August 3, 2017
Caregiver Tip: Preventing Hyperthermia
Hyperthermia is a heat-related illness caused when your body temperature rises too high, and sweat, your natural cooling system, is not enough to decrease its temperature. While hyperthermia can happen to anyone, there are groups of people who are especially at risk, including infants and children, older adults, and those who are already sick since they could be more sensitive to extreme heat and less likely to notice and respond to changes in temperature. Hyperthermia can cause several different heat-related illnesses.
- Heat cramps, or painful tightening of muscles, can result from exercising or overworking your muscles. Cool your body down by resting and drinking plenty of fluids.
- Heat edema, swelling in the feet and ankles caused by heat, can usually be alleviated by elevating your legs. If this doesn’t work, check with your doctor.
- Heat syncope is sudden dizziness that can occur when you physically exert yourself in hot weather. Resting in a cool place, elevating your legs, and drinking water should help ease these symptoms.
- Heat exhaustion is a warning sign that your body is no longer able to keep itself cool. You could feel weak and uncoordinated, thirsty, dizzy, or nauseated. You may also have a rapid heartbeat and sweat profusely or have cold, clammy skin. If this happens, you should rest in a cool place and drink plenty of fluids.
- Heat stroke is a life-threatening heat illness that occurs when your body temperature reaches 104° F. Signs include fainting/ loss of consciousness, changes in behavior such as confusion, agitation, staggering, strange behavior and dry, flushed skin. If you or a loved one suffers from these symptoms, get to a cool place, apply cool compresses to the neck and wrists, and call 911.
More information on hot weather safety from the National Institutes of Health can be found at the following links: