Sunstroke is a very dangerous condition which can be fatal or, at best, can cause permanent damage. This happens when the body’s thermostat fails to work because of overheating. This condition is not just one that occurs from exposure to too much sun but can be caused by extreme heat in any environment, including workplace environments such as steelworks. Although this condition is called sunstroke, it is more apt to call it heatstroke as the real cause is not the sun’s rays but the intense heat produced by the sun.

Dehydration and salt deficiency can cause heat exhaustion. Take time to acclimatise to high temperatures and make sure you get sufficient liquids. Wear loose clothing and a broad-brimmed hat. Do not do anything too physically demanding.

Getting too much sun or being careless around an outside grill can result in summer burns. For minor first degree burns caused by brief contact with a hot object, water or steam, and sunburn, cool the skin by first holding it under running water, then apply a cold pack to numb the pain. If blistering occurs (second or third degree burns) seek medical help.

Drink plenty of cool water to keep yourself hydrated and reduce your body?s core temperature. (Warm water won?t do this, and cold water might be a shock to sensitive systems.) Drink regularly, every hour, even if you don?t feel thirsty. Avoid soft drinks and alcoholic drinks that are actually diuretic and rob your body of the water it desperately needs.

Heat stroke is generally considered when the body core temperature exceeds 40 deg C, and represents a failure of the body?s temperature regulation mechanisms. The person will have experienced the signs of heat exhaustion and may then show signs of decreased sweating, feeling faint or dizzy, mental irritation (confusion, altered consciousness, irrational behavior), and finally collapse.

For every person that has migraines, the results of one person’s symptoms may vary from the next person’s symptoms. Therefore not everyone is doing the same thing in the prevention of migraines. And in some cases as in the topic sunglasses and migraines, some people may have less sensitivity to light as may the next person have more of a sensitivity to noise or with the next person sound.

Heat Rash also can appear as large, reddened areas of skin. Babies and children are also more likely to be affected than adults because of their underdeveloped sweat glands, in which case the rash is commonly found in the nappy area and in the skin folds or on the neck. Heat Rash can also occur in cooler climates when sweating is a problem.

The most important step in preventing heat illness is to hydrate before, during, and after physical activity. Dehydration is common in all heat illnesses. Mild dehydration (2%) can decrease athletic performance as well as decrease the body’s ability to regulate temperature. Thirst in not a good indicator of dehydration, because it is activated when the body is already 2-3% dehydrated. You should drink 8-12 ounces of fluid before exercise, and every 20 minutes during exercise.

It’s not often that we have to worry about sunstroke in this country, but this May, has been the driest on record with record numbers of sun hours. It can be quite easy for fair skinned people to become heat exhausted or get sunstroke.
Sunstroke and heat exhaustion are two similar illnesses caused by the breakdown of different mechanisms in the body.
Sunstroke, also known as heat stroke, occurs when the body?s ability to keep cool malfunctions from long term exposure to direct sun on the head. The result is dangerously high fevers and hot, red, dry skin. The pulse and breathing are very fast due to the high fever. The person feels hot and weak, and the face becomes very red. Headaches, dizziness and dullness signal impending sunstroke. Nausea and vomiting are accompanying symptoms. Sunstroke is a very serious and should be treated as a medical emergency. Take immediate measures to cool the body down. If the temperature is to dangerously high, take care not to allow temperatures to fall too low.
In heat exhaustion, the body collapses due to excessive loss of fluid from sweating too much and drinking too little. It does not necessarily have to be a very sunny day. Unlike sunstroke, the skin is pale, cold and clammy. There is no fever. Blood pressure is low and the pulse slow and weak. Sudden drenching sweats signal the start of heat exhaustion. Anxiety, weakness and fatigue arise long before the collapse, Heat exhaustion is much less serious, and through it should also be carefully monitored.
Both heat exhaustion and sunstroke are easily avoided with simple measures. Intense exercise in the sun and heat can easily lead to exhaustion and heavy sweating. If exercising in the heat cannot be avoided, drinking enough liquids with sufficient minerals, particularly salt, is of utmost importance. I myself, in very hot climates always take

Many people don’t know a lot about fragrance lamps. Or, they have misguided notions about them. One misconception is that a fragrance lamp is not a safe item to have in a household, particularly if there are children or pets present. But the truth of the matter is that a fragrance lamp is a very safe product to have around. This is because while a flame is required to start the process of catalytic combustion that goes on in a lamp, it is extinguished within a few minutes of operation, and a special stone in the lamp continues to stay heated without the flame being present.

