Heat Stroke vs Heat Exhaustion Q&A

While both heat stroke and heat exhaustion have similar causes they vary in a number of important ways.

Firstly, despite some overlap in symptoms, the symptoms differ in several manners as well as severity. Heat exhaustion may display a headache, loss of appetite, cramps, excessive sweating, excessive thirst, and fast breathing or pulse. Heat stroke can cause headaches, confusion, no sweating, rapid heart rate, nausea, and vomiting as well as loss of consciousness. And the temperature differs to indicate each condition. Heat exhaustion may be indicated by a temperature above 100°F while a temperature above 104°F is a sign of heat stroke.

A heat stroke requires immediate medical attention, unlike heat exhaustion. Heat exhaustion can be relieved by cooling down and managing symptoms. And while heat exhaustion is uncomfortable it does not pose the same medical emergency as heat stroke, but it could lead to it.

Heat stroke carries several potential long-term health complications absent from heat exhaustion. The brain, heart, kidneys, and muscles can be damaged quickly if you do not receive treatment for heatstroke. Delaying treatment increases your risk of serious complications or death as the damage worsens.

A heat stroke is a more severe condition than heat exhaustion and can be fatal. To avoid heat stroke, you need to understand the signs of dehydration and heat exhaustion, and when to seek treatment for them.

The treatment of heat exhaustion differs from that of heat stroke. Heat exhaustion symptoms should be treated as soon as possible by seeking a cooler place (a shaded or air-conditioned area), removing layers of clothing, soaking in cool water, and slowly drinking cool water or a sugar-free sports drink. You may be at risk for heat stroke if your symptoms do not subside within half an hour of taking cooling measures.

Compared to heat exhaustion, heat stroke is much more serious. It can lead to shock, organ failure, or brain damage. Heat stroke can be fatal in extreme cases. Heat stroke requires immediate medical treatment.

Heat stroke and heat exhaustion are heat-related illnesses. There is a spectrum of severity among heat exhaustion and heatstroke, from not-so-serious to an emergency. Your body temperature rises when you suffer from heat exhaustion or heatstroke. There are several other symptoms associated with that temperature spike. Heat exhaustion will occur first and could lead to heat stroke if it is not managed quickly and appropriately by cooling the body down.

To prevent or reduce damage to your brain and vital organs, heatstroke treatment involves cooling your body to a normal temperature.

Patients may be immersed in cold water. It has been proven that ice water or a cold bath is the most effective way to quickly lower an individual’s core body temperature. In order to reduce the risk of death and organ damage, patients should receive cold water immersion as quickly as possible. In the absence of cold-water immersion, health care workers may use evaporation to lower your body temperature. A mist of cold water is sprayed on your body while warm air is blown over you, causing the water to evaporate and cool your skin.

Health care providers may also attempt to lower the patient’s body temperature by applying ice packs to your groin, neck, back, and armpits and wrapping yourself in a special cooling blanket. Immediate Care of Oklahoma offers treatment for heat stroke and heat exhaustion. Contact us today and learn more about our treatment options.  We serve patients from West Moore OK, Norman (HealthPlex) OK, Edmond OK, Yukon OK, I-240 & Sooner RD OK, Tecumseh OK, Norman (24th) OK, and Bethany OK.