Heat exhaustion is a heat-related illness which appears when people are exposed to environmental heat for prolonged periods of time. This condition is not as serious as heat stroke, another heat-related illness, but it can become a severe medical problem if it is not addressed, and people should pay close attention to the early signs of this condition when they are in hot weather. This condition is especially common in the summer months, when temperatures are typically higher, but people can get heat exhaustion at any time of the year, including an unseasonably warm winter day, and they can get this condition indoors in environments like saunas.
In heat exhaustion, the body's supply of fluids starts to become depleted, and this throws the balance of electrolytes off. People with heat exhaustion generally start to feel dizzy, disoriented, and confused, and they may experience headaches, nausea, and vomiting. Typically they also sweat heavily, and they may develop clammy skin. If the exhaustion is allowed to persist, collapse can occur.
Usually, the core body temperature remains relatively stable or slightly elevated in heat exhaustion cases, which is a key difference between this condition and heat stroke. However, the internal temperature can rise, sometimes very rapidly, in untreated cases, causing a simple case of heat exhaustion to develop into heat stroke. If heat stroke happens, brain damage, heart attacks, and death can occur.
The best way to treat heat exhaustion is to avoid getting it in the first place. In hot weather, people should drink plenty of water, wear light-colored clothing to reflect heat, and consider sitting in the shade and using sun hats and parasols. When exercising in the heat, people should take it easy if they do not normally work out in high temperatures, and people who are sensitive to heat may want to avoid exercise altogether. If someone starts to feel a bit disoriented, tired, or sick in the heat, he or she should be moved indoors to a cool location, and encouraged to lie down and rest. This can avert serious heat-related illness.
In cases where heat exhaustion occurs, the patient needs to cool off and relax. Moving someone indoors is recommended, and he or she should be given cool drinks. Caffeinated drinks should be avoided, and it may help to sit in a cool bath, or to wrap the patient in towels moistened with cold water. People should also be aware that many medications increase susceptibility to heat, as do some medical conditions, and young children in particular are at very high risk of getting heat-related illnesses.