home Folk remedies What to drink if you have sunstroke. What to do in case of sunstroke or heatstroke, providing proper assistance at home. How is heatstroke different from sunstroke?

What to drink if you have sunstroke. What to do in case of sunstroke or heatstroke, providing proper assistance at home. How is heatstroke different from sunstroke?

First aid for sunstroke involves creating optimal thermoregulation control. When the temperature curve rises to 39 degrees, the child’s skin becomes pale, the victim becomes agitated, and shortness of breath increases.

When these symptoms appear, adequate therapeutic measures must be taken.

Thermal balance is disrupted under extreme conditions. Overheating of the body is accompanied by impaired functionality of the muscular system. Impaired heat transfer and increased sweating lead to a number of serious consequences:

Coma;
Intoxication;
Brain swelling.

Against the background of stagnant changes in the brain and internal organs, the likelihood of inflammatory reactions provoked by opportunistic bacteria, viruses, and fungi increases. In such a situation, the body responds by increasing the production of pyretic substances. Raising the temperature to 38 degrees creates optimal conditions for the death of bacteria.

The main causes of feverish reaction in children when overheated in the sun

With solar overheating, fever-type hyperthermia develops (daily fluctuations in the temperature curve). Against the background of pathogenetic changes, secondary consequences arise:

Edema of cerebral vessels;
Increased capillary permeability;
Compression of the arteries by inflammatory fluid.

In response to overheating or the penetration of infectious agents, the body responds by producing exogenous pyrogens, which are a complex of peptidoglycans, superantigens, and lipopolysaccharides. The compounds affect the central organ of thermoregulation – the hypothalamus. Main anti-inflammatory cytokines:

Interferon alpha;
Tumor necrosis factor;
Interleukin-6;
Interleukin-1 beta.

These chemical compounds activate inflammation, induce the entry of monocytes, macrophages, and epithelial cells into the site of skin damage.

Activation of thermoregulatory neurons is carried out due to the activation of prostaglandin, which has an activating effect on thermoregulatory neurons of the anterior lobe of the hypothalamus.

Fever is characterized by temperature fluctuations with differences of more than 1 degree. Normal temperature is defined as an imbalance between heat production and heat loss.

Hyperthermia syndrome is accompanied by impaired microcirculation, metabolic disorder, and dysfunction of vital organs. Clinicians understand hyperthermia as an increase or decrease in temperature with a difference of 1 degree.

Normal temperature response is not characterized by daily fluctuations of more than 1 degree. There is a difference in determining thermia in different parts of the body:

In the armpit - up to 37.5 degrees;
Rectal version – up to 37,

Update: October 2018

Heatstroke and sunstroke are dangerous conditions that, without timely help, directly threaten a person’s life. They are accompanied by vomiting, headache, lethargy, flashing “spots”, changes in blood pressure, and heart rhythm disturbances. In severe cases, coma and death are possible. Symptoms of sunstroke are more pronounced at high humidity.

Difference between heatstroke and sunstroke

Heatstroke is a specific symptom complex that occurs as a result of severe overheating of the body. The essence of heat stroke is the acceleration of heat generation processes and a parallel decrease in heat transfer in the body.

Heat stroke can happen both in hot weather and in conditions of elevated temperature in a bathhouse, sauna, hot workshop, transport, etc.
Sunstroke is a type or special case of heatstroke that occurs due to exposure to direct sunlight. Due to overheating, dilation of the blood vessels in the head occurs, and accordingly, blood flow to this area increases.

Heatstroke is more insidious and more dangerous due to the fact that the patient cannot always associate his condition with overheating, whereas with sunstroke everything is obvious. Some doctors begin to follow the wrong diagnostic path and try to find pathology of the gastrointestinal tract, blood vessels, heart (depending on the symptoms), while the person actually has a thermoregulation disorder.

What happens to the body during heat stroke?

Thermoregulation of the body occurs in normal physiological reactions at a body temperature of about 37 C, with fluctuations of one and a half degrees. When external conditions change, the heat transfer mechanism also changes, and pathological reactions are activated:

at the initial stage, a short stage of compensation occurs, when the body is still coping with overheating;
compensatory actions against the background of overheating lead to disruption of the thermoregulation mechanism;
body temperature increases: the body tries to create balance by equalizing its own temperature with the surrounding temperature;
adaptation mechanisms are exhausted, a stage of decompensation occurs;
general intoxication, acidosis, disseminated intravascular coagulation syndrome, renal and heart failure develop. In extreme cases, the energy supply to the brain stops, swelling and hemorrhage develop.

