Instructions for first aid and prevention of sunstroke

If you meet a person with sunstroke, take them to a cool or air-conditioned place, cover with a damp cloth or splash cool water on them.

First aid and prevention of sunstroke

Sunstroke (also called heat shock) is the most serious form of heat injury and is a medical emergency. Heat shock can kill or damage the brain and other internal organs in the body. Heat shock primarily affects people over 50 but it can also affect healthy young people.

Symptoms of sunstroke

The typical symptom of thermal shock is the central temperature of the body is higher than 40.5 degrees Celsius . Often fainting may be the first sign.

Other symptoms may include:

1. Headache.
2. Dizziness and dizziness.
3. Do not sweat despite the hot weather.
4. Red, hot and dry skin.
5. Muscle weakness or cramps.
6. Nausea and vomiting.
7. Rapid heart rate / pulse, heart / pulse may be strong or weak.
8. Rapid breathing and shallow breathing.
9. Behavioral changes such as confusion, disorientation or shocking state.
10. Convulsions.
11. Comatose.

First aid with sunstroke

To cool down, apply an ice pack to the armpit, groin, and neck for sunstroke patients.(Photo: Examiner.)

If you suspect someone has sunstroke, call the 911 emergency number immediately or take the patient to the hospital. While waiting for medical attention to arrive, take the patient to a conditioned place or at least a cool shady place and remove unnecessary clothing.

If possible, the patient's body temperature should be measured and first aided to lower body temperature to 38.3-38.8 degrees Celsius. If no thermometer is available, give first aid immediately with methods After cooling:

1. Fan and wet the patient's skin with a wet towel or faucet.
2. Apply ice packs to the armpits, groin, neck and back of the patient. Because these areas have many blood vessels close to the skin, cooling them can reduce body temperature.
3. Dip the patient into a shower or bath with cool water, or an ice bath.

If medical assistance is late, you can phone emergency rooms in the hospital for further instructions.

A person who has recovered from heat shock may be more sensitive to high temperatures in the following weeks. Therefore, it is best to avoid hot weather and heavy exercise until the doctor says you are safe to return to normal activities.

Risk factors for sunstroke

Heat shock is very easy to affect the elderly living in places where there is no air conditioning or the house is not well ventilated. Other high-risk groups include those who do not drink enough water, have chronic illness or drink too much alcohol.

Thermal shock is closely related to heat index. Heat index is a measure of how hot you feel when influenced by relative humidity combined with air temperature.Air humidity above 60% impedes sweating, thus hindering the body's ability to cool itself.

The risk of heat-related disorders increases significantly when the heat index climbs above 90 degrees. Therefore, it is important (especially in the heat wave) to pay attention to the reported heat index and also remember that full sun exposure can increase the reported heat index to 15 degree.

If you live in an urban area, you may be particularly susceptible to thermal shock in a prolonged heat wave, especially if there is no wind and poor air quality. The 'heat island effect ' (asphalt and concrete storehouse is heated during the day and only radiating heat at night) makes the night temperature higher.

Other risk factors associated with heat-related disorders include:

- Age: Infants, children under 4 years and adults over 65 are vulnerable to heat because they adapt to heat more slowly than others.

- Health status: Heart, lung or kidney diseases, obesity, underweight, hypertension, diabetes, mental illness, sickle cell disease, alcoholism, sunburn and any other condition fever . are very susceptible to heat damage.

- Drugs: Use of antihistamines, weight-loss drugs, diuretics, sedatives, stimulants, antiepileptic drugs, cardiovascular drugs and blood pressure and drugs for treating mental illness . increased risk of heat injury. Drugs are also associated with an increased risk of heat shock.

However, people with diabetes - at high risk of emergency, hospitalization and death from heat-related disorders often underestimate their risk in the heat wave.

See your doctor if you see your health status and medications can affect your ability to cope with high temperatures and humidity (especially in hot episodes).

Working outdoors when high temperatures are at risk of sunstroke.(Artwork: Union).

The way of sunstroke room

When the outdoor temperature is high, you are best in a conditioned environment. If you have to go out, you can prevent heat shock by following these steps:

1. Wearing loose, light and light-colored clothes, wearing a wide-brimmed hat combined with sunscreen with a sunscreen index of over 30.
2. Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration, at least about 8 cups of filtered water, juice or vegetable juice . Because heat-related disorders can also be a consequence of salt loss, therefore Encourage supplementing sports drinks rich in electrolytes in hot episodes.

Take additional preventive measures during exercise or outdoor walking, drink about 710 ml of water before 2 hours of exercise and consider adding a cup (about 240 ml) of water or sports drinks just before the workout . During exercise, you should drink a glass of water every 20 minutes, even if you don't feel thirsty.

- Rearrangement or cancellation of outdoor activities. If possible, change your outdoor time to a cooler time of the day or early in the morning or after sunset.

Other thermal shock prevention measures include:

1. Monitor urine color: Darker urine is a sign of dehydration. Be sure to drink enough water to maintain clear urine.
2. Evaluate weight before and after each physical activity. Monitoring the weight of lost water can help you determine how much water to replenish.
3. Avoid liquids with caffeine or alcohol because both of these substances can cause you to lose more fluids and aggravate heat-related disorders. Also, do not take salt pills without a doctor's prescription. The easiest and safest way to supplement salt and other electrolytes in the heat wave is to use sports drinks and fruit juices.
4. See your doctor before increasing your daily water regimen if you have liver, kidney, heart or epilepsy (which require fluid restriction), or have fluid retention problems.
5. If your home does not have a fan or air conditioner, at the hottest time of the day, you should go to an air-conditioned place (such as a supermarket, post office, bank, even a neighbor's house .) or places shady . At home, need to close the curtain, cover the door, or lower the curtain . when the sun is hot and open windows at night on the sides of the house to create ventilation.