than others. Those who do should drink as

much fluid as they can during hot, humid days.

Know the signs of heat stroke and heat exhaustion and don't ignore

them.

Questions to Ask

Are any signs of heat stroke present?

Body temperature 104 degrees F or higher

Skin that is red, dry and/or hot

Pulse that is rapid and then gets weak

No sweating

Confusion, hallucinations or loss of consciousness or convulsions

 

Get Emergency Care. Give first aid for heat stroke before emergency

care:

 

Do CPR if the person is not breathing and has no pulse. (See " CPR " .)

Do rescue breathing if the person is not breathing, but does have a

pulse.

(See " Airway and Breathing " .)

Until emergency care arrives, it is important to lower the body

temperature. To do this:

Move the person to a cool place indoors or under a shady tree. Place

the feet higher than the head.

Remove the clothing and either wrap the person in a cold, wet sheet;

sponge the person with towels or sheets that are soaked in cold

water; or spray the person with cool water. Fan the person. If using

an electric fan, use caution. Make sure your hands are dry when you

plug the fan in and turn it on. Keep the person with wet items far

enough away from the fan so as not to cause electric shock.

Put ice packs or cold compresses to the neck, under the armpits and

to the groin area.

Immerse a child in cold water if he or she is unconscious.

Place the person in the recovery position once his or her temperature

reaches 101 degrees F.

 

Is the person too dizzy or weak to stand or does he or she have

non-stop vomiting?

Get Emergency Care and give first aid for heat exhaustion before

emergency care " .

Are two or more of these signs of heat exhaustion present?

 

Skin that is pale, cool and clammy

Sweating

Dry mouth

Dizziness

Fatigue and weakness

Headache

Nausea, vomiting

Weak and rapid pulse

Muscle cramps

 

Give first aid for heat exhaustion and See Doctor.

 

First Aid for Heat Exhaustion

(These apply to you or anyone else who has heat exhaustion)

 

Move to a cool place indoors or in the shade.

Loosen clothing.

Take fluids such as cool or cold water. If available, add 1/2

teaspoon of salt to a quart of water and sip it or drink sport drinks

such as Gatorade, All Sport or PowerAde.

Have salty foods such as saltine crackers, if tolerated.

Lie down in a cool, breezy place.