Causes of sunstroke

What causes heat stroke:

Prolonged exposure to elevated temperatures, lack of or poor air conditioning;
Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight in case of sunstroke;
Poor adaptive response of the body to increased environmental temperature;
Excessive wrapping of small children.

Risk factors in the development of heat and sunstroke

Elderly and children's age, pregnancy;
The presence of chronic diseases: hypertensive and coronary heart disease, thyroid pathology, diabetes mellitus, bronchial asthma, hepatitis, mental illness;
History of stroke or heart attack;
Hormonal disorders;
Allergy;
Anhidrosis and hyperhidrosis;
Overweight;

Increased weather sensitivity (see);
Alcohol or drug intoxication;
Insufficient drinking regimen, intake;
Intense physical labor;
Increased air humidity;
Taking certain drugs that reduce the body's ability to thermoregulate: tricyclic antidepressants, amphetamines, MAO inhibitors;
Thick clothing, rubberized, synthetic.

Symptoms in adults and children

Redness of the skin;
The skin is cold to the touch, sometimes with a bluish tint;
Weakness, drowsiness;
Blurred consciousness, shortness of breath;
Cold sweat, severe headache and dizziness;
Dilated pupils, darkening of the eyes;
Increased and weakened pulse;
High temperature (up to 40 C);
Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain;
Urinary retention;
Unsteadiness of gait;
In severe cases: convulsions,...

The symptoms of heat stroke in children are the same, only the clinical picture will always be more pronounced, and the condition will be more severe. The only symptom that is more typical for children is nosebleeds associated with heat stroke.

Signs of sunstroke

The signs of sunstroke in adults are similar to those of heatstroke. Several symptoms may be observed, but the patient will always indicate prolonged exposure to the sun. As a rule, the harmful effects of the sun, in addition to the general condition, will be reflected in the condition of the skin, which will be red, swollen, touching the skin is extremely painful and unpleasant (see)

The symptoms of sunstroke in children are not much different from those in adults. Children always have a harder time with overheating, become whiny or, conversely, apathetic, and refuse to drink and eat. For a child’s body with not yet formed thermoregulation mechanisms, 15 minutes of exposure to direct sunlight is enough to get sunstroke!

Depending on the prevailing symptoms, there are several forms of heat stroke:

Asphyxia – slowing down of all functions of the central nervous system, including respiratory;
Pyretic, when body temperature reaches 40-41 C;
Cerebral – with convulsions and clouding of consciousness;
Gastroenteric– diarrhea and vomiting with urinary retention.

According to severity, doctors classify heat and sunstroke into mild, moderate and severe. Severe severity leads to the death of the victim in 30% of cases.

First, mild degree:

Average degree:

intense headache, dizziness
muscle weakness, sudden loss of strength (uncertain, unsteady gait from weakness)
vomiting, nausea
stupefaction, faintness
breathing and heart rate increased
fever 39-40C
nosebleed
ophthalmological disorders: double vision, darkening, spots, difficulty concentrating.

Severe form:

sudden redness of the skin, then changes to bluish coloration
asphyxia
acute heart failure
loss of consciousness, delirium, hallucinations
clonic and tonic seizures
involuntary urination and defecation
fever 41-42C
cerebral hemorrhage
death in 30% of cases.

Long-term consequences include: neurological symptoms, impaired coordination of movements, diseases of the cardiovascular system, and visual impairment.

First aid

First aid actions play a major role in preventing the progression of thermoregulation disorders. They must be coordinated, efficient, and most importantly - timely!

Isolate the victim from the damaging factor - heat: plant him in the shade, take him to a cool room, etc.;
Give the patient a cool drink, green tea at room temperature. You cannot drink coffee, energy drinks, and especially alcohol;
Call an ambulance. Do not undertake to assess the severity of the victim’s condition - even if objectively the person feels well, he should be examined by a doctor;
If consciousness is disturbed, give ammonia a sniff, rub and pinch the earlobes, lightly flick the nose;
Remove clothing that increases body heat and restricts movement;
Open the windows, i.e. provide a flow of fresh air;
Place a roller on the floor using improvised means;
Cover the body with a damp cloth;
If there are sunburns on the skin, apply cool lotions to them, which should be changed as the fabric warms up and dries. If you have panthenol on hand, lubricate the burn areas with it;
You need to put cold compresses on your forehead and under the back of your head: a cold towel, pieces of ice wrapped in cloth, a special cooling bag, a bottle of cold water;
If the patient can move on his own, place him under the shower or in a cool bath. If movement is difficult, pour cool water over the body.

