Insolation is a serious condition and should not be taken lightly. Sometimes called "sunstroke", it occurs when the body is exposed to high temperatures for prolonged periods, raising the temperature up to 40 ° C or more. There are several techniques you can use to deal with this situation, whether you are experiencing it yourself or assisting a sunburn victim. The first important thing to do is to lower the body temperature slowly; if you can do this promptly, the body is able to recover naturally. If you suffer from prolonged sunstroke, there can be serious consequences; if you can, call an ambulance.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Helping an Insolation Victim
Step 1. Call the emergency services
Depending on the symptoms and the person involved, you can contact the doctor or an ambulance by calling 911. Pay particular attention to the symptoms. If sunstroke is prolonged, it can also cause brain damage, anxiety, confusion, seizures, headaches, dizziness, lightheadedness, hallucinations, coordination problems, unconsciousness, and restlessness. It can also affect the heart, kidneys and muscles. It's always better to be safe than sorry, so call emergency services if you notice any of the following symptoms:
- Signs of shock (e.g. bluish lips and nails, confusion)
- Loss of consciousness;
- Body temperature over 39 ° C;
- Rapid heartbeat or breathing;
- Weak heartbeat, lethargy, nausea, vomiting, and dark urine
- In some cases, she may be collapsed, agitated, or in the throes of a heart attack; then intervene and if necessary begin the cardio pulmonary resuscitation procedure;
- Convulsions. If the victim is having seizures, remove any obstructions from the surrounding area for their safety. If possible, place a pillow under her head so she doesn't hit her on the floor during seizures.
- If milder symptoms persist for some time (more than an hour), call an ambulance.
Step 2. Do not administer or take medications
When you are sick, your first instinct is usually to take medicine but, during sunstroke, some drugs can only aggravate the situation. Do not give fever medications, such as aspirin or acetaminophen, as they are dangerous with heat stroke; in fact they have an anticoagulant action, a serious problem in the presence of blisters or blisters from burns. Antipyretics are effective for an infection fever, not on someone who is having sunstroke.
Do not give anything to the victim by mouth if they are vomiting or are unconscious. Anything that goes into her mouth increases the risk of choking
Step 3. Lower your body temperature
While waiting for help to arrive, put the person in a cool, shady place (preferably with air conditioning). You can place the victim in a cool tub, shower, stream, or pond if you can. However, avoid it being subjected to very low temperatures. So don't use ice either, as it may mask the signs of a slowing or stopping heartbeat. However, avoid putting the victim under cold water if he is unconscious. In this case, just take it to a cool place, place a wet cloth on the nape of the neck, groin and / or under the armpits. If possible, spray water mist or turn on a fan facing the subject to facilitate evaporative cooling. You can spray cold water mist or put a wet towel over his body before turning on the fan; this causes evaporative cooling, which is effective more quickly than just wetting the victim.
- Help the person remove the extra clothing (hat, shoes, socks) to facilitate the cooling process.
- Don't rub his body with alcohol. This is an old popular belief. Alcohol cools the body too quickly and can cause a temperature change that is too fast and dangerous. Scrub your body with cold water, never alcohol.
Step 4. Replenish fluids and electrolytes
Have the victim sip a sports drink such as Gatorade or water with a little salt (1 teaspoon of salt per liter of water), to counteract both dehydration and salt loss through sweating. Make sure he doesn't drink too fast, as this could cause a shock. If you can't get water and salt or a drink like Gatorade, plain water is fine too.
Alternatively, you can give her some salt tablets. This is also a way to balance electrolytes. Follow the instructions on the package
Step 5. Keep the subject calm
It is certainly important that he remains calm, so invite him to take deep breaths to minimize the state of agitation. Distract him and make him focus on other things than the sunstroke. Anxiety only makes the blood pump faster and raises the temperature further. Read this article for more details.
Give the victim a gentle massage. Your goal is to increase blood circulation in the muscles; muscle cramps, in fact, are one of the first symptoms of sunstroke. Usually the most affected areas are the calves
Step 6. Place the person on the ground
One of the most important consequences of sunstroke is loss of consciousness. It is therefore important to protect the victim and to lay them on the ground to avoid serious consequences in the event of a fainting.
If she is weak, turn her to her left side with her left leg bent to maintain body stability. This is called the "lateral safety position". Check the inside of her mouth to see if she has any vomit, so she doesn't choke. The left side is the best side for blood circulation, as it is also that of the heart
Part 2 of 2: Preventing Sunstroke
Step 1. Find out which categories are at risk
The elderly, those who work in hot environments, the obese, diabetics, people with kidney, heart or circulation problems, and children are the individuals with a higher risk of suffering from sunstroke. Those who have inactive or inefficient sweat glands are particularly susceptible to sunstroke. Avoid engaging in activities - such as exercise - that force the body to retain heat, especially when it is very hot outside. do not cover your baby with too many clothes and do not leave him outside for too long without water, if the weather is really hot.
Some medications can also put people at greater risk. These include beta blockers, diuretics, and other drugs given to treat depression, psychosis or ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)
Step 2. Pay attention to the weather conditions
If the temperature is above or around 32 ° C, be cautious. Avoid taking children and the elderly outside when the weather is hot.
- Be aware of the "heat island" effect. It is a phenomenon that determines a warmer microclimate in urban urban areas, compared to the surrounding rural areas. In crowded cities, temperatures are usually about 1-3 ° C higher than in the countryside, and at night the difference can be as high as 12 ° C. This is a fairly normal condition, caused by air pollution, greenhouse gases, water quality, the use of air conditioners and energy consumption.
- Wear light clothing suitable for the current climate.
Step 3. Avoid being exposed to direct sun
Take breaks often and find shaded areas if you have to work outdoors. Use sunscreen to avoid sunburn and always wear a hat when in the sun, especially if you're prone to sunstroke.
- One of the main causes of sunstroke is being in a hot car. You should definitely avoid sitting in a hot car and don't leave children alone in the car, even for a few minutes.
- If you want to train outdoors, avoid the hours when the sun is highest, from 11am to 3pm.
Step 4. Drink water to keep yourself hydrated
Check the color of the urine, it should always be light yellow.
Avoid drinking caffeinated beverages. This would mean giving the body a boost of energy and charge, when instead what it has to do is calm down. Even though a cup of coffee is 95% water, the effect of caffeine on the body is detrimental when there are signs of sunstroke, as the heart beats faster and faster
Step 5. Avoid consuming alcoholic beverages outdoors on hot days
Alcohol can interfere with body temperature and its perception, because it is a peripheral vasodilator and momentarily increases the blood supply under the skin.
