When the heat exhaustion is left untreated and the person’s body temperature continues to rise, then the condition is termed as heat stroke or sunstroke. Heart stroke is a severe emergency which can cause coma, brain