How to avoid overheating?

Avoid increased physical activity and passive exposure to direct sunlight from 11.00 to 16.00, i.e. during hours of high sun activity;
Protect yourself from the sun's rays: wear a light-colored hat, use an umbrella, rest under a canopy or in the shade of trees;
Wear clothes made from natural fabrics and light colors;
Maintain adequate drinking regime by drinking at least 2 liters of water per day;
When working or staying in rooms with high air temperatures, open windows more often, use air conditioners and fans, and periodically go out into cool rooms for 5-10 minutes;
Avoid overeating, especially fatty and spicy foods, which take water from the body;
You should not drink alcohol or even weak alcoholic drinks in hot weather.
Well, the last recommendation concerns those who have already experienced heat or sunstroke: do not rush to return to your usual way of life, as soon as you feel better, restore your strength, because repeated heatstroke can happen on the same day and with more severe symptoms!

Sunstroke is a consequence of prolonged exposure of the uncovered head to direct rays of the sun.

The body receives an excessive dose of heat and ultraviolet radiation without having time to cope with heat transfer. This provokes negative consequences.

When overheated, sweating is disrupted, the normal rhythm of blood circulation is disrupted, the concentration of free radicals in tissues and cells increases, causing intoxication of the body, and the general condition worsens.

Sunstroke is especially dangerous for people with heart disease; blood pressure can rise to the point of cardiac arrest.

Symptoms of sunstroke

If sunstroke occurs, mild symptoms are as follows:

thirst;
unbearable weakness;
headache with nausea, vomiting;
and increased heart rate;
dilated pupils.

Help at this stage is to provide coolness and move it to the shade. Place the patient in a position so that he cannot choke on vomit.

The average degree is characterized by the following features:

sudden loss of strength, muscle weakness;
congestion in the ears;
an increase in headache causing vomiting and nausea;
loss of confidence in movements, the appearance of dizziness;
nosebleeds;
tachycardia;
high temperature, up to 40 degrees;
with an uncertain gait.

The severe form comes on suddenly. The face first turns very red as a result of hyperemia, and then, on the contrary, turns pale and cyanosis appears near the lips.

In rare cases, when there is no doctor nearby and first aid was not provided in a timely manner, death is possible.

Symptoms in children may include the following:

unexpected irritability, tearfulness, hysterical behavior. Excessive sun greatly affects the child’s psyche, disrupting the normal state of the body. Take the baby out into an open sunny space for a maximum of 20 minutes, alternating the time with being in the shade.
after the stage of overexcitation, a phase of lethargy begins, with the appearance of headaches and shortness of breath. Nausea and vomiting may occur.
a sharp increase in temperature to the highest levels, up to 40. The pulse either quickens or, on the contrary, slows down. Hallucinations and delusions occur.
the most dangerous moment is loss of consciousness. The skin becomes bluish, cool and moist to the touch, despite the high temperature. Cold sweat covers the entire body. This condition is dangerously fatal. If you faint, you should immediately run to the doctor or call an ambulance. If you are irritable, lethargic without fainting, you can try to cope with overheating on your own, but if you lose consciousness, you can’t.

Causes and risk factors for sunstroke

The following patients are at risk of easily getting sunstroke.

excess weight.
prolonged exposure to stressful situations, increased emotionality;
inappropriate clothing;
alcohol intoxication and excessive smoking;
presence of diseases of the cardiovascular system;
presence of neurological diseases;
children and elderly.

Children under three years of age are easily at risk of sunstroke. They have additional causes that cause hyperthermia. Of course, older children can overheat in the sun, but babies are a risk group. A child under one year old has not yet developed its own thermoregulation.

It is difficult for him to cope with high ambient temperatures, so you should not walk with your baby at 35 or above.

