Heatstroke (overheating). First aid for heatstroke (sunstroke) First aid for overheating

First: Heatstroke and sunstroke are the same thing.

Second: The normal body temperature of a healthy person ranges from 36.2°C to 37.0°C. This normal body temperature depends on the balance of heat production and heat consumption. Heat is generated in the body due to muscle work and metabolic processes in the cells of the body. Muscle work should also include activities that are familiar to us, i.e. breathing, walking, etc. The brain regulates all these processes in our body. It is part of the central nervous system. Heat stroke is a uniform increase in body temperature under the influence of the external environment.

So, the causes of overheating may be:

    Direct exposure to sunlight.

    Prolonged stay in a room with high air temperature (bath).

    Physical work at high external temperatures.

    A sharp change from the usual climate to hot and humid.

    Drinking alcoholic beverages in high ambient temperatures.

In the initial stage of overheating, the body struggles with excess heat. Skin blood vessels dilate, sweating increases, heart rate and breathing increase. The body takes all these measures as compensatory measures. Each person individually, depending on his age and health, can have different lengths of time to get rid of excess heat. Of no small importance, of course, is the time spent in unfavorable conditions. Prolonged dilation of skin blood vessels leads to a drop in blood pressure. Excessive sweating leads to loss of fluid, and most importantly, to the loss of microelements necessary for the normal functioning of cells. The brain begins to suffer from a lack of oxygen. Taken together, all this leads to exacerbation of chronic diseases and the occurrence of unforeseen situations: prolonged loss of consciousness, convulsions, heart attack. But this is no longer a joke, especially for people with problems of the heart, blood vessels and nervous system.

The picture of overheating looks different, depending on the degree of overheating. It should be noted that drinking alcohol and drinks based on purified (microelements-free) water greatly aggravates the severity of a person’s condition.

Overheating severity:

1st mild degree characterized by: redness of the skin, increased sweating, general weakness, headache, nausea, rapid heartbeat and breathing. Body temperature rises to 38°C-39°. Blood pressure remains in the usual range for humans.

2nd intermediate degree severity is characterized by: redness of the skin, moderate sweating, a sharp decrease in mobility, uncertain movements, unsteady gait, headache, accompanied by nausea and vomiting, it seems that the person wants to sleep. Pulse and breathing increase, body temperature rises to 39°C-40°C. Blood pressure may decrease.

3rd severe degree severity is characterized by: pronounced redness of the skin, later it becomes pale cyanotic. There is a decrease in sweating until it stops completely. Delirium and hallucinations appear, prolonged loss of consciousness may occur, and convulsions may occur. Breathing becomes shallow, rapid heartbeat is replaced by a sharp decrease. Blood pressure continues to decrease, and body temperature rises to 41°C.

How can you help a person in this situation?

    If you see that a person is feeling unwell, then you need to call a doctor, regardless of your self-confidence.

    If it is not possible to call a doctor, then you need to try to take the person to the hospital yourself.

    Do not hesitate to call for help; perhaps there is a medical professional or emergency service worker among the people around you.

    Your actions can literally save a person's life.

Before professional help becomes available, take action.

    First aid for overheating:

    URGENTLY! Eliminate heat exposure.

    Place the person in the shade, preferably in a ventilated place. If a person is unconscious, drunk or, in your opinion, does not behave adequately (for example: does not react to your words, although he can move on his own), then he must be placed in a stable position on his side. In case of vomiting, this position will prevent vomit from entering the respiratory tract.

    Remove the victim from outer clothing.

    Let's inhale ammonia vapor if the victim is “trying” to lose consciousness or has already lost it. If you do not have ammonia, you can bring the victim to his senses by massaging the nerve endings of the temporal areas and upper lip, earlobes. For more information about this, see the “fainting” section.

    If the victim is conscious and can swallow on his own, be sure to combat dehydration. Give the victim a cool drink in small sips every 5-10 minutes.

    It is better to drink mineral water or a special solution purchased at a pharmacy.

    If the victim is conscious and can swallow on his own, he can be given an antipyretic.

If there are no signs of breathing or heartbeat, begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

    Remember:

    Do not suddenly cool the patient by immersing him in cold water! This can lead to a reflexive stop of breathing and heartbeat!

    Do not give medications or drinks to the victim by mouth if he is unconscious! This can lead to blockage of the airways!

You cannot bring a person to consciousness by hitting him on the cheeks!

    When should you go to the hospital “without talking”?:

    In cases of moderate to severe overheating.

    In all cases with a pronounced reaction to overheating (headache with vomiting, significant increase in blood pressure, etc.).

In all cases, if convulsions and impaired consciousness were noted. Heatstroke – a pathological condition caused by general overheating of the body as a result of exposure to external thermal factors. The main cause of overheating is.

thermoregulation disorder (Overheating of the body hyperthermia

) is a condition characterized by an imbalance in heat balance, an increase in the body’s heat content. The main route of heat transfer during human hyperthermia is the evaporation of moisture from the surface of the body and through the respiratory tract. Overheating of the human body is observed in industries with high ambient temperatures or in conditions that impede heat transfer from the surface of the body, as well as in areas with a hot climate.:

Symptoms of Heat Stroke

  • A) mild degree:
  • general weakness;
  • headache;
  • nausea;
  • increased heart rate and breathing;

pupil dilation.

Necessary measures: remove from the overheated area, provide assistance.

  • B) Average degree:
  • severe adynamia;
  • severe headache with nausea and vomiting;
  • stunned;
  • uncertainty of movements;
  • unsteady gait;
  • at times fainting;
  • increase in body temperature to 39 - 40 C.

B) Severe heat stroke develops suddenly .

The face is hyperemic, later pale cyanotic. There have been cases of changes in consciousness from mild to coma, convulsions, delirium, hallucinations, increased body temperature to 41 - 42 C, and cases of sudden death. The severity of overheating of the body depends not only on the magnitude of the ambient temperature, but also on the duration of its impact on the human body.

Necessary measures:

  • eliminate thermal effects;
  • remove the victim from the overheated zone;
  • lay in an open area in the shade;
  • inhalation of ammonia vapor from cotton wool;
  • free from outer clothing;
  • wetting the face with cold water, patting the chest with a wet towel;
  • put a bottle of cold water on your head;
  • frequent plowing;
  • call an ambulance.

thermoregulation disorder is accompanied by increased sweating with a significant loss of water and salts from the body, which leads to thickening of the blood, an increase in its viscosity, obstruction of blood circulation and tissue hypoxia.

Necessary treatment for signs of heat stroke: expose the victim. Place ice or containers of ice water on the area of ​​large vessels.

Prevention of heat stroke: on hot days with high humidity, it is advisable to go out into the open air until 10 - 11 o’clock in the afternoon, later it is possible to stay in a green area in the shade of trees, stay outside only in a hat, move the main meal to the evening hours, instead of water you can use acidified or sweetened tea, rice or cherry decoction, bread kvass, limit fatty and protein foods, avoid alcoholic beverages, clothing should be light, loose, made of cotton fabrics, for constant evaporation of sweat. Limiting the use of cosmetics and creams as they interfere with the normal functioning of the skin.

Sunstroke- a condition that occurs due to severe overheating of the head by direct sunlight, under the influence of which the cerebral blood vessels dilate and rush of blood to the head, cerebral edema.

Symptoms: facial hyperemia, shortness of breath, tachycardia, fever, profuse sweating. Sometimes nasal bleeding, loss of consciousness, the occurrence of convulsive syndrome.

Necessary actions in case of sunstroke: the patient must be placed in the shade or in a cool room. Lay horizontally, legs raised. Unfasten your clothes and trouser belt. Spray cold water on your face. Cool your head, for which you can use a cooling thermal pack available in a standard car first aid kit. Wipe your entire body with a wet towel. A good effect is achieved by inhaling ammonia vapor. If conscious, give cold water to drink.

To prevent sunstroke, it is recommended to: walk for up to 11 hours with a mandatory hat. The clothes are light, made of cotton fabrics. Avoid standing for long periods of time in direct sunlight. Limit unnecessary physical activity (competitions, long walks). Eliminate emotional stress. In the diet - vegetable and fruit dishes, limit fatty foods, excessive amounts of meat products. Drink up to 1.5 - 2 liters of liquid: cool tea, fruit drink, juices, kvass.

Overheating of the body leads to disruption of water-salt metabolism and disruption of the functions of vital organs. Overheating can be caused by prolonged exposure to the sun (sunstroke, heatstroke). In this case, the central nervous system is affected.

Overheating, first emergency pre-hospital and medical aid in case of overheating.

Sunstroke.

People who work in the field without a hat, who overuse sunbathing on the beach, and who go on long walks in hot climates are susceptible to sunstroke. Sunstroke can occur both during exposure to the sun and several hours (6–8) after that.

Heatstroke.

Overheating is often caused by exposure to external artificial heat sources. Overheating develops with prolonged stay in hot and humid rooms, with heavy physical activity in stuffy rooms with poor ventilation. The risk of developing heatstroke increases if the victim is warmly dressed, overtired and does not comply with the drinking regime.

In young children, heat stroke can develop if they are overly wrapped in warm diapers and blankets, if they are in a stuffy room, and if the child's bed is located near a stove or some kind of heating device. With severe overheating of the body, disturbances in water-salt metabolism and the functioning of the cardiovascular system occur, edema develops and small hemorrhages appear in the brain.

Symptoms of overheating.

General malaise, a feeling of exhaustion, headache, a feeling of dizziness and tinnitus are detected. Nausea and vomiting may occur. During an external examination of the patient, redness of the face and head, increased pulse and breathing, increased sweating, increased body temperature, and sometimes bleeding are noted. With more severe overheating, a severe headache occurs, blood pressure drops, body temperature can reach 40–41 degrees or higher, the patient ceases to navigate in space, and then may lose consciousness.

First, breathing becomes more rapid, then it slows down, and irregular movements of the chest appear. In severe conditions, the pulse slows down. Pulmonary edema and convulsions may develop, and the patient falls into a coma. In rare cases, agitation and hallucinations occur. Young children are characterized by a rapid increase in dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract in the form of vomiting and diarrhea, and body temperature rises very quickly. The child’s face sharpens, a rapid deterioration in general condition occurs, consciousness is impaired, convulsions and coma develop.

First aid for overheating.

More often, it is quite enough to move the victim out of the sun into the shade, take off his clothes, and give him cool water to drink. It is recommended to apply a cold compress or ice pack to the head, armpits and groin areas of the body, and wrap the body in a sheet soaked in cold water. If the victim is indoors, it is necessary to provide him with fresh air and, if possible, oxygen. In more severe cases, in addition to these measures, the health worker additionally administers intravenous saline (0.9% sodium chloride solution) and rheopolyglucin.

When blood pressure drops and breathing problems appear, 1 ml of a 10% caffeine solution or 1–2 ml of cordiamine is injected subcutaneously. If necessary, begin artificial respiration. If pulmonary edema develops, cardiac drugs (solutions of strophanthin or corglycone in glucose solution) and diuretics (furosemide) are administered intravenously. Cordiamine is administered intramuscularly. In severe cases, the patient should be taken to the intensive care unit of the hospital. If the dysfunction of vital organs is mild, then he is hospitalized in the therapeutic department.

Based on materials from the book “Quick Help in Emergency Situations.”
Kashin S.P.

Overheating– an acute painful condition resulting from prolonged exposure to high temperature on the human body.

The following factors contribute to the development of overheating: prolonged exposure to the sun, in a hot, stuffy room, physical activity in hot weather, failure to drink properly, warm clothing, overwork. Children, elderly people and people suffering from various diseases of the cardiovascular, endocrine systems and obesity are more susceptible to overheating.

First of all, when overheated, disorders occur in the central nervous and cardiovascular systems.

Signs of overheating:

severe weakness, feeling of heat, severe headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, darkening of the eyes, nosebleeds, increased heart rate and breathing, dry and hot skin, body temperature is increased(often up to high numbers 40-42 C), there may be convulsions, hallucinations, delirium, loss of consciousness. Death occurs from cerebral edema.

Less common is the so-called lightning form heat stroke, when a person suddenly, without the previous listed symptoms, loses consciousness.

First aid for overheating:

1. Removing the victim from the overheated area, move him to a cool place, lay him down with his head elevated, remove excess clothing, provide air ventilation: create a draft, use a fan, etc.

2. Cooling the victim (cold compresses on the head and body). You can use a hypothermic pack, cold packs, ice packs, etc. If the victim is conscious, drink cool water in small portions.

3. In case of loss of consciousness: lay on the right side, giving a stable lateral position, use an ammonia solution (ammonia): bring the moistened cotton wool to the nose. Given the high mortality rate from heatstroke, it is necessary to be prepared for resuscitation and begin it immediately in case of cardiac and respiratory arrest.

4. Transport in a prone position to the hospital.

Fainting- This is a short-term sudden loss of consciousness as a result of a sharp decrease in blood flow to the brain.

Emotional effects of suddenness (fear, pain, bleeding, etc.);

A sharp transition from their horizontal position to a vertical one;

Prolonged standing on your feet with insufficient ventilation;

Hyperventilation of the lungs with increased breathing;

Pregnancy,

Diseases of the cardiovascular system.

Signs of fainting:

Loss of consciousness;

Pale skin;

Profuse sweat;

Cold skin;

Rhythmic breathing and rhythmic pulse.

The duration of fainting ranges from a few seconds to several minutes.

