Learn The Symptoms Of Heat-Related Illnesses
May 4, 2022
It doesn’t take much to overheat your body when it’s hot out. Even if you dress appropriately, hydrate regularly and avoid peak sun hours, you still might find yourself suffering from heat-related illnesses.
Since there are various levels of severity involved with heat-related illness, it may be a good time to review common symptoms. This way you’ll know when to take it slow and hydrate, and when to see a doctor.
Issue
|
Symptoms
|
What To Do
|
Heat stroke
|
- High body temperature (103°F or higher)
- Hot, red, dry, or damp skin
- Fast, strong pulse
- Headache
- Feeling dizzy
- Nausea
- Feeling confused
- Losing consciousness (passing out)
|
- Call 911 right away- heat stroke is a medical emergency
- Move the person to a cooler place
- Help lower the person’s temperature with cool cloths or a cool bath
- Do not give the person anything to drink
|
Heat exhaustion
|
- Heavy sweating
- Cold, pale, and clammy skin
- Fast, weak pulse
- Nausea or vomiting
- Muscle cramps
- Feeling tired or weak
- Feeling dizzy
- Headache
- Fainting (passing out)
|
- Move to a cool place
- Loosen your clothes
- Put cool, wet cloths on your body or take a cool bath
- Sip water
Get medical help right away if:
- You are throwing up
- Your symptoms get worse
- Your symptoms last longer than 1 hour
|
Heat cramps
|
- Heavy sweating during intense exercise
- Muscle pain or spasms
|
- Stop physical activity and move to a cool place
- Drink water or a sports drink
- Wait for cramps to go away before you do any more physical activity
Get medical help right away if:
- Cramps last longer than 1 hour
- You’re on a low-sodium diet
- You have heart problems
|
Sunburn
|
- Painful, red, and warm skin
- Blisters on the skin
|
- Stay out of the sun until your sunburn heals
- Put cool cloths on sunburned areas or take a cool bath
- Put moisturizing lotion on sunburned areas
- Do not break blisters
|
Heat rash
|
Red clusters of small blisters that look like pimples on the skin (usually on the neck, chest, groin, or in elbow creases) |
- Stay in a cool, dry place
- Keep the rash dry
- Use powder (like baby powder) to soothe the rash
|
Source:www.cdc.gov
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