Sunstroke in infancy occurs from a lack of water in the body. Increased attention should be paid to overweight children who have excessive sweating ().

Children with nervous system problems are also overly sensitive to heat due to large fluid loss and the effect of direct sunlight on the central nervous system (CNS).

Elderly people- a separate risk group. They have a whole range of chronic diseases that respond differently to hyperthermia.

Exposure to the sun is especially dangerous if you have central nervous system problems or epilepsy. They have convulsions added to other symptoms of hyperthermia. Elderly people should immediately call a doctor, even if their condition improves.

To avoid getting hit, limit exposure to the sun to a maximum of 20 minutes a day, sunbathing is strictly prohibited, or choose a place under a tree, awning, or umbrella, where there is wind and coolness.

First aid for sunstroke

Some people think that this condition is not a serious problem and that they can help themselves.

It is difficult for a person without medical knowledge to assess the severity of the condition, and delay is fraught with complications. Timely assistance will help save the patient's life.

Specialists will carry out therapy measures and determine whether hospitalization is necessary.

Until the ambulance arrives, the following assistance actions are necessary:

immediately move the victim to a breeze, hide from the sun;
help you lie down, put a pillow under your head if you have one, or simply roll up your clothes;
when vomiting, turn your head to the side to ensure free passage of vomit;
also put something under your feet in the ankle area;
remove clothing that restricts movement;
unfasten the top buttons;
be sure to give cool water and plenty of it;
moisten your face with cold water or cover it with damp gauze or other cloth;
if you lose consciousness, bring a tampon soaked in ammonia to your nostrils;
create a flow of air by frequently fanning or directing a fan.

After this, wait for the doctors to make a verdict on whether treatment in a hospital is required or you can get by with special procedures at home.

Recovery will take several days. During this time, blood circulation is normalized, the negative effects of overheating are neutralized, and the nervous system is restored.

Physical methods to help with sunstroke

By competently combining methods of providing assistance to the victim, you can avoid serious consequences. The main task is to enhance heat transfer by the body. The following manipulations are effective for this:

point a fan at the patient or provide air flow from outside;
wipe with alcohol (doctors do not confirm the effectiveness of the procedure);
enemas for five minutes, with cool water;
Apply pieces of ice to your head.

For a slight increase in temperature, it is good to give Ibuprofen and Paracetamol.

How to help your child

Self-medication in the case of children is unacceptable, but until the doctors arrive, or everything happens outside the city, you must be able to provide first aid. What to do first:

hide the child in the shade, provide air flow, but without fanaticism, no air conditioning; sudden temperature changes are inappropriate;
put the child on his side so that he does not choke while vomiting;
If possible, remove all clothing;
be sure to give something to drink, it should be cool water (not cold), no sweet drinks;
If you lose consciousness, cover your head with a towel or cloth soaked in lukewarm water. Applying ice to the head is contraindicated. Strong temperature changes can cause blood vessels to contract, and this will only worsen the situation.

Prevention

Avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight.
Wear a lightweight, light-colored hat made from natural fabrics that does not obstruct air access. Protect your eyes with glasses.
The most harmful, active sun is from 12 to 16. This period of time when it is better not to appear in open space at all.
When the beach season opens, start sunbathing from fifteen minutes, smoothly, without jumps, increasing the amount of ultraviolet radiation to two hours. 120 minutes is the maximum allowable time, with mandatory pauses.
To reduce the risk of getting and overheating, it is better to tan while doing active activities, such as playing volleyball. Lying on a sunbed for hours is contraindicated. It is good to periodically cool down by swimming.
Choose the right summer clothes. These should be natural, weightless, light-colored fabrics that allow air to pass through and do not interfere with the separation of sweat. Linen and cotton do this best. In the sun, use a summer, light umbrella.
Choose a summer menu containing a lot of fermented milk products and fruits. Do not overeat, avoid fatty, salty foods.
Avoid drinking cool water, preferably up to three liters. Maintaining fluid balance is an important component in preventing sunstroke. Periodically spray your face and neck with water, or simply wipe with a damp cloth.
If you experience the slightest discomfort or unpleasant sensations in the body, consult a doctor, or take appropriate measures yourself before visiting a doctor.

