The relationship between hyperthermia and health

Humans are warm-blooded animals, able to maintain body temperature thanks to a balance of heat generation and heat emission. When this disturbance of balance occurs, an excessively high body temperature will affect the metabolism processes in the body, disturbance of life activities and sometimes even life-threatening.

1. What is hyperthermia?

The human body is a constantly functioning machine. Despite sitting and resting, physiological activities are constantly happening, generating energy to supply cells and generate heat. Therefore, body temperature stability is one of the important indicators for health assessment, around the average value of 37 degrees Celsius. The increase or decrease in body temperature are all unusual issues to be concerned about.

Hyperthermia is the result of an imbalance between heat generation and heat exhaustion.

Hyperthermia is defined as when the body temperature measured is higher than normal. This is the result of an imbalance between heat generation and heat emission. In particular, the process of heat generation increases sharply or the process of heat emission is limited or a combination of both.

Hyperthermia should be distinguished from fever. This is also a situation where the body temperature rises more than normal, but it is not caused by heat imbalance. Instead, fever is a manifestation of a series of physiological and biochemical reactions against external abnormalities invading or even abnormalities inside the body.

2. The causes of hyperthermia 

The causes of increased heat generation

• Physical activity: When exercising, muscle mass enhances metabolism to create energy that is accompanied by heat generation.
• Nutrition: A hearty, high-protein meal will produce more heat than a poor, fiber-only diet.
• Overweight - obesity: The energy demand of these subjects is higher than normal people, so the heat generated from metabolic processes is also higher.
• Using stimulants: People who smoke, drink alcohol, use drugs . often have higher body temperatures than normal people.
• Concentrated work, psychologically stressed: This situation requires mobilizing a lot of energy to supply the activities of the mind, so it also generates a lot of heat.

The causes of reduced heat emissions

Wearing layers of clothing: The skin is the body's primary heat-releasing body. If covered too much, wearing tight, wearing socks, hats, the body will be unable to release heat. This is very common in young children when their parents are over-enclosed.

Lack of water reduces heat emissions.

• Water shortage: When the water evaporates, it will take away some of the heat. Accordingly, the mechanism of excretion of sweat through the skin helps eliminate heat in the body. However, if you do not drink enough water or suffer from dehydration due to pathology (vomiting, diarrhea), limited sweating, un-released heat will increase body temperature.
• Weather: Hot temperatures, working outdoors, unshielded or confined or stuffy spaces will cause the body not only to be unable to release heat to the outside environment but also to absorb additional heat.

3. Manifestations of hyperthermia

Hyperthermia has a direct effect on metabolic processes within the body. Since then, the living activities of the organ systems are more or less disturbed and injured.

Circulatory system

When the body has hyperthermia, due to the urgent need for heat exhaustion, the circulatory system with the participation of the heart and blood vessels must work harder. The heart beats faster, increases blood pressure in the artery, and the shallow capillary system relaxes to increase heat excretion.

In this case, a high level of cardiac effort that does not guarantee adequate oxygen supply or a heart with previous injuries such as atherosclerosis, heart failure will be the risk of acute cardiovascular complications such as heart failure. acute, myocardial infarction, acute pulmonary edema, circulatory collapse (commonly known as heat stroke) and death.

Nervous system

The heat inside my body will inevitably occur certain fatigue, mental stress. Patients easily change their temper, become irritable, uncomfortable, dizzy, dizzy, less focused on work.

If prolonged hyperthermia, especially in young children, the elderly are unable to control themselves, the perception will become dull, sluggish, drowsy, drowsy, and worsen rather than fainting, kissing delirious, sudden death.

Musculoskeletal system

Muscle activity is no longer sustained in hot environments or hyperthermia. If you have to constantly work without rest, rehydration, the patient is prone to heat exhaustion.

The first manifestations of heatstroke are thirst, muscle weakness, muscle fatigue, cramping and a more severe progression than decreased coordination, loss of balance, easily falling, and accident.

4. What to do when you have hyperthermia?

When you feel the discomfort and fatigue in the body while the environment is hot, the right thing to do is to isolate it. Quickly move into a house, shelter or shade. Take off your clothes, wipe yourself with a wet cloth, apply cool compress on forehead, chest, two armpits, on both sides of groin. At the same time, positively for patients to drink water. Absolutely do not cause hypothermia too quickly because it is easy to cause heat shock.

In the case of patients with severe hyperthermia, rapid pulse, low or low blood pressure, altered consciousness, need to be quickly taken to the nearest medical facility for timely intervention, static fluid replacement circuit, electrolyte balance or more active measures of hypothermia.

However, the most effective treatments for hyperthermia cannot be as significant as preventive measures. Avoid direct exposure to the sun for extended periods, especially around noon. When you need to go outdoors, wear protective clothing, hats, sun glasses.

Besides, increase the amount of drinking water, make sure to reach 2 to 3 liters, paying attention to adding electrolytes with oresol solution. If the hot and humid weather continuously lasts, you can bathe or cool your body several times with clean water, keep your skin clean, avoid clogged pores, thin, light, hygroscopic, cool clothes to increase enhance the ability to escape heat by sweating.

In addition, you should limit the use of stimulants, smoking, drinking coffee, alcoholic drinks, soft drinks . will reduce heat generation. Finally, learn how to keep the optimism, fun, comfort, stress reduction to help the hot days go more smoothly.

In short , it is difficult for the body to survive without heat, but having too much body temperature can also damage your health. Knowing these things and learning how to prevent hyperthermia is an important way to protect the health and spirit for yourself and the whole family, especially for the elderly and young children on hot summer days.