First aid for fainting:

1. Horizontal position;

2. Prevention of asphyxia - head raised;

3. Unbutton your clothes, provide a flow of fresh air;

4. Ensure inhalation of ammonia vapor;

5. Spray your face and chest with cold water;

6. Pulse control;

7. After regaining consciousness, drink tea and coffee.

Conclusion: The ability to skillfully and timely provide first aid when exposed to high and low temperatures, electric shock, heat and sunstroke will reduce the suffering of the victim, prevent the development of possible complications, alleviate the severity of the disease and save the life of the victim.

Overheating of the body (heatstroke) occurs with prolonged exposure to the sun. Overheating is promoted by heavy physical work, high humidity, and high blood pressure.

Overheating is expressed in the appearance of a feeling of heat, headache, dizziness, tinnitus, general weakness, dry mouth, nausea and vomiting, increased heart rate and breathing, profuse sweating, and an increase in body temperature to 40 ° C. Sometimes these phenomena are accompanied by loss of consciousness.

If signs of overheating appear, you must move to a cool, well-ventilated room (place) in the shade. Then you should wipe yourself with water at room temperature and drink water or chilled tea. In case of fainting, it is necessary first of all to free the victim from constricting clothing, lay him down with his head slightly raised and ensure free breathing, sprinkle his face and chest with cold water, put a cold compress on the back of his head and on the heart area. To stimulate breathing, it is good to sniff ammonia. According to indications, indirect cardiac massage and hospitalization can be performed.

First (pre-medical) aid for hypothermia

Hypothermia occurs during prolonged exposure to cold water. It occurs with the appearance of chills, muscle tremors, cyanosis of the skin, muscle stiffness and loss of consciousness. Therefore, if signs of hypothermia appear (chills, muscle tremors, goose bumps, involuntary yawning, stiffness and cramps of individual muscles), it is necessary to get out of the water as soon as possible. If you have leg cramps under water, lie on your back and work with just your hands, try to lightly rub and massage the muscles cramped. If a cramp cramps your calf muscles, stretch your leg and use your hands to pull your toes towards you. For thigh muscle cramps, bend your leg at the knee with your hand and press your heel to your buttock. If your arm muscles are cramped, it is better to swim on your back or on your chest, using only your legs, raising your arms, continuously clenching and unclenching your fists. If you have abdominal muscle cramps, you should lie on your back and pull your knees towards your stomach.

After leaving the water, you need to do intense physical exercise. It is advisable to rub the body until red with a woolen cloth soaked in alcohol or vodka, drink sweet hot tea, and put on warm clothes. With more severe hypothermia, a shower or bath with a gradual increase in temperature from room temperature to +37 ° C is necessary. When providing assistance, you must first of all pay attention to warming the area of ​​the heart, liver, as well as the head, especially the back of the head, and neck. To prevent pneumonia, you should take antibiotics as prescribed by your doctor.

First aid for frostbite

Frostbite- local effects of cold on the body. If exposure to cold is accompanied by a decrease in overall body temperature, the body may freeze.

With frostbite, the affected area of ​​the body experiences mild pain, tingling and burning. Then these sensations disappear and a feeling of numbness appears. The skin turns pale or becomes bluish in color. Depending on the depth of tissue damage, four degrees of frostbite are distinguished (Fig. 1): mild (I), moderate (II), severe (III) and extremely severe (IV).

At the initial signs of frostbite, you should rub the frostbitten areas of the body well with your hand or soft cloth, while simultaneously making active movements with your fingers, hand, and foot. If possible, frostbitten parts of the limbs should be placed in warm water at room temperature (+18-20 °C) and gradually warmed up to +37 °C, adding hot water, and at the same time very carefully rubbing the limb. Normal skin color is a sign that blood circulation has resumed in the frostbitten area. After warming up, wipe the skin with alcohol and apply a sterile bandage.

In cases where the victim has changes in the tissues (bubbles on the skin, areas of necrosis), the damaged areas are wiped with alcohol and a sterile bandage is applied to them. In case of frostbite of any degree, it is not recommended to rub the damaged areas of the skin with snow.

Rice. 1. Frostbite groans: 1-II and III degrees and IV degrees of fingers; 2 - first finger moaning degree III; 3 -IV degrees; 4 - IV degrees (stage of dry gangrene and rejection of dead tissue)

First (pre-medical) aid for general freezing

General freezing accompanied by a significant decrease in body temperature. Lethargy appears, speech and movements slow down. In this state, a person usually falls asleep and loses consciousness. Due to the continuing decrease in body temperature, breathing and cardiac activity first weaken and then stop. To save the victim, you should immediately take him to a warm room and take measures to warm him up, gently massaging the body. They give sweet hot drinks. If possible, a warm bath with a water temperature of +36-37 °C is useful. Do not give alcohol to drink - it can be harmful to the victim. In case of loss of consciousness, rare breathing, or absence of pulse, resuscitation measures are necessary.