Preventive measures for children

In hot weather, provide your child with enough water. Drinks can include juices, fruit drinks, and compotes. It is not advisable to give milk and fermented milk drinks, since they quickly deteriorate in the sun, and milk is considered food, and after drinking it you will soon want to drink again. Children use up water faster than adults. They move more, so you need to give as much water as the child wants, without prohibiting him from drinking a lot.
Clothes should be light, the head should be covered with a light-colored Panama hat or a cap made of thin cotton material. An additional jacket or tights are an extra factor of overheating. The material matters a lot. Synthetics do not allow air and moisture to pass through well, which impairs heat transfer and therefore increases the likelihood of sunstroke.
You can walk in sunny, hot weather, but only for a limited time and choose shaded areas, or put up a large umbrella to hide your child from the scorching heat. It is advisable to go outside in the morning before 11, or in the evening after 17.
Choose a suitable menu, exclude heavy protein foods, fill your diet with fruits, vegetables, and lean soups.
Pay attention to urination. If the process occurs too rarely, even with enough drinking, then it is better to go to a cool place and take a closer look at the baby’s condition.
Avoid taking diuretics, which are an additional means of dehydration. The decision is made by the specialist who prescribed the drug.

You need to be especially careful with children. A child can develop sunstroke much faster. With newborns, it is better to generally avoid open sunlight and move on the shady side.

Elderly people should also not stay outside for long on hot sunny days. Their thermoregulation is weak.

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What to do if you have sunstroke or heatstroke? Signs and symptoms of sunstroke, emergency first aid and sunstroke prevention. What could be the consequences?

Signs of sunstroke

Summer pleases us not only with vacations, ice cream and swimming in the river. At this time of year, solar activity is quite high, it’s hot outside and we go out for a walk all day, without thinking at all that excessive exposure to the sun can be dangerous. What is it?

So, if suddenly while relaxing on the beach, you notice the following signs, consult a doctor immediately!

A person who has received sunstroke and has been in the sun or in the mountains for a long time experiences severe thirst. But this is not the primary symptom, since it is possible that you just want to drink to freshen up. Another sign is redness of the skin, usually the skin burns in the sun if you do not use sunscreen, which immediately becomes noticeable.

Sunstroke

The skin cannot just turn red, so check its temperature; if you feel that your skin temperature is much hotter than usual, it is worth considering. The next sign is a nagging pain in the muscles. In addition to all of the above, sunstroke is accompanied by an increase in body temperature, sometimes up to 40 degrees. As well as nausea, vomiting, increased heart rate and breathing, and fainting. In advanced cases, even hallucinations and convulsions.

Symptoms of sunstroke

Not all people are equally susceptible to sunstroke. Thus, heart patients and small children are more likely to overheat under the sun's rays than, for example, an adult, healthy person. The main symptoms include fatigue and drowsiness, as well as increased breathing and dry mouth.

The feeling is accompanied by dizziness and pain in the head and body muscles, general weakness, lethargy and drowsiness are felt. Objects can double and stars can fly.

A person’s blood pressure rises, nausea increases and the urge to vomit increases.

Experts divide sunstroke into three degrees.

Mild degree. General characteristics: weakness, nausea, spasms, tachycardia, dilated pupils.
Average degree. General characteristics: loss of orientation in space, awkward and incoherent movements, fainting and nosebleeds. The temperature reaches forty degrees.
Severe degree. General characteristics: confusion, hallucinations, delusions, involuntary release of urine and feces.

Regarding the symptoms of sunstroke in children, the important fact is that the symptoms become noticeable much earlier. The child yawns more often, sweats, blushes, is capricious and behaves very strangely.

In advanced cases, attacks of chronic cardiac diseases are possible.

Symptoms of a stroke

First aid for sunstroke

If any of the symptoms listed above suddenly appear, it is important to immediately begin to take appropriate actions. So, the first thing you need to do is isolate the victim from direct exposure to sunlight, and take him to a cool place, for example, in the shade if you are on the beach.

It is necessary to ensure that a person who has received a heatstroke takes a semi-sitting position and is without constricting or suffocating clothing, Unbutton your shirt or take off your synthetic T-shirt so your body can breathe. If you have ammonia with you or people around you, you need to give them a cotton swab dipped in it. Usually, lifeguards or doctors on duty on the beach have it.

After this, you need to wipe the victim’s head and body with a damp, cold rag, and also give him a cold liquid to drink, preferably water, but if you don’t have it, you can use juice, compote, or fruit drink.

