Know the warning signs of heatstroke
Posted May 24th, 2007 at 11:19 AM by Hariz Siddiqui
Section: Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab, Exercise
Heatstroke is a sudden uncontrolled rise in body temperature that affects the brain so that it can’t function properly. It should never happen to you because you get plenty of warning.
First your muscles are affected, then your circulation and then your brain. As your temperature starts to rise, your muscles feel like a hot poker is pressing against them. As it rises further, the air that you breathe feels like it’s coming from a furnace and no matter how rapidly and deeply you try to breathe, you won’t be able to get enough air.
When this happens, stop exercising and cool off by moving into the shade or pouring water over your head. If you continue to exercise, your body temperature will rise further and affect your brain. Your head will start to hurt, you’ll hear a ringing in your ears, you may feel dizzy, you may have difficulty seeing and then you will end up unconscious on the ground.
When a person passes out from heatstroke, his brain is being cooked just as the colorless part of an egg turns white when it hits the frying pan. Get medical help immediately. Usually, the victim should be carried into the shade and placed on his back with his head down and his feet up.
He should be cooled by any possible means. Liquid should be poured on him, and it doesn’t matter whether it’s from a hose, a water bottle or a cup. It could be water, soda, beer, milk or whatever you have. After he is revived, he should be watched for more than an hour as his temperature can start to rise to high levels again.
This post is written by Dr. Gabe Mirkin, M.D. and used with permission. Dr. Mirkin is board certified in Sports Medicine and has practiced for over 40 years. He has completed more than 40 marathons and was a talk show host of a nationally-syndicated radio program for about 25 years. For more articles by Dr. Mirkin, please check out: www.DrMirkin.com
Tags: body temperature, dizzy, dr. gabe mirkin, heat stroke, heatstroke, overheat, pass out, unconscious
Like what you see? Subscribe to our feed!
The Final Sprint