Heatstroke is your body overheating. Just like a car, your body can “break” if it’s not cooled immediately.
Photo via HuffPost UK
Overheating is usually a result of prolonged exposure to high temperatures. This most serious form of heat injury, heatstroke, can occur if your body temperature rises to 40°c or higher!
According to the Mayo Clinic, heatstroke requires an emergency treatment. An untreated heat stroke can quickly damage your brain, heart, kidneys and muscle, and the damage worsens the longer treatment is delayed, increasing a person’s risk of serious complications and even death.
Here are the symptoms of heat stroke:
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High body temperature: A core body temperature of 40°c or higher, obtained by a rectal thermometer is the main sign of heatstroke.
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Altered mental state of behaviour: Confusion, agitation, slurred speech, irritability, delirium, seizures and coma can all result from heatstroke.
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Alteration in sweating: If a heat stroke is caused by hot weather, your skin will feel hot and dry to the touch. However, if a heat stroke is brought on by strenuous exercise, your skin may feel dry but slightly moist.
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Nausea and vomiting: You may feel sick to your stomach or vomit.
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Flushed skin: Your skin may turn red as your body temperature increases.
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Rapid breathing: Your breathing may become rapid and shallow.
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Racing heart rate: Your pulse may significantly increase because heat stress places a tremendous burden on your heart to help cool your body.
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Headache: Your head may throb.
If someone is having a heatstroke, call 999 immediately, and while you’re waiting for an ambulance to come, you can help to cool down the person by:
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Moving them to a cool place
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Getting them to lie down and raise their feet slightly
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Getting them to drink water, and a lot of it! Sports or rehydration drinks are okay too.
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Cooling their skin, spray or sponge their body with cool water and fan them. Putting cool packs around the armpits and neck works well, too.
Remember to stay with them until they’re better or until an ambulance arrives!
Brace yourselves for the heat! Hot and dry days are expected to hit many parts of Malaysia and will last until March. Here's a few ways to stay cool during the hot weather!
Posted by SYOK.my on Sunday, January 19, 2020
By: Aishah Akashah Ahadiat