After all the manipulations, you need to measure the temperature, and if it exceeds thirty-nine degrees - The victim should take a fever pill.

In addition to all of the above, there are a number of rules that should not be broken.

Monitor the patient's condition; if he stops breathing, you need to do artificial respiration, and if there is no pulse, chest compressions.
If the condition worsens, the patient must be hospitalized.
The victim should not drink alcohol, coffee, tea or energy drinks.
Under no circumstances should you plunge the victim into too cold water, do not pour a bucket or bottle over him, just wipe the body with a damp cloth soaked in cool water.
While in nature, on the beach or even in the garden, carefully monitor the condition of your elderly and youngest relatives.

How to provide first aid for sunstroke

So, if you see that a person has become ill and has a fever, nausea, vomiting, loss of consciousness, general weakness, fever and loss of orientation in space, Provide first aid for heatstroke.

Remove the person from the sun and place him in a shady, cool place with access to fresh air.
Remove suffocating, tight, synthetic clothing to allow the body to breathe and stay cool.
Wipe it with a damp sponge dipped in cool water.
Give the victim cool water.
Do not give him caffeine, alcoholic drinks, or energy drinks under any circumstances.
Call an ambulance!

Health care

What will the doctor do when he arrives? First, he will examine the victim of sunstroke and assess whether pre-medical manipulations were able to reduce the risks of hyperthermia, or whether the patient’s health is in danger and he urgently needs to be taken to the hospital.

Besides, there are risks of the occurrence and development of diseases such as heart and respiratory failure, To eliminate them, emergency workers can put in a drip with a glucose-saline solution and administer medications that help the heart function.

If the need arises, doctors can also use drugs that constrict blood vessels, as well as give the victim remedies for fever and temperature. In extreme cases, artificial ventilation of the lungs and inhalation of oxygen are performed. Also, the doctor may give suprastin or tavegil for allergies.

The main thing is not to panic, and as soon as the first symptoms are noticed, begin to provide first aid, then the doctors’ actions will be minimal and nothing will threaten the patient’s health.

But, it is worth remembering that if there has already been a heatstroke, then such a person is at risk and becomes prone to getting a new one.

Prevention

Of course, sunstroke may not cause any harm if you follow rules for staying safe in the sun. They are very simple and following them will not burden you or spoil your holiday; on the contrary, it will make it safe.

Prevention

Do not be in the sun from 12 to 16, or even 17 o'clock, at this time the sun is especially strong, so do not schedule trips to the beach, work in the garden or walks in the field at this time. It’s better to be in the building at this time, and after solar activity decreases, you can safely do all your planned activities.
Clothes should be made from natural fabrics - linen, cotton, silk. The body must breathe.
Wear a hat or head covering of any kind, and don’t forget sunscreen and glasses.
Drink plenty of fluids, do not indulge in fatty and heavy meals, and also reduce your consumption of salty and smoked foods.
Spray yourself with water, wash your face more often and drink more water!
Monitor the sun exposure of your children, the elderly, heart patients and those who have already suffered sunstroke.

Consequences

If assistance was not provided on time and not fully, or the ambulance arrived too late, possible consequences such as coma, cerebral edema, circulatory disorders.

Author of the publication

I am interested in hiking and traveling, photography and videography.

I have been going hiking since childhood. The whole family went and went - sometimes to the sea, then to the river, to the lake, to the forest. There was a time when we spent a whole month in the forest. We lived in tents and cooked over fires. This is probably why I am still drawn to the forest and, in general, to nature.
I travel regularly. About three trips a year for 10-15 days and many 2 and 3 day hikes.

Heatstroke and sunstroke are very similar in their development mechanism. Both are the result of the influence of thermal energy on the human body. Heatstroke can develop in different situations:

the ambient temperature is higher than normal human body temperature;

the temperature is not too high, but the person performs hard physical work;

The human body and especially the head are affected by direct sunlight (sunstroke).

Alcohol and a heavy lunch, windless and humid weather, thick, waterproof clothing, excess weight, chronic heart and nervous system diseases, and some medications (for example, diuretics and tranquilizers) increase the risk of developing hyperthermia.

Signs of sun and heatstroke

Symptoms of sunstroke and heatstroke develop quickly and increase suddenly.

