First+Aid,+Hyperthermia-Sunstroke-Dehydration

=Hyperthermia/Sunstroke/Dehydration= (Return to First Aid)

Hypothermia Is a condition where an organism gets so cold that their body cannot warm itself up enough. Not only does this make the victim dangerously cold but it actually causes the overstrained body to temporarily shut down the warming process. When a Body no longer heats itself up the person begins to rapidly plunge toward death. Hypothermia is the opposite of hyperthermia, the condition which causes heat exhaustion and heat stroke. (//Hypo is too cold, Hyper is too hot//.)
 * __Hypothermia__**:

__Symptoms__ Normal body temperature in humans is 37°C. Hypothermia can be divided in three stages of severity.

In __stage 1__, body temperature drops by 1-2°C below normal temperature (35-36°C). -Mild to strong shivering occurs. -The victim is unable to perform complex tasks with the hands; the hands become numb. -Blood vessels in the outer extremities constrict, lessening heat loss to the outside air. -Breathing becomes quick and shallow. -Goose bumps form, raising body hair on end in an attempt to create an insulating layer of air around the body (which is of limited use in humans due to lack of sufficient hair, but useful in other species). -Often, a person will experience a warm sensation, as if they have recovered, but they are in fact heading into Stage 2. Another test to see if the person is entering stage 2 is if they are unable to touch their thumb with their little finger; this is the first stage of muscles not working.

In __stage 2__, body temperature drops by 2-4°C. -Shivering becomes more violent. -Muscle mis-coordination becomes apparent. -Movements are slow and labored, accompanied by a stumbling pace and mild confusion, although the victim may appear alert. -Surface blood vessels contract further as the body focuses its remaining resources on keeping the vital organs warm. The victim becomes pale. Lips, ears, fingers and toes may become blue.

In __stage 3__, body temperature drops below approximately 32 °C (89.6 °F). -Shivering usually stops. -Difficulty speaking, sluggish thinking, and amnesia starts to appear; inability to use hands and stumbling is also usually present. -Cellular metabolic processes shut down. -Below 30 °C (86.0 °F), the exposed skin becomes blue and puffy, muscle coordination becomes very poor, walking becomes almost impossible, and the victim exhibits incoherent/irrational behavior including terminal burrowing or even a stupor. -Pulse and respiration rates decrease significantly but fast heart rates (ventricular tachycardia, atrial fibrillation) can occur. -Major organs fail. -Clinical death occurs. Because of decreased cellular activity in stage 3 hypothermia, the body will actually take longer to undergo brain death.

__Treatments__ Treatment for hypothermia consists of -drying, -sheltering, -and gradually warming (//making sure to not rub the patient's body, to warm with blankets and, if possible, to transfer your own body heat//).

While blankets help a person retain body heat, they are not sufficient to treat hypothermia. It is vital that you warm the core of the body first or the cold blood will be forced towards the heart and may cause death. In the field, a mildly hypothermic person can be effectively rewarmed through close body contact from a companion and by drinking warm, sweet liquids. (//When treating a person with hypothermia do not rub them warm, it damages their frozen skin. Take off any wet clothes they have on, put blankets on them and then hug them giving them your own body heat. If you have to, take off your own clothes. it will help you transfer heat. It may be akward but it saves lives//.) (//Once they wake up you can give them warm drinks which help a lot//.)

Moderate and severe cases of hypothermia require immediate evacuation and treatment in a hospital. In hospital, warming is accomplished by external techniques such as heated blankets for mild hypothermia and by more invasive techniques such as warm fluids injected in the veins or even lavage (washing) of the bladder, stomach, chest and abdominal cavities with warmed fluids for severely hypothermic patients. These patients are at high risk for arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats), and care must be taken to minimize jostling and other disturbances until they have been sufficiently warmed, as these arrhythmias are very difficult to treat while the victim is still cold. (//In severe cases you will need a hospital, if you cannot get to one than continue with the regular first aid as best you can//.)

An important tenet of treatment is that a person is not dead until they are warm and dead. Remarkable accounts of recovery after prolonged cardiac arrest have been reported in patients with hypothermia. This is presumably because the low temperature prevents some of the cellular damage that occurs when blood flow and oxygen are lost for an extended period of time. (//This means make sure that you warm up the person even if their heart stops beating. Sometimes they come back even after hours of cardiac arrest IE stopped heart//.)

__Prevention__ Appropriate clothing helps to prevent hypothermia. Wearing cotton in cool weather is a particular hypothermia risk as it retains water, and water rapidly conducts heat away from the body. Even in dry weather, cotton clothing can become damp from perspiration, and chilly after the wearer stops exercising. Synthetic and wool fabrics provide far better insulation when wet and are quicker to dry. Some synthetic fabrics are designed to wick perspiration away from the body. In air, most heat (20 to 40 percent) is lost through the head; covering the head and neck is quite important in reducing the likelihood of hypothermia.

