heat-illness

Summer Threats: Heat Illness

The temperature of the body is auto-regulated within very narrow limits. You’ve to  pay particular attention to whatever destabilizes this delicate balance. Heat can sentence  to death the body, pushing it over and above its capabilities . In a normal situation your inner thermostat generates sweat that evaporates and cools down the body. However, in a humid and  hot environment , evaporation is decreased and it’s necessary an extraordinary effort to keep body temperature at 36.8° ± 0.4°C.

To prevent these illnesses, make sure you keep up your body efficiency by:

  • drinking enough water
  • taking sufficient salt
  • eating adequately

Should you spend more calories than you take in, you will be more vulnerable to heat illnesses. You might lose your wish for food because of high temperature  but you should consume your required ration, arranging the more substantial meal at the cooler hours.

Roughly 75% of the human body is fluid. All chemical functions in the body occur in a water solution that helps in the elimination of toxic body waste products and plays a crucial role in the maintenance of an even body temperature. A loss of 2 liters of body fluid (around 2.5% of body weight) lessens efficiency by 25% and a loss of fluid corresponding to 15% of body weight is generally lethal.

Heat Illness Progression

  1. Deficiency of salt results in heat cramps.
  2. Lack of salt and insufficient water leads to heat exhaustion.
  3. General failure of the body’s cooling system causes heat stroke that can be lethal.

Heat Illness Symptoms

  • Sunburn: skin redness and pain, possible swelling, blisters, fever, headaches.
  • Heat cramps: muscle cramps of limbs or stomach. Profuse sweating  and excessive thirst.
  • Heat exhaustion: heavy perspiration with pale, moist, cool skin; headache, weakness, dizziness, appetite loss; heat cramps, nausea without or with vomit, accelerated respiration, confusion, prickling of the hands or feet.
  • Heat stroke: perspiration quits; red, flushed, hot dry skin.

It is vital to identify heat illness symptoms quickly. When affected by heat stroke the most harmful condition, there is an inclination for the victim to slip away from his team and try to hide in a shady and secluded area: if not discovered and treated he’ll perish.

 


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *