The heat in summer can be dangerous. Emergency rooms often fill up with patients who did not feel the heat in time. Heat headaches are often the first clue that you are entering the danger zone. Fortunately the homeopathic remedy that matches your heat headache can also help your other systems battle the heat as efficiently as possible.
Although nothing helps as much as an air conditioner and drinking lots of water and electrolyte drinks, here are some helpful clues to homeopathic remedies that can ease your headaches and sunburn issues, plus some hints for immediate non- homeopathic solutions and links to websites that can help you get through a summer heat wave in the best of health.
Danger of HeatExposure to excessive heat can cause loss of body fluids and a rise in body temperature. This may occur at any age but is most common in babies and elderly people. It can occur due to prolonged exposure to high atmospheric temperature or a brief exposure to very high atmospheric temperature (direct exposure to sun is not necessary) or due to heavy manual work in high temperature, high humidity. Pre-existing chronic diseases and alcoholism are some of the predisposing factors.In a hot environment, the body loses heat by diverting blood to the skin and by sweating. Profuse sweating may lead to an excessive loss of fluids and salts, resulting in heat exhaustion. This condition is rarely serious but if exposure to heat continues, the body’s normal cooling mechanism breaks down and the temperature of the body rises further, resulting in a heat stroke
Heat stroke can prove to be a life-threatening emergency.Exposure to excessive heat can cause loss of body fluids and a rise in body temperature. This may occur at any age but is most common in babies and elderly people. It can occur due to prolonged exposure to high atmospheric temperature or a brief exposure to very high atmospheric temperature (direct exposure to sun is not necessary) or due to heavy manual work in high temperature, high humidity. Pre-existing chronic diseases and alcoholism are some of the predisposing factors.In a hot environment, the body loses heat by diverting blood to the skin and by sweating.
Profuse sweating may lead to an excessive loss of fluids and salts, resulting in heat exhaustion. This condition is rarely serious but if exposure to heat continues, the body’s normal cooling mechanism breaks down and the temperature of the body rises further, resulting in a heat stroke. Heat stroke can prove to be a life-threatening emergency.Heat exhaustion and heat stroke most commonly occur above 104 degree F (40 degree C).
High humidity increases the risk of heat stroke because sweating is ineffective and heat loss is decreased.Heat cramps, also known as stoker’s cramps and fireman’s cramps, are painful involuntary contractions of large voluntary muscles of the arms, legs and trunk. They appear in men who work in hot, humid places, lose much water by copious sweating (normal response of body to environment) and drink water to replace that lost in perspiration. These patients are NOT dehydrated but have electrolyte deficiency.Oral fluids and electrolyte replacement will be sufficient.This is an abnormal condition marked by weakness, dizziness, nausea, muscle cramps, and fainting. It is caused by low levels of body fluid and salts resulting from exposure to intense heat or the inability to adjust to heat. Body temperature is near normal; blood pressure may drop but usually returns to normal as the person is placed in a lying-down position; the skin is cool, damp, and pale. The patient IS dehydrated. The person usually recovers with rest and replacement of water and sal
t.A severe and sometimes fatal condition that results from the failure of the body to regulate its temperature. This is caused by prolonged exposure to the sun or to high temperatures. Lessening or lack of sweating is an early symptom. Body temperature of 105 degree Fahrenheit or higher, fast pulse rate, hot and dry skin, headache, confusion, blackouts, and convulsions may occur. The patient may have fluid and body sodium depletion as seen in classic heat exhaustion.Who is at Risk ?Heat exhaustion and heat stroke may affect otherwise healthy people, particularly after physical exertion in a hot climate. People who come from temperate climates and travel to the tropics need time to acclimatize to the heat before they can safely exert themselves.The body’s cooling mechanisms are less efficient in babies and elderly people, making them more susceptible to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Obesity, diabetes mellitus, alcohol dependence and chronic heart failure, all decrease the body’s ability to lose heat. Diarrhea may contribute to dehydration and increase the risk of developing heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