Honestly, if you would like to give your home a fresh, clean scent in an efficient and cost effective manner, then using a fragrance lamp may be the way to go. In addition to scenting a home with a pleasing aroma, fragrance lamps will also eliminate those not-so-pleasing odors. This occurs by the catalytic combustion process, which speeds up the decomposition process of those bad, odor-giving-off molecules. While those bad molecules are being destroyed, good scents are given off by aromatic fragrance lamp oils that are slowly heated and dispersed with the fragrance lamp’s stone.

Fragrance lamps have been in use for over one hundred years. Originally, the purpose of such a lamp was to add cleansing scents to the air while removing the bad scents. The alcohol in a fragrance lamp’s fuel is converted into anions, which are then heated and partnered with the bad smells in the air. They are then eliminated, and in their place is the beautiful scent that is included with the fragrance lamp.

The nice thing about fragrance lamps is that they are safe and effective. A flame is used initially, but can be safely extinguished completely within a few minutes. With no flame, there is no worry of fire, or of animals or children being burned. After that, the special stone that is built into the lamp continues to generate heat. The stone absorbs the fragrance, then re-releases it into the air during the catalytic conversion process. The room’s air is purified and lightly scented. So, what else is there to know about fragrance lamps? Well, you can swap out oils as you’d like.

Of course, you should always clean the stone and internal parts of the fragrance lamp, so that you don’t have oils mixing together and creating potentially confusing or unpleasant odors. The stones can also be replaced as need be. Finally, you should know that you can purchase fragrance lamps and related accessories online.

Heat exhaustion is a milder form of heat-related illness that can develop after several days of exposure to high temperatures and inadequate or unbalanced replacement of fluids. Those most prone to heat exhaustion are elderly people, people with high blood pressure, and people working or exercising in a hot environment.

Heat Exhaustion Causes

At high temperatures, the body cools itself largely through evaporation of sweat.

When it is very humid, this mechanism does not work properly.

The body loses a combination of fluids and salts (electrolytes).

People with a serious chronic condition, particularly breathing or heart problems,

People with mobility problems,

People who are physically active, like manual workers and sportsmen and women.

Poor circulation. Heart, lung, and/or kidney disease.

Not being able to sweat due to medicines, such as water pills and some used for mental illnesses.

Alcohol or drug use.

Any illness that causes weakness, fever, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Signs and symptoms

One of the body’s most important methods of temperature regulation is perspiration. This process draws heat from inside, allowing it to be carried off by radiation or convection. Evaporation of the sweat furthers cooling, since this endothermic process draws yet more heat from the body. When the body becomes sufficiently dehydrated to prevent the production of sweat this avenue of heat reduction is closed. When the body is no longer capable of sweating core temperature begins to rise swiftly.

Fainting

Skin: may be cool and moist

Pulse rate: fast and weak

Breathing: fast and shallow

Heat Exhaustion Prevention:

The easiest way to avoid heat disorders is to drink fluids before, during and after exercise. The body’s fluid needs vary with exertion, climate, humidity, terrain, and other factors. The new fluid recommendations say that runners should “obey your thirst” and drink when their mouth is dry and they feel the need to drink.

Treatment Options

Stay in cool or air-conditioned spaces when possible on hot days.

Drink more fluids than usual. Drinking enough fluids during exercise, for example, helps to improve heart function, maintain kidney function, and lower the body’s core temperature. Dehydration can stress the heart and reduce the kidneys’ ability to maintain the correct balance of electrolytes (charged elements — such as potassium, sodium, phosphorous and chloride — essential for the normal function of every cell in the body).

If symptoms include loss of consciousness, confusion, rapid breathing or heartbeat, or low blood pressure, then fluids are given intravenously. After rehydration, a person usually recovers rapidly and fully. If left untreated, heat exhaustion can lead to heatstroke.

Prehospital Care

Immediate cooling and support of organ-system dysfunction is essential.

Remove the patient from the hot environment, remove excess clothing, and transfer to a shady place, a cool vehicle, or a cool building.

Support airway, breathing, and circulation with intravenous (IV) fluids, supplemental oxygen, and assisted ventilation, as indicated.