
Lie down, elevate your legs, and support your head.
Heat exhaustion is a feeling of fatigue and illness, including
dizziness and nausea, which occurs when the body loses too much
salt and water as the result of heavy perspiration. Heat exhaustion
is fairly common and can happen to people who exercise or work in
hot conditions. While heat exhaustion is not particularly dangerous
in itself, it is temporarily debilitating and can progress to
potentially fatal heat stroke if not treated promptly.
- Get to a cool place. Get into the shade or into an
air-conditioned building. If no cool place is immediately
available, direct an oscillating fan at yourself to cool yourself
down.
- Loosen or remove clothing. If you're wearing
tight-fitting clothing, loosen it. Cooling will be most efficient
if the clothing is removed.
- Lie down with your legs elevated. Elevating the legs
will improve the flow of blood to the brain.
- Slowly Drink ample fluids. Water, sweet fluids (sports
drinks, not soda), or a solution of 5 ml (1 teaspoon) salt
dissolved in 1 liter of water can help quickly replace the water
you've lost through sweating. Sit up or support your head while
you're drinking to avoid choking.
- Wipe yourself down with a damp cloth. Soak a cloth or
sponge in lukewarm water and rub it over your body, especially your
head. Alternatively, you can fill a spray bottle with cool water
and spray yourself with it. Sweat helps the body to cool as it
evaporates, and applying moisture to the skin can perform the same
function.
- Take Tylenol for the headache, if necessary.
- See a doctor or dial 911. If symptoms persist for more
than an hour; if fever of 102 ºF (39 ºC) or higher is present; if
your condition worsens; or if nausea or vomiting prevents you from
drinking fluids, seek medical attention at once. Even if you
recover quickly, you should still have a doctor check you out.
- Sports drinks containing electrolytes can replenish the needed
water and salts quickly.
- Always wear a hat when out in the sun, especially if you are
susceptible to sun stroke.
- Bring water bottles to keep you hydrated in the sun.
- The SECOND you feel heat exhaustion or a sun stroke
coming on, get out of the sun and lie down.
- If you have a hose available, cool yourself off with a light
spray every 20 minutes.
[edit]
Warnings
- While a weak saline solution can replace salts that the body
needs, be sure not to use more than 5 ml (1 teaspoon) salt per
liter of water.
- Be careful to avoid over-hydration or water poisoning by
sipping electrolyte replacement drinks rather than "chugging"
water.
- Do not cool down by only sitting in front of a fan, this can
cause severe dehydration, often leading to death.
- While these instructions can successfully treat most minor
cases of heat exhaustion, they may not suffice to treat some cases,
and more serious heat-related injuries such as heat stroke require
prompt medical attention. Always seek professional medical advice
in addition to self-treatment.
- Do not drink alcoholic beverages when experiencing heat
exhaustion.
- Long exposure to the sun, unprotected, can bring on more than
sun stroke. Always be careful and prepared.
[edit]
Things You'll Need
- 1 oscillating fan
- drinking water
- 1 cloth
[edit]
Sources and Citations
- VideoJug.com A video on dealing with heat
exhaustion. The original source of this article. Used with
permission.
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