Understanding Heat Exhaustion

• Heat exhaustion occurs when the body struggles to cool down, often during exertion in hot weather.
• Key symptoms include heavy sweating, headache, dizziness, nausea, and a fast heart rate.
• Immediate action is crucial: stop activity, move to a cooler area, cool the body, and seek medical care.
• Untreated heat exhaustion can lead to life-threatening heat stroke.

Overview of Heat Exhaustion

• Heat exhaustion is a common heat-related illness that happens when the body can't cool itself.
• It's usually triggered by exercise or manual labor in hot environments.
• Body temperature may rise but typically stays below 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius).
• Symptoms include heavy sweating, dizziness, nausea, and headache.
• Without treatment, it can progress to heat stroke.
• Heat stroke involves brain dysfunction (encephalopathy), with symptoms like confusion, aggression, and slurred speech, alongside a body temperature above 104 degrees F.
• Immediate medical attention is necessary for heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

Signs, Symptoms, and Causes

• Signs and symptoms include heavy sweating, cold and clammy skin, muscle cramps, headache, dizziness, fatigue, thirst, nausea/vomiting, fast heart rate, weak pulse, fast and deep breathing, and elevated body temperature (101 to 104 degrees F).
• Seek immediate medical care if these symptoms are observed.
• Muscle cramping or spasms can be an early sign, known as exercise-associated muscle cramps or heat cramps.
• Heat cramps involve painful muscle tightening or contracting and may occur during or after physical activity.
• Move to a cooler area, replenish fluids with electrolytes, and rest for two days if heat cramps occur.
• Heat exhaustion is caused by losing too much water and/or sodium through sweat.
• Risk factors include working outdoors in hot temperatures, exercising in the heat, intense physical activity without acclimatization, wearing heavy gear in the heat, and being over 65 with strenuous activity in the heat.
• The body struggles to cool down, causing a rise in core body temperature, but usually below 104 degrees F.
• Individuals remain aware and don't have persistent brain function disruptions, distinguishing it from heat stroke.

Diagnosis, Management, and Treatment

• Diagnosis may begin with paramedics assessing symptoms and vital signs.
• Treatment involves cooling the body, hydrating, and monitoring for signs of heat stroke, starting on-site.
• Actions to take immediately: call for medical help, move to a cooler area, loosen clothes, lie down with legs elevated, cool the body (fanning, ice towels), and sip water slowly.
• Avoid drinking if heat stroke is suspected due to the risk of aspiration.
• Emergency personnel will check for heat stroke signs and may initiate cooling measures or transport to a hospital for IV fluids or faster cooling methods.
• If heat exhaustion progresses to heat stroke, a hospital stay of a couple nights or longer is necessary for further treatment and monitoring.

Prevention and Outlook

• Prevention tips include staying hydrated, limiting physical activity in the heat, acclimatizing to the heat, and wearing loose-fitting clothes.
• Tips for staying hydrated involve setting reminders to drink and eating foods with high water content
• Talk to coaches about preventing and monitoring for heat exhaustion in children.
• Recovery depends on treatment speed and whether it turns into heat stroke; most people recover in one to two days.
• Those treated at a hospital may go home after a few hours but need to rest and rehydrate for at least 48 hours before resuming usual activity.

Additional Info

• Heat exhaustion is considered the second stage of heat-related illness, with heat cramps as the first stage and heat stroke as the worsened stage.
• Recognizing and addressing heat exhaustion is essential to prevent progression to life-threatening heat stroke.