Heat fatigue appears when we lose excess liquid by excessive sweating due to exposure to high temperatures and humidity. We don’t need to be exposed to the sun to suffer heat fatigue. If dehydration is very serious it may cause death.
It manifests through cramps at the limbs and abdomen caused by the loss of mineral salts through sweat, pale and sweaty skin, although it doesn’t necessarily have to increase body temperature, cause confusion and loss of coherence in the victim, the amount of urine is reduced.
Treatment consists in laying the ill person in the shade and with the legs high. Provide water with a pinch of salt (only 1/2 or 1 tbsp. of salt) and sugar which will be ingested in frequent sips.
If your safety is in jeopardy, inform the corresponding authorities about the possible dangerous situation.
Heat stroke
Heat stroke is a disorder in the internal thermal regulation in our organism; it is a very serious problem that can even lead to death if not treated appropriately.
When performing intense physical activity in hot environments neglecting rest and hydration we may suffer heat stroke.
Symptoms depend on the time we have been exposed to the sun. The first symptoms include headaches, fatigue, vertigo, loss of appetite and mild fever. If we continue under the sun we might experience nausea, vomit, cramping, sight disorders, high fever (over 40° C), shallow breathing, and death.
We must reduce the heat absorption rhythm and decrease our body temperature. Move the victim to a fresh place. Too cool off, strip the victim down to their underwear, spray water and fan them to increase skin evaporation. Wrap the person with a blanket soaked in water.
If the heat stroke is very serious, after the initial cooling period, you can submerge the person slowly in water and massage the body.
When the temperature decreases, stop the cooling process without allowing the temperature increase again. It is also important to rehydrate the patient using the same techniques as heat fatigue.
Miliaria (sweat rash)
Miliaria is an uncomfortable, but not serious rash. You can survive in warm weather when there is no good acclimatization, sweat is not eliminated appropriately and the clothes brush against the skin. This causes sweating glands to clog.
It is commonly displayed as small blisters at the torso, arms and legs.
It is convenient to wash the area and change into dry clothes to unclog the pores. Drinking may worsen the situation by increasing sweating, but we should make the mistake of dehydrating.
Ocular inflammation
If we visit areas where sun radiation are very intense, such as deserts, mountains, tropical areas or the sea, we need to wear glasses to protect us from ultraviolet rays. (UVA, B and C). If we travel to areas where the sun is especially strong, they should also have infrared filters.
Prolongs sun exposition without eye protection may cause glare, difficulty to adapt to night vision, headaches, and halos around the lights.
The eyes should be rested immediately, seek a dark shelter, blindfold and rest for eighteen hours.
If we have no glasses available, we can apply ashes or burnt corks around the eyes or improvise a pair of glasses with birch bark.
Heat kills because it makes the human body to strain beyond its limits. In extreme heat conditions, evaporation decreases and the body has to be overworked to conserve its normal temperature.
Most disorders caused by heat caused by heat take place because the victim has been exposed to extreme heat or has performed excessive exercise for your age or physical condition. The elderly, small children, ill and overweight people have greater chances to succumb to extreme heat.
Conditions that may induce illness related to heat include backwater weather and poor air quality. In consequence, people residing in urban areas are at most risk of suffering the effects of a prolonged heat wave than those residing in rural areas. In addition, asphalt and concrete retain heat longer and release it gradually at night, which produces higher night temperatures, known as the “urban heat island effect”.
