This summer, vast swaths of the U.S. have already faced record-breaking heat waves. Heat kills more people than any other extreme weather event, and deadly heat waves are getting longer and hotter as the climate warms. Staying cool–and informed–is essential. Thomas Clanton, a professor of applied physiology and kinesiology at the University of Florida and an expert in the effects of heat on the body, has information about how to recognize heat illness and heatstroke’s long-term damage to the body.
What is heat illness?
Heat illness is a broad spectrum. At the lowest end is heat exhaustion, and on the more extreme end is heatstroke. The difference is really the presence of neurological symptoms in heatstroke. Throughout the spectrum, mild to severe injury to the liver, heart, kidney and muscle can be present. So, you can have heat exhaustion and you’re probably still thinking pretty well, but you know you’re hot. You try to get out of the heat and you’re functional. However, heatstroke victims can go unconscious, lose motor control or become delirious, so their ability to respond is limited.
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Clinically, a person would be diagnosed with heatstroke if they have a temperature above 104 degrees Fahrenheit and also exhibit central nervous system symptoms.
The signs of heat illness
Other signs that people notice include the paleness of the skin. Whereas profuse sweating is a normal reaction to heat, at the extremes of heatstroke the sweat response doesn’t work as well, and the skin can become dry. When you notice these signs, get into the shade, drink plenty of water and move to a reclined position. If ice bags or wet towels are available, place them under the arms, on the neck and along the groin regions. If any unusual neurological symptoms develop, get medical assistance immediately.
A lot of times people in the “heat exhaustion” range may not know they are getting heat illness. Besides just feeling hot, an individual may feel a little “woozy” or just “not themselves.” When this occurs, and they are not well hydrated, they can move quickly to conditions of heatstroke. Heatstroke can develop rapidly and it is often mistaken for just normal overheating and exhaustion, so it pays to be aware of the clinical symptoms and to act quickly.
Long-term consequences of heat illness
Death from heat stroke is rare. However, evidence in the last few years shows that some people who experience heatstroke may have medical consequences that can affect them for the rest of their life.
The field has documented changes in the immune system of humans and animals years after a heatstroke. Heatstroke victims also have a greater frequency of developing chronic heart disease and kidney diseases later in life.