July Safety Article: Heat Exhaustion vs. Heat Stroke

Southbury Ambulance Association has found some tips regarding heat exhaustion and heat stroke to help you stay safe in the summer heat.

As temperatures are rising this summer, it is important to make sure you are staying cool in order to avoid heat exhaustion and heat stroke. After spending long periods of time in the sun, it is crucial to know the difference between heat exhaustion and heat strokes, and when it is time to seek medical attention.

According to Cleveland Clinic, heat exhaustion occurs when your body can’t cool itself through sweating. The symptoms of this include a high body temperature, pale skin, dizziness, an increased heart rate, and nausea. This can be treated through moving to a cool place and rehydrating with cool fluids. Heat exhaustion can worsen and become a heat stroke if you continue to stay out in the heat.

A heat stroke occurs when your body temperature reaches dangerous levels because the body’s mechanisms for temperature regulation are overwhelmed. The symptoms of this include a high body temperature, red skin, an inability to sweat, seizures, dizziness, confusion, and slurred speech. According to Mayo Clinic, a heat stroke can quickly damage your brain, heart, and muscles without treatment and require emergency care.

Some tips to prevent both heat exhaustion and heat strokes are staying hydrated, taking breaks from sun exposure, and limiting strenuous activity in the heat. Sports drinks containing electrolytes can be a good way to ensure that you stay hydrated in the heat.

If you suspect that you or someone else is experiencing a heat stroke, it is important to call emergency medical services seeing as heat strokes can be life-threatening.

By: Nadina Bhadrasain 68 Georges Hill Rd. Southbury, CT 06488