Heat loss on land is very difficult to predict due to multiple variables such as clothing type and quantity, amount of insulating fat on the victim, environmental humidity or personal dampness such as after exertion, the circumstances surrounding the hypothermic episode, and so on. Heat is lost much faster in water, hence the need for wetsuits or drysuits in cold-weather activities such as kayaking. Water temperatures that would be quite reasonable as outdoor air temperatures can lead to hypothermia very quickly. For example, a water temperature of 10 degrees Celsius (50 F) can be expected to lead to death in approximately 1 hour, and water temperatures hovering at freezing can lead to death in as little as 15 minutes. But in water, even a temperature as high as 26 degrees Celsius (80 F) may, eventually (after many hours) lead to mild hypothermia.

Alcohol consumption prior to cold exposure may increase one's risk of becoming hypothermic. Alcohol acts as a vasodilator, increasing blood flow to the body's extremities, thereby increasing heat loss. Ironically, this may cause the victim to feel warm while he or she is rapidly losing heat to the surrounding environment.

The United States Coast Guard promotes using life vests as a method of prevention against hypothermia through the 50/50/50 rule: if someone is in 50-degree water for 50 minutes they have a 50 percent better chance of survival if they are wearing a life jacket. ([i]Wear warmer clothing than you need to, or keep a coat and around even if you don't need it, just in case[/i].)

__Benefits__ There is considerable evidence that children who suffer near-drowning accidents in water near 0°C (273 K) can be revived over an hour after losing consciousness. The cold water considerably lowers metabolism, allowing the brain to withstand a much longer period of hypoxia.

__Paradoxical undressing__ 20% to 50% of hypothermal deaths are associated with a phenomenon known as paradoxical undressing. This typically occurs during moderate to severe hypothermia as the victim becomes disoriented, confused, and combative. The hypothermic victim may begin discarding the clothing he or she has been wearing, which in turn increases the rate of temperature loss. There have been several published case studies of victims throwing off their clothes before help reached them. Rescuers who are trained in mountain survival techniques have been taught to expect this effect. However, the phenomenon still regularly leads police to assume incorrectly that urban victims of hypothermia have been subjected to a sexual assault. One explanation for the effect is a cold-induced malfunction of the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that regulates body temperature. Another explanation is that the muscles contracting peripheral blood vessels become exhausted (known as a loss of vasomoter tone) and relax, leading to a sudden surge of blood (and heat) to the extremities, fooling the victim into feeling warm. Hyperthermia, in its advanced state referred to as heat stroke or sunstroke, is an acute condition which occurs when the body produces or absorbs more heat than it can dissipate. It is usually due to excessive exposure to heat. The heat-regulating mechanisms of the body eventually become overwhelmed and unable to effectively deal with the heat, therefore the body temperature climbs uncontrollably. This is a medical emergency that requires immediate medical attention. (//This means when a body gets too hot for too long it loses control and can't cool itself down. The Body gets even more hot. This is a serious problem//.) Hyperthermia can be created artificially by drugs or medical devices. In these instances it may be used to treat cancer and other conditions. Malignant hyperthermia is a rare complication of some types of general anesthesia. The opposite of hyperthermia is hypothermia, when an organism's temperature drops below that required for normal metabolism.
 * __Hyperthermia__**
 * __Hyperthermia__**

__Difference between hyperthermia and fever__ Fever occurs when the body sets the core temperature to a higher temperature, through the action of the pre-optic region of the anterior hypothalamus. For example, in response to a bacterial or viral infection, the body will raise its temperature to allow the immune system to work better and to deteriorate the condition of the invaders. In contrast, hyperthermia occurs when the body temperature is raised without the consent of the heat control centers. (//Fever is when the body makes itself more hot on purpose. The Body is in control which is good. Hyperthermia is when the body gets so hot it loses control. This can kill a person fast//.)

__Progression__ Body temperatures above 40°C (104 °F) are life-threatening. This compares to normal human body temperature of 36-37°C (97-98°F). At 41°C (106 °F), brain death begins, and at 45°C (113°F) death is nearly certain. Internal temperatures above 50°C (122°F) will cause rigidity in the muscles and certain, immediate death. Heat stroke may come on suddenly, but usually follows a less-threatening condition commonly referred to as heat exhaustion or heat prostration. After effects may include sensitivity to heat.

