This article was medically reviewed by Jennifer Boidy, RN. Jennifer Boidy is a Registered Nurse based in Baltimore, Maryland. In addition to her nursing career, she also works as a Healthcare Content Strategist & Writer, helping businesses and non-profits market their products and services to healthcare provider organizations, pharmaceutical companies, and other healthcare services vendors. Jennifer’s areas of expertise include pharmaceuticals & life sciences, health technology, medical devices & diagnostics, health insurance & managed care, and healthcare services & facilities. Her certification as a Registered Nurse was issued by the Maryland Board of Nursing. She graduated from the University of Maryland with a BS in Marketing and Finance. She received her Associate of Science in Nursing from Carroll Community College in 2012.
There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
How.com.vn marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 96% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status.
This article has been viewed 90,567 times.
Heat exhaustion is the body’s response to excessive loss of water and salt (which is in sweat) and it is a warning that the body is getting too hot. Heat stroke is an emergency condition in which the body loses its ability to cool itself. Heat exhaustion is a serious heat related illness that can range from mild symptoms such as cramping and headache to more severe symptoms that could endanger a person’s health.[1] If left untreated, heat exhaustion may progress into heat stroke, which can be life-threatening. Remember, though, that treatment should be administered by someone trained in first aid whenever possible, and that first aid should always be followed by evaluation by a trained medical professional.[2]
Steps
Administering First Aid
Get to a cool place. Do whatever you can to cool the person suffering from heat exhaustion. If possible, get the person suffering from heat exhaustion to shade or an air conditioned building. If those are not available, get the person suffering from heat exhaustion in front of a fan.[3]- Keep the person with heat stroke in a cool environment while they hydrate and allow their body temperature to regulate. This may mean several hours to a full day indoor or in a cool area.
Monitor and reduce the internal body temperature. With heat exhaustion, the person’s temperature may only be slightly elevated, if at all. However, it is important to monitor the person’s temperature since a very high temperature (over 104 degrees Fahrenheit) can indicate heat stroke.[4]- To lower the person’s temperature, try applying a cool compress to the back of the neck and wrists. Use a towel soaked in cool water or wrap an ice cube in a paper towel and apply it to the skin.
- Try not to apply ice directly to skin, as the skin may be sunburned and this may cause damage to the tissue.[5]
Advertisement
Loosen or remove clothing. If the person suffering is wearing tight-fitting clothing, loosen it, and remove any excess layers. If certain articles of clothing are necessary, loosen them as much as possible to allow airflow through the clothes.[6]- Do not remove any clothes that are necessary to protect the person from exposure. Sunburns and blistering will only make heat exhaustion worse. Avoid removing protective layers unless absolutely necessary
Lie down. Lay down the person suffering from heat exhaustion and elevate their legs and feet slightly above the level of the heart. If the person reports feeling dizzy or disoriented, decrease the elevation incrementally until they feel comfortable.[7]- Use props such as pillows, an ottoman, or towels to help support the legs and feet.
Drink water. Heat exhaustion and dehydration are closely linked. Slowly and consistently drink water to replenish their fluids and keep hydrated.[8]- Drinking cool water, if available, may help with the overall cooling process.
- If you suspect salt depletion, which may be recognized by nausea and vomiting, you may want to provide the person with sports drinks to help replenish their salts while keeping them hydrated.
- Avoid any alcoholic or caffeinated beverages, as this may lead to further dehydration.
Wipe the person down with a damp cloth. Soak a cloth or sponge in cool water and rub it over the body, especially the head. Alternatively, you can fill a spray bottle with cool water and spray the person suffering with it. Sweat helps the body to cool as it evaporates, and applying moisture to the skin can perform the same function.- If there is access to a shower or bathtub, soaking in cool water may also help the overall cooling process.
Advertisement
Finding Medical Care
Contact a medical professional. If you even suspect you are dealing with heat stroke, immediately call emergency medical services (911). If the symptoms seem minor, you may want to call the person’s general practitioner. However, if symptoms include loss of consciousness, vomiting, or dizziness such that the person cannot stand, emergency services need to be contacted.- Let the medical professional with whom you speak know what symptoms the person with heat stroke exhibits, and inform the medical team of what type of treatment is being administered.
- Ask them, “Is there anything else we need to do to manage the condition until this person can get to you?”
- If you are on the phone with emergency services and an ambulance is being dispatched to you, stay on the phone until the ambulance arrives, and update the medical professional regarding any changes in condition and actions taken.
Call an ambulance for unconsciousness. If the person with heat exhaustion has become unconscious, if they are showing symptoms of heat stroke, or if they have a fever at or above 104° F (40° C), call an ambulance or take measures to get them to a hospital immediately. Administer first aid as necessary, but make it a priority to get the person medical attention as soon as possible.[9]- Carefully monitor heartrate and breathing if the person is unconscious. If either stop, it may be necessary to perform CPR.
