Heat exhaustion can occur when the body does not have enough fluids and salts (electrolytes) at high temperatures, often combined with physical exertion, and thus overwhelms the body's cooling system. The body cannot sweat enough and tries to cool itself down in other ways. This can result in symptoms similar to those of shock in severe heat exhaustion. Without countermeasures and with persistent heat, life is threatened.
The most common signs of heat exhaustion are headache, fatigue, dizziness and nausea. Sometimes those affected lose consciousness, but usually only for a short time (heat collapse). Heat exhaustion can progress to heat stroke or be associated with sunstroke. Then critical developments are possible.
The most important measures are: take the affected person to a cool place immediately, allow them to rest and drink liquids if they are able. Most patients recover in a short time. If the person is unconscious and symptoms worsen, an ambulance should be called.
Heat Exhaustion Causes And Risk Factors
Heat exhaustion is caused by overheating of the body from external heat, physical exertion, or both. When a body overheats and health problems arise differs from person to person. Several factors play a role:
- Heat from outside: The hotter the ambient temperature, the more humid the air and the poorer the heat exchange, the more heat causes problems for the body. When it becomes stressful varies from person to person. That also depends on getting used to it, on acclimatization. Tight clothing, thick protective suits, no wind such as in inner courtyards or crowds of people impede heat dissipation. A lack of cooling, for example between sauna sessions or when working in stuffy rooms, promotes overheating.
- Physical exertion: Exercise heats up the body, strains the circulatory system and increases dehydration through sweat production. Especially when athletes and certain workers, for example in the metal industry, suffer from heat exhaustion, physical stress usually plays an important role. Excessive exertion in a hot climate or poorly ventilated rooms can even bring sweat production to a standstill, causing the body's heat regulation to collapse.
- Fluid and Electrolyte Balance: A body that has plenty of fluids and salts may sweat more than one that lacks both. Drinking enough and the right beverages is important. Certain medications, such as diuretics, draw fluid from the body. Older people feel less thirsty and therefore often lack fluid in their bodies.
- Heat regulation: The body controls exactly when its sweat glands start producing sweat and how much. In babies and small children, this heat regulation does not work optimally, in older people it decreases. Medications such as some sedatives and anti-Parkinson medicines interfere with the functioning of the sweat glands. The glands can stop working completely in the event of great heat and heavy physical exertion.
- Acclimatization: The body can adjust to different climatic conditions, but it takes a few days to do so. Before that, the risk of heat exhaustion is increased.
Risk factors
Factors that increase the risk of heat exhaustion arise in the majority from the causes:
- Heat, high humidity, hot, stuffy rooms
- Dehydration, lack of electrolytes
- Heavy physical exertion, especially in the heat or in poorly ventilated rooms
- Tight shirts and jackets, protective suits or other clothing that impedes heat exchange
- Old age, also because the cardiovascular system is often weakened
- Infancy and childhood
- Taking certain medications (e.g. diuretics, psychotropic drugs, anti-Parkinson drugs)
- Nerve damage (e.g. due to diabetes) if it affects the control of heat regulation
Heat Exhaustion Symptoms
Have you been exposed to heat for a long time and now feel dizzy and weak?
In addition, maybe your head hurts and you are unwell?
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| Heat exhaustion |
Then there is a chance that heat exhaustion has developed. Some of the following symptoms are common:
- Headaches, sometimes associated with a feeling of weakness and illness
- Dizziness, possibly also flickering before the eyes, ringing in the ears
- Nausea, sometimes with vomiting
- Feeling of warmth, possibly slightly increased body temperature
- Thirst, dry mucous membranes
- Initially often red skin and heavy sweating, later rather pale skin with cold sweat
- Shallow breathing, shortness of breath
- Cramps, heat cramps
Affected people can easily underestimate their condition and only take it for a slight exhaustion. If they continue to stay in the heat or continue to exert themselves, they are at risk of developing dangerous heat injuries such as heat stroke or sunstroke.
In the case of a heat collapse, those affected also lose consciousness. When lying down, they usually regain consciousness quickly; if not, an ambulance should come. The experts at the World Health Organization (WHO) classify heat collapse as a separate clinical picture. Others see him as just a form of heat exhaustion that causes unconsciousness.
Call an ambulance immediately!
Heat exhaustion can become a life-threatening condition. Those present should provide immediate assistance (move victims to a cool place, cool and drink if possible). You should call for an ambulance in these cases:
- For impaired consciousness and unconsciousness.
- If there are signs of shock, respiratory arrest or circulatory failure. Signs of a shock are pale, cold skin, cold sweat on the forehead and a sharply increased heart rate. It can hardly be felt because at the same time the blood pressure is very low. Bystanders should try to keep the affected person awake, not to leave them alone, check their pulse and breathing, and place awake patients in a shock position: body flat, legs slightly elevated. If you are unconscious, experts recommend lying on your side in a stable position. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (cardiac massage and ventilation) must be carried out immediately in the event of a circulatory and respiratory arrest, i.e. before the emergency doctor arrives.
- When the patient's skin is red, feverish-hot and dry, and their pulse is noticeably increased. However, it can be so weak that it can hardly be felt. Such symptoms indicate heat stroke, which is a medical emergency. A semi-recumbent position with head and torso elevated is considered beneficial in responsive patients as long as there are no signs of shock.
Heat Exhaustion Treatment
Treatment for heat exhaustion consists primarily of cooling, resting, and drinking.
- Get out of the heat immediately and facilitate heat exchange: Those affected should be taken to a cool place as quickly as possible; you should at least move them from the direct sun to the shade. It is also important to open or remove clothing if it impedes heat dissipation or constricts the affected person.
- Cooling: In order to dissipate heat from the body, cooling is necessary. Depending on what seems reasonable to the patient, different procedures are possible. Putting your head under cool running water works very quickly. Cool packs and cold envelopes are also good. They cool best on the hands, feet, neck and groin. Fanning the air can also help cool down, as long as the patient does not shiver or freeze.
- Hydrate: Victims who are conscious and not vomiting should drink plenty of fluids. Drinks that contain electrolytes are suitable. For example, special electrolyte drinks, fruit spritzer, mineral water, lightly salted water, non-alcoholic beer and bouillon are possible.
- Lie down and rest: Until better, patients should lie flat, slightly elevated legs are considered beneficial. You can then assume any comfortable position.
After heat exhaustion, those affected should take it easy. Depending on how severe the exhaustion was, doctors recommend a heat break of up to three days. After that, it's not a mistake to consciously look for signs of heat exhaustion when it's hot.