Cold Heat Illnesses Shannon Butler Heat Exhaustion Structures

Cold/ Heat Illnesses Shannon Butler

Heat Exhaustion

Structures Involved – Skin – Circulatory System – Sweat Glands

Causes of the Disorder – Strenuous activity in hot, humid weather – Dehydration – reduces your body’s ability to sweat and maintain a normal temperature – Alcohol use – can affect your body’s ability to regulate your temperate – Over dressing

Short Term Affects – Cool, moist skin with goose bumps when in the heat – Heavy sweating – Faintness – Dizziness – Fatigue – Weak, rapid pulse – Low blood pressure upon standing – Muscle cramps – Nausea – Headache

Long Term Affects – Vital organ damage – Without a quick response to lower body temperature, heatstroke can cause your brain or other vital organs to swell, possibly resulting in permanent damage – Death – Without prompt and adequate treatment, heatstroke can be

Treatment/ Rehabilitation – Immerse yourself in cold water – Use evaporation cooling techniques – Wrap yourself with ice and cooling blankets – Can lower your body temperature – Get medications to stop your shivering – If treatments to lower your body temperature make you shiver, your doctor may give you a muscle relaxant – Shivering increases your body temperature, making the treatment less effective.

Prevention – Wear loose-fitting, lightweight, light-colored clothing – – Excess, dark or tight clothing holds in heat and doesn't let your body cool Avoid sunburn – Having a sunburn reduces your body's ability to rid itself of heat – Seek a cooler place – Drink plenty of fluids – – Staying hydrated will help your body sweat and maintain a normal body temperature Take extra precautions with certain medications – Some medications make you more susceptible to heat exhaustion – Avoid hot spots – Let your body get acclimated to the heat – If you travel to somewhere hot, or the temperatures suddenly jump in your area, it can take several weeks for your body to get used to the heat

Heat Stroke

Structures Involved – Skin – Circulatory System – Sweat Glands

Causes of the Disorder – Exposure to a hot environment – Being in a hot environment leads to a rise in body temperature – Strenuous activity – Wearing excess clothing – Prevents sweat from evaporating easily and cooling your body – Drinking alcohol – Can affect your body's ability to regulate your temperature – Becoming dehydrated – by not drinking enough water to replenish fluids lost through sweating

Short Term Affects – High body temperature – Altered mental state or behavior – Alteration in sweating – Nausea and vomiting – Flushed skin – Rapid breathing – Racing heart – Headache

Long Term Affects – Vital organ damage – Without a quick response to lower body temperature, heatstroke can cause your brain or other vital organs to swell, possibly resulting in permanent damage – Death – Without prompt and adequate treatment, heatstroke can be fatal

Treatment/ Rehabilitation – Immerse yourself in cold water – Use evaporation cooling techniques – Wrap yourself with ice and cooling blankets – Get medications to stop your shivering

Prevention – Wear loose fitting, lightweight clothing – Protect against sunburn – Drink plenty of fluids – Take extra precautions with certain medications – Never leave anyone in a parked car – Take it easy during the hottest parts of the day – Get acclimated to the heat – Be cautious if you’re at severe risk

Hypothermia

Structures Involved – Muscles – Brian – Nervous system/ Cardiovascular system

Causes of the Disorder – Wearing clothes that aren't warm enough for weather conditions – Staying out in the cold too long – Unable to get out of wet clothes or move to a warm, dry location – Accidental falls in water, as in a boating accident – Inadequate heating in the home, especially for older people and infants – Air conditioning that is too cold, especially for older people and infants

Short Term Affects Hypothermia Moderate to Severe Hypothermia – Shivering – – Dizziness Shivering, although as hypothermia worsens, shivering stops – Hunger – Clumsiness or lack of coordination – Slurred speech or mumbling – Nausea – – Faster breathing Confusion and poor decision-making, such as trying to remove warm clothes – Trouble speaking – Drowsiness or very low energy – Slight confusion – Lack of concern about one's condition – Lack of coordination – Progressive loss of consciousness – Fatigue – Weak pulse – Slow, shallow breathing – Increased heart rate Mild

Long Term Affects – Freezing of body tissues (frostbite) – Decay and death of tissue resulting from an interruption in blood flow

Treatment/ Rehabilitation – Blood rewarming – Blood may be drawn, warmed and recirculated in the body – Warm intravenous fluids – A warmed intravenous solution of salt water may be injected into a vein to help warm the blood – Airway rewarming – The use of humidified oxygen administered with a mask or nasal tube can warm the airways and help raise the temperature of the body – Irrigation – A warm saltwater solution may be used to warm certain areas of the body

Prevention – Cover up – Wear a hat or other protective covering to prevent body heat from escaping from your head, face and neck – Avoid overexertion – Avoid activities that would cause you to sweat a lot. The combination of wet clothing and cold weather can cause you to lose body heat more quickly – Wear layers – To avoid heat escape wear layers of loose-fitting, lightweight clothing – Stay dry

Sources: – mayoclinic. org – Google