Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are two different condition caused by excessive heat, and heat exhaustion and heat stroke require different responses. Heat exhaustion is a condition that occur when the body lose too much water and salt through sweating, but heat stroke is a much more severe condition where the body can no longer regulate it’s internal temperatures. If a person experience heat exhaustion, the person may feel nauseous or dizzy, but if a person experiences heat stroke, the person may experience confusion or seizure.
Heat stroke is a medical emergency because heat stroke can cause permanent damage to the body or cause death. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke follows a progression of symptoms. Heat cramps is often the first symptom, and heat cramps are painful muscle spasms that occur because a person has lost electrolyte through heavy sweating.
Heat Exhaustion vs Heat Stroke
If a person dont address heat cramps, the person may develop heat exhaustion. Heat exhaustion is characterized by cool, clammy skin and a rapid heart rate, and heat exhaustion occur while the body is still attempting to cool itself through sweating. However, heat stroke occurs when the bodys cooling system fail completely.
In heat stroke, a person stop sweating, and the skin becomes hot, red, and dry. A person experiencing heat stroke will have a body temperature that is more higher than 104 degrees Fahrenheit, and heat stroke is life-threatening because the high body temperature cause neurological issues. You can distinguish between heat exhaustion and heat stroke by observing the presence of sweat and the temperature of the skin.
Heat exhaustion involve sweating and cool skin, but heat stroke involve a lack of sweating and hot skin. Additionally, heat exhaustion involve a person who is generally alert, but heat stroke involve a person who is confused, disoriented, or unconscious. Because heat stroke involve a much higher body temperature and neurological failure, heat stroke require immediate medical intervention.
For heat exhaustion, you should move the person to a cool area and provide fluids, but for heat stroke, you must call emergency service immediatly. Environmental factors increases the risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. High humidity increase the risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke because high humidity prevents sweat from evaporating off the skin.
When sweat does not evaporate, the body cannot cool itself effective. Direct sunlight also increase the risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke because direct sunlight increase the felt temperature by 10 to 15 degrees. You should avoid being outdoors during peak heat hours between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM to reduce the risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
Furthermore, certain groups of people is at a higher risk for heat exhaustion and heat stroke, and these groups includes children, elderly people, and people who take diuretic medication. You can prevent heat exhaustion and heat stroke by taking specific preventative measure. You should wear light colored clothing to reflect sunlight, and you should wear wide brimmed hats to provide shade for the face.
You should also drink fluids that contains electrolytes to replace the electrolytes lost through sweat. If you feel the symptoms of heat exhaustion beginning, you should seek shade immediate and rest. If you observe the symptoms of heat stroke, you must call for emergency medical help immediatly.
While waiting for medical help, you can attempt to cool the person by applying wet towels or ice packs to the neck, armpits, and groin area. Because heat stroke involve a very high body temperature, cooling the person is a necessary step until professional medical help arrive.
