I Have Had Heat Exhaustion Symptoms For 24 Hours. Getting
Detailed answer below
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Heat exhaustion can happen due to being in hot places and especially exercising while it is hot outside. It is important to make sure a patient is not having heat stroke which is a more advanced condition from heat.
- What symptoms do you have exactly?
- Did they happen due to being in hot environment or exercising in hot environment?
- How is your body temperature (measure it with a thermometers, measuring the rectal temperature is more accurate to the central temperature)
- Are you taking fluids and doing something to help with the symptoms?
- any other complaints like vomiting, diarrhea?
Heat stroke is a medical emergency so if you have symptoms related to it like increased body temperature (104 F) or if you are having increased breathing rate (over 16 per minute) or rapid pulse, you are feeling confused or not being able to think clearly, you have headache, nausea or vomiting, these might lead to the diagnosis of heat stroke and in this case please ask medical help immediately.
If you are not having the symptoms mentioned above but just sweating, feeling nauseated and fatigued, skin is cool and goose bumps, muscle cramps, etc, then heat exhaustion may be the case and you may try these:
- make sure you are not overdressed, loosen your clothes
- stay in a cool place
- rest, don't move a lot, don;t exercise
- make sure you drink plenty of fluids, sport fluids are better as they substitute also the electrolytes you loose with sweat other than just water.
- if you don;t feel cooled down you can stay in a bath with cool water to help you cool down.
- don't use alcohol as it may cause you to loose a lot of liquids
- if you have diarrhea or vomiting you can take oral rehydration solutions and if no improvement a visit with the doctor will help as you may get medications to stop them
If you are not improving with the above measures in 1-2 hours you will need to see your doctor so to prevent from advancing into heat stroke.
I hope I have answered to your questions but let me know if i can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Antoneta Zotaj, General and Family Physician