In summer, the temperature of the air is extremely high, and if you like to spend a lot of time on the street during this time of year, you should know the signs of a sunstroke. Such knowledge will help to determine the cause of unexpected deterioration of well-being and to take the necessary actions to prevent even greater deterioration of the condition.
So, usually the first signs of sunstroke occur after six to eight hours of exposure to heat, although sometimes they may appear earlier. First, there is general malaise, lethargy, nausea, dyspnea, reddening of the face, palpitations, fever, dizziness, headache, darkening in the eyes. Then these signs of sunstroke can be supplemented with delirium, hallucinations, a violation of the heart rhythm, which can manifest itself both in the rapidity and in the slowing down of the frequency of cardiac contractions. If you do not provide necessary assistance at this stage, you may experience loss of consciousness. The skin feels cold and feels pale and cyanotic. This condition is already life-threatening.
It should be said that in comparison with an adult person, the signs of a sunstroke in a child may appear with a much less prolonged stay in the heat. Little children suddenly become sluggish, capricious, refuse to eat. Over time, the temperature rises, vomiting and diarrhea may open. After several hours (in especially severe cases) convulsions begin, there is a loss of consciousness, the child can even fall into a coma.
If you find that someone (a child or an adult) has signs of a sunstroke, you must immediately take him to a cool place, unbutton his clothes and put it on his side. If a person is conscious, let him drink chilled tea or boiled water. Drink follows in small sips. If there is a high temperature, you need to wrap the victim's head with a wet towel or any other cloth, wipe the body with a sponge moistened in a cool (slightly exceeding room temperature) water. In this case, special attention should be paid to areas where the vessels are closest to the skin: the neck, axillary cavities, elbows, inguinal and popliteal areas. For wiping, do not use cold water: a sudden change in temperature can trigger a reflex spasm of the vessels, which will only worsen the condition. Do not try to give the patient antipyretic drugs in the hope of knocking down the temperature: such a remedy is ineffective, because the mechanism of temperature rise in case of overheating is not quite the same as, for example, in infectious diseases. But such medications (ibuprofen, paracetamol) can be used to reduce other signs of sunstroke. After providing first aid, you should call a doctor or deliver the victim yourself to the hospital.
Do not want to discover the signs of a sunstroke? Then, when you go out on a hot day, wear a light-colored headgear and clothes made of light natural material. People who have fair skin are more at risk of overheating. In the heat, try to avoid being on the street in the period from 11 to 15 hours, because at this time the sun's rays are as strong as possible. When on the beach, apply sun protection to exposed skin. To prevent overheating, drink as much liquid as possible and cool the surface of the skin with wet napkins.