__Signs and symptoms__ One of the body's most important methods of temperature regulation is perspiration. This process draws heat from inside, allowing it to be carried off by radiation or convection. Evaporation of the sweat furthers cooling, since this endothermic process draws yet more heat from the body. When the body becomes sufficiently dehydrated to prevent the production of sweat this avenue of heat reduction is closed. When the body is no longer capable of sweating core temperature begins to rise swiftly. (//The body controls heat by sweating. When it runs out of water to sweat and can't cool down any more you are in trouble. So when you stop sweating you are dehydrated and start going into Hyperthermia//.)

Victims may become confused, may become hostile, often experience headache, and may seem intoxicated. Blood pressure may drop significantly from dehydration, leading to possible fainting or dizziness, especially if the victim stands suddenly. Heart rate and respiration rate will increase (tachycardia and tachypnea) as blood pressure drops and the heart attempts to supply enough oxygen to the body. The skin will become red as blood vessels dilate in an attempt to increase heat dissipation. The decrease in blood pressure will cause blood vessels to contract as heat stroke progresses, resulting in a pale or bluish skin colour. Complaints of feeling hot may be followed by chills and trembling, as is the case in fever. Some victims, especially young children, may suffer convulsions.

Acute dehydration such as that accompanying heat stroke can produce nausea and vomiting; temporary blindness may also be observed. Eventually, as body organs begin to fail, unconsciousness and coma will result.

__First aid__ Heat stroke is a medical emergency requiring hospitalization, and the local emergency services should be notified as soon as possible. The body temperature must be lowered immediately. The victim should be moved to a cool area (indoors, or at least in the shade) and clothing removed to promote heat loss (passive cooling). Active cooling methods may be used: The person is bathed in cool water, a hyperthermia vest can be applied, however, wrapping the victim in wet towels or clothes can actually act as insulation and increase the body temperature. Cold compresses to the torso, head, neck, and groin will help cool the victim. A fan may be used to aid in evaporation of the water (evaporative method).

Immersing a victim into a bathtub of cool - but not cold - water (immersion method) is a recognized method of cooling. This method requires the effort of 4-5 persons and the victim should be monitored carefully during the treatment process. This should be avoided for an unconscious victim; if there is no alternative, the victim's head must be held above water. Be careful not to make the water too cold as Immersion in ice or very cold water is dangerous as this may cause vasoconstriction in the skin, preventing heat from escaping the body core.

Hydration is of paramount importance in cooling the victim. This is achieved by drinking water (Oral rehydration). Commercial isotonic drinks may be used as a substitute. Some authoritiesare opposed to giving any fluids, except by emergency personnel. Intravenous hydration (via a drip) is necessary if the victim is confused, unconscious, or unable to tolerate oral fluids.

Alcohol rubs will cause further dehydration and impairment of consciousness and should be avoided. The victim's condition should be reassessed and stabilized by trained medical personnel. The victim's heart rate and breathing should be monitored, and CPR may be necessary if the victim goes into cardiac arrest.

The victim should be placed into the recovery position to ensure that the person's airway remains open. (//Cool the person down with wet cloths and fanning, remove excessive clothing, do not use ice since you need cool not cold. Watch the Victim for signs of heart failure and if they are awake try to get them to drink water. Soda will not help much, it is horrible//.)

__Prevention__ The risk of heatstroke can be reduced by observing precautions to avoid overheating and dehydration. Light, loose-fitting clothing will allow perspiration to evaporate. Wide-brimmed hats in bright colour keep the sun from warming the head and neck; vents on a hat will allow perspiration to cool the head. Strenuous exercise should be avoided during daylight hours in hot weather; so should remaining in enclosed spaces (such as automobiles). People who must be outside should be aware that humidity and the presence of direct sunlight may cause the heat index to be 10 °C (18 °F) hotter than the temperature indicated by a thermometer. (__Wear cool clothing and drink water. Don't leave kids in the car since it can kill them. Don't stay in a car that does not have air conditioning__.)

In hot weather people need to drink plenty of liquids to replace fluids lost from sweating. Thirst is not a reliable sign that a person needs fluids. A better indicator is the color of urine. A dark yellow color indicates dehydration. Water, not sports drinks, is the most effective in replacing lost fluids. (//Drink water before you are even thirsty. If you are thirsty you are already dehydrated, if your lips are dry you are already dehydrated, if you stop sweating you are extremely dehydrated. Drink Water, not soda, not gatorade//.) Dehydration is when you haven't been drinking enough water. It is the first stage of Hyperthermia and it can mess you up. Drink at least eight tall glasses of water a day for optimum water levels. This will make you much healthier and keep you from getting dehydrated.
 * __Dehydration__**
 * __Dehydration__**

Drink before you are thirsty.

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