Heat cramps are muscle spasms that occur when people lose too many salts (electrolytes) through sweating in the heat. The cramps can be painful but are harmless unless other symptoms develop. The symptoms disappear when those affected take appropriate electrolytes, preferably liquids that contain such electrolytes. In medical terms, heat cramps are heat injuries.
Heat Cramps Causes And Risk Factors
Heat cramps result from a lack of electrolytes lost through sweating. The body needs salt to contract and relax muscles. If they are missing, cramps are often the result - even with poor nutrition or after sweating during sports; Exercise increases sweat production. When it comes to heat cramps, high temperatures and/or high humidity are the main triggers. In studies, heat sweat contained fewer salts after the subjects had stayed in a hot climate for a few days, i.e. had acclimatized.
There are few risk factors for heat cramps:
- Sweating in the heat: The longer people are exposed to heat and the more they sweat, the more likely they are to get heat cramps.
- Physical exertion: When you exercise, your body heats up and produces more sweat to cool you down. As a result, he loses fluid and electrolytes.
- Lack of electrolytes: If there are already few salts in the body, the limit at which cramps can occur is reached more quickly when sweating.
- Lack of acclimatization: On the first few days in the heat, people lose more salt through sweat. After a few days in the heat, salt loss decreases.
Heat cramps are particularly common in summer, but there are no exact figures.
Heat Cramps Symptoms
Have you been staying out in the heat for a long time, sweating profusely and are now plagued by muscle cramps?
Otherwise you don't feel anything unusual and feel great?
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| Heat cramps |
This sounds very much like heat cramps have developed. It is typical that they develop after sweating in the heat and no other symptoms are present. If you are accompanied by symptoms such as headache, dizziness, weakness, or nausea, you may have another type of heat injury, most likely heat exhaustion, less commonly heat stroke, which is a medical emergency.
Call an ambulance immediately!
If there is evidence of heat stroke, those present should call an ambulance. Signs may include a marked increase in body temperature, hot, dry skin, high heart rate, low blood pressure, and rapid, shallow breathing.
Heat Cramps Treatment
Treatment usually consists of giving fluids that contain electrolytes. These can be special electrolyte drinks, fruit spritzers, mineral water, lightly salted water, strongly flavored bouillons or non-alcoholic beer. Then the cramps should disappear after some time. If you often have problems with heat cramps, you can use preparations with magnesium and calcium. In the case of very severe heat cramps, a doctor can administer an electrolyte solution by means of an infusion, which means that the symptoms subside very quickly.
Prevention
If you drink plenty of suitable drinks, i.e. drinks containing electrolytes, and do not overexert yourself physically, you should be spared heat cramps. In addition, it is advantageous to allow a few days for acclimatization during a heat wave or a long-distance journey.