See a doctor. For any individual who suffered from heat exhaustion but did not need emergency care, follow up as soon as possible with a doctor. Go to an urgent care center or make an emergency appointment with a general practitioner to have them look for signs of complications due to heat exhaustion.[10]- It is important to be seen by a doctor as soon as possible after recognizing symptoms of heat exhaustion. Do not wait multiple days for an appointment with a general practitioner. If a regular doctor cannot see the person immediately, it is best to go to urgent care.
Make a follow up appointment. A person who ended up in the hospital or in urgent care with symptoms of heat exhaustion should make a follow up appointment with their regular doctor a few days after initial medical treatment to ensure that the body has adjusted back to normal. Let the doctor know what symptoms were experienced, and what treatment was administered as first aid, as well as by a medical professional.- Ask the doctor, “Is there anything else I need to do to properly treat this issue?”
Advertisement
Recognizing Heat Exhaustion
Determine if symptoms are heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are two closely related syndromes, and if left untreated one can easily lead to the other. However, the symptoms of each are different, and both require a different set of treatments. Symptoms of heat exhaustion include[11]:- Confusion or disorientation
- Fatigue
- Heavy sweating
- Pale or flushed skin
- Rapid heart beat
- Headache or dizziness
- Fainting
Look for signs of heat stroke. Before any first aid is administered for heat exhaustion, you should check to see if things have progressed to the level of heat stroke, which requires a different first aid approach. Heat stroke has symptoms including:- Red skin
- Dry skin with no sweating
- A body temperature of above 104° F (40° C).
Evaluate the type of heat exhaustion. Heat exhaustion may be caused by either water depletion or salt depletion. Look at the symptoms to understand what type of heat exhaustion you are treating and relay this information to a medical professional as soon as possible.[12]- Water depletion leads to symptoms such as excessive thirst, muscle weakness, headache, and fainting.
- Salt depletion leads to symptoms including nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and heat cramps.
Advertisement
Expert Q&A
Tips
- Bring water bottles to keep you hydrated in the sun or in warm conditions.Thanks
- If you personally feel symptoms of heat exhaustion, get out of the sun, hydrate, and lie down.Thanks
- Always wear a hat when out in the sun, especially if you are susceptible to heat syndromes.Thanks
Warnings
- Be careful to avoid over-hydration, which can be dangerous, by drinking slowly and stopping before the person suffering feels full or experience nausea.Thanks
- Heat stroke is a life-threatening condition, and cannot be treated the same way as heat exhaustion. Heat stroke requires prompt medical attention. Always seek professional medical advice in addition to self-treatment.Thanks
References
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heat-exhaustion/basics/symptoms/con-20033366
- ↑ https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/heatstress/heat_illnesses.html
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heat-exhaustion/basics/treatment/con-20033366
- ↑ https://www.healthyhorns.utexas.edu/HT/HT_heatstroke.html
- ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/10/health/10real.html
- ↑ http://ksi.uconn.edu/emergency-conditions/heat-illnesses/heat-exhaustion/
- ↑ https://www.healthyhorns.utexas.edu/HT/HT_heatstroke.html
- ↑ http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/heat-exhaustion#1
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-heat-exhaustion/basics/art-20056651
- ↑ http://my.clevelandclinic.org/services/orthopaedics-rheumatology/diseases-conditions/heat-related-illnesses
- ↑ http://www.healthline.com/health/heat-stroke-vs-heat-exhaustion
- ↑ http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/pediatrics/heat-related_illnesses_heat_cramps_heat_exhaustion_heat_stroke_90,P01611/
About this article
To properly deal with heat exhaustion, bring the person to a shady spot or an air-conditioned building as soon as possible, and give them cool water to drink. Apply a cool compress to the back of the person’s neck, as well as their wrists, in order to help bring down their body temperature. Loosen or remove their clothing, especially if the person has on anything that’s tight-fitting or is wearing multiple layers of clothing. Have them lie quietly with their feet slightly elevated above their heart, and seek medical treatment as soon as possible. Keep reading to learn tips from our medical reviewer on how to recognize the signs of heat exhaustion, including confusion, fatigue, and heavy sweating.
Reader Success Stories
"Refreshed my memory on determining if my body is reacting to unexpected heat wave today."
Did this article help you?
⚠️ Disclaimer:
Content from Wiki How English language website. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License; additional terms may apply.
Wiki How does not encourage the violation of any laws, and cannot be responsible for any violations of such laws, should you link to this domain, or use, reproduce, or republish the information contained herein.
- - A few of these subjects are frequently censored by educational, governmental, corporate, parental and other filtering schemes.
- - Some articles may contain names, images, artworks or descriptions of events that some cultures restrict access to
- - Please note: Wiki How does not give you opinion about the law, or advice about medical. If you need specific advice (for example, medical, legal, financial or risk management), please seek a professional who is licensed or knowledgeable in that area.
- - Readers should not judge the importance of topics based on their coverage on Wiki How, nor think a topic is important just because it is the subject of a Wiki article.