Apathy, thirst appear, there may be nagging pain in the muscles,

The temperature rises, in mild cases - up to subfebrile, in severe cases - up to 42°C.

The skin turns red, is hot to the touch, at first it is moist from sweat, and as clinical manifestations increase, it becomes dry.

The headache increases, nausea and vomiting appear.

The pulse is frequent, heart sounds are muffled, breathing is rapid.

Impaired consciousness in mild cases is limited to lethargy, in moderately severe cases there may be fainting, in severe cases - hallucinations, convulsions, coma.

In case of severe damage, acute renal failure develops: anuria, an increase in toxins in the blood.

With heat stroke, especially associated with heavy physical activity, jaundice and signs of liver cell damage in blood tests may appear.

Sunstroke and heatstroke develop according to the same mechanism, however, with sunstroke, brain damage is much more pronounced, and signs of renal and liver failure are much less common.

Heatstroke and sunstroke, first aid

First aid for sunstroke and heatstroke should be provided as quickly as possible. In case of mild overheating, this will allow the victim to return to normal; in severe cases, it will prevent consequences such as heart attack, stroke and even death. Unfortunately, the victim himself rarely correctly assesses his condition, and it is very important that there is a person nearby who has an idea of what to do in case of sunstroke and heatstroke.

Emergency assistance for sunstroke and heatstroke is called upon

Create comfortable conditions for the victim:

move to a shaded, cool room,

take off your clothes, at least unfasten your belt, tighten your collar, take off your shoes,

ensure air movement: turn on the fan, air conditioner, if this is not possible, create improvised fans.

Quickly cool the body:

Place the patient in a cool bath or wrap him in a sheet soaked in cold water. Change sheets as soon as they start to get warm.

Place ice packs on your head, palms, groin folds, and armpits (frozen vegetables from the freezer will also work) or thermal bags from a car first aid kit. It is optimal to cool the patient to 38.5°C, then the body can cope on its own.

Restore fluid loss.

Drink, of course, not alcohol, but mineral water or special saline solutions, the powder for the preparation of which can be found in a home medicine cabinet (Rehydron, Oralit), sweet tea with lemon is also quite suitable.

In all cases, even if the condition does not look threatening, the victim must be taken to the hospital emergency room or contact the 03 service.

Medical assistance for sunstroke and heatstroke

The doctor will determine whether the assistance provided for sunstroke or heat stroke was able to neutralize the damaging effects of hyperthermia (this is quite possible with mild overheating), or whether the condition still remains dangerous and the patient needs to be treated in a hospital.

To prevent cardiac, respiratory failure and cerebral edema, doctors can take the following actions:

infusion of large volumes of glucose-saline solutions, taking into account electrolyte disturbances (the level of potassium, sodium, calcium in the body is controlled),
administration of drugs that improve cardiac function,
prescribing, if necessary, anticonvulsants (phenobarbital),
use of antipyretics (paracetamol, ibuprofen, analgin),
a lytic mixture may be prescribed (aminazine, suprastin, promedol, novocaine),
inhalation of oxygen,
according to indications - artificial ventilation.

If help comes on time, serious complications can be avoided. However, disruption of microcirculation and damage to nerve cells during the development of heat stroke leave traces in the form of asthenic syndrome and vegetative-vascular dystonia. At least for several months, special care is needed, since immunity to heat stroke does not arise; on the contrary, a predisposition to its recurrence appears rather.

Prevention of sun and heat stroke

Prevention of heat and sunstroke involves

Rational regimen: spend midday hours in an air-conditioned room. You should only go outside, especially for physical work, in the morning or evening.

The right clothes: they should be loose and moisture-wicking. Wearing canvas, rubberized clothing in the heat is a sure way to heat stroke. The head must be covered from direct sunlight.

A reasonable diet: in the heat, a hearty dinner, but a light lunch is preferable. It is advisable to adhere to a milk-vegetable diet. It is imperative to compensate for liquid loss due to evaporation. When working physically in hot weather, it is optimal to drink a glass of water every quarter of an hour.

Prevention of solar and sun exposure requires special attention. For all their adaptive abilities, children do not know how to adequately assess their own condition - adults have to do this for them. You should not bundle up your child or overfeed him, but you must ensure that he drinks on time and does not take off his hat. It’s a good idea to periodically measure your child’s temperature on a hot day.