Tell tale signs of ‘heat stroke’ and how to prevent it

IT’S that time of the year again when everything is melting and the ground is sizzling hot. 

From what we all remember; the last week the temperature was just nice enough to snuggle into our blankets but with the staggering 42 degrees heat index; now all we want is to throw off all those blankets and submerge ourselves in a pool full of ice. 

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), we are a mere few weeks away from the dry season or “tag-init.”

During this time, people come to think of ways to hydrate themselves from the excruciating heat: one is to buy a stock of ice cream as a way to beat the heat while others would lock themselves inside an airconditioned room to cool off.   

But there are far more serious risks that come with the high temperature, like getting heat stroked. 

Do you have it?

Sometimes, the difference between heat stroke and heat exhaustion can be hard to figure out because they have the same symptoms. 

While both of them display similar symptoms, an easy way to differentiate the two is to look at them as levels –  heat exhaustion is a moderate heat-related illness, while heat stroke is a life-threatening emergency. 

Symptoms of heat exhaustion include:

• Headache
• Heavy sweating
• Feeling tensed and/or agitated
• Tiredness
• Dizziness
• Muscle cramps
• Feeling irritated

Meanwhile, on the extreme side, the symptoms of heat stroke include: 

• Throbbing headache
• Rapid and shallow breathing
• Nausea and vomiting
• Weakness
• Slurred speech
• Loss of consciousness
• Seizure

What to do when you acquire the symptoms?

If you or someone is currently experiencing symptoms of heat stroke, immediately call for emergency services. 

Aside from immediately asking for help, one should focus on immediately cooling down the person by first moving them into a cooler place and removing their excess clothing that interferes with the cooling process. 

Have the person lie down with their feet slightly elevated and immerse the person in cold water up to their neck as well as apply ice packs to their armpits, neck, and head. 

Continue cooling yourself or the person for 20 minutes and don’t forget to check your or their conditions including breathing and responsiveness. 

If the person happens to be conscious, offer them chilled water or drinks that contain electrolytes to hydrate their body. 

How can you prevent it?

The saying “prevention is better than cure,” will always be true especially when it comes to looking after our health during the dry season to prevent ourselves from experiencing heat exhaustion (especially heat stroke), we can prevent it by: 

• Wearing light-colored and light-fitting clothing
• Drink plenty of water to be hydrated
• Limit outdoor activities to when it’s the coolest (like morning and evening hours)
• Avoid extreme exercises
• Apply sunscreen
• Have a plan and know who to call for an emergency.