High temperatures and high humidity, which we are often exposed to in the summer, are often unpleasant, especially if a heat wave occurs that lasts for several days. In conditions of elevated temperature and humidity, sweating is difficult and the body has to make additional efforts to maintain its temperature within normal limits.
Due to high temperatures, various problems can occur, such as heat rash, edema, syncope, cramps or heat exhaustion. The most dangerous conditions are sunstroke and heat stroke. That is why doctors advise avoiding being outdoors from 10 am to 5 pm when temperatures are high.
– Heat edema occurs with incomplete acclimatization, when swelling of the hands and feet occurs. Recovery occurs after staying in a cooler environment for one or two days. Heat syncope is considered the mildest disorder of thermoregulation. It is characterized by loss of consciousness during physical activity when exposed to elevated ambient temperatures for a long period of time (agricultural and construction work, traffic police). Syncope most often occurs after two hours of work in elevated temperatures due to increased fluid loss and insufficient rehydration during work. In addition to loss of consciousness, cold and clammy skin and a weak pulse are also present. This condition requires medical attention, and the person should be moved to a cooler location, placed in a horizontal position. If they are conscious, it is important to start rehydration by giving small sips of cooled water – says the doctor.
Senior man with towel suffering from heat stroke outdoors, low angle view
Heat cramps appear in the form of involuntary spasms, mainly of the arms and legs, as well as the abdomen, accompanied by pain. They occur suddenly during the physical activity itself or two to three hours after it. They are the result of an imbalance in the volume of body fluids and the concentration of electrolytes in them, which occurs due to increased sweating and the accumulation of acidic metabolic products of working muscles. In this case, you should make yourself comfortable, sit in a cool area and drink chilled water with a little salt added.
– Heat exhaustion can also occur, which occurs due to inadequate adaptation of the circulatory system caused by excessive sweating and the consequent reduction in blood plasma volume, due to the redistribution of blood from the heart and internal organs to the peripheral blood vessels of the skin. In the further course, blood pressure drops, and the pulse is almost unmeasurable. Intravenous rehydration is recommended. Patients have clammy and cold skin, a feeling of fatigue and weakness, nausea, impaired visual acuity… – says our interviewee.
Heat stroke is considered the most serious complication. It occurs not only due to excessive exposure to sunlight, but also due to humid and overheated air – especially among workers in a bakery, kitchen, in an overheated car, on public transport… It is a condition in which the body overheats in a relatively short period of time. The patient’s skin becomes dry and warm, most people stop sweating, shivering occurs, and the body temperature exceeds 40 degrees Celsius. Sunstroke can also often occur, which occurs due to excessive direct exposure, primarily of the head and neck, to sunlight. It begins with a severe headache and an increase in body temperature. Fatigue and weakness, drowsiness and dizziness, ringing in the ears or short-term hearing loss can often occur, and in older people, loss of consciousness can often occur. To prevent sunburn, the most important thing is to avoid prolonged exposure to the sun and cover your head with an adequate hat, cap or light-colored cap. If possible, the head and neck should be cooled by occasionally soaking them.
– A person with sunburn should be immediately removed from the sun to an air-conditioned or darkened, well-ventilated room. They should be showered with lukewarm water or at least washed and cold compresses should be placed on their forehead and neck. They should be given fluids, but not all at once in large quantities, but more often in smaller sips. Rest is necessary, and the next day they should not be exposed to the sun at all – adds the doctor.