During the summer, the temperature is extremely high, and if you like to stay outside for a long time at this time of the year, you should be aware of the signs of sunstroke. Such knowledge will allow you to determine the cause of an unexpected deterioration in well-being and take the necessary actions to prevent further aggravation of the condition.
So, usually the first signs of sunstroke appear after six to eight hours of being in the heat, although sometimes they can appear earlier. First, there are general malaise, lethargy, nausea, shortness of breath, redness of the face, palpitations, fever, dizziness, pain in the head, darkening of the eyes. Then these signs of sunstroke can be supplemented by delirium, hallucinations, heart rhythm disturbance, which can manifest itself both in acceleration and in slowing down the heart rate. If the necessary assistance is not provided at this stage, loss of consciousness may occur. The skin becomes cold to the touch, acquires pallor and cyanosis. This condition is already life-threatening.
It should be said that compared to an adult, signs of sunstrokea child may develop with a much shorter stay in the heat. Small children suddenly become lethargic, naughty, refuse to eat. Over time, the temperature rises sharply, vomiting and diarrhea may open. A few hours later (in especially severe cases) convulsions begin, loss of consciousness occurs, the child may even fall into a coma.
If you find signs of sunstroke in someone (child or adult), you must immediately take him to a cool place, unbutton his clothes and lay him on his side. If the person is conscious, give them iced tea or boiled water to drink. Drink should be in small sips. If there is a high temperature, you need to wrap the head of the victim with a wet towel or any other cloth, wipe the body with a sponge moistened with cool (slightly above room temperature) water. At the same time, increased attention should be paid to areas where the vessels are closest to the skin: the neck, armpits, elbow creases, inguinal and popliteal areas. In no case do not use cold water for wiping: a sharp change in temperature can provoke a reflex vasospasm, which will only worsen the condition. Do not try to give the victim antipyretic drugs in the hope of bringing down the temperature: such remedies are ineffective, because the mechanism for raising the temperature during overheating is not at all the same as, say, in infectious diseases. But such medications (ibuprofen, paracetamol) can be used to reduce other signs of sunstroke. Having providedfirst aid, you should call a doctor or take the victim to the hospital yourself.
Don't want to find signs of sunstroke? Then, when going outside on a hot day, wear a light-colored hat and clothes made from light natural material. People who have fair skin are more at risk of overheating. In the heat, try to avoid being outside between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., as the sun's rays are at their strongest at this time. Wear sunscreen on exposed skin when at the beach. To prevent overheating, drink as much liquid as possible and cool the surface of the skin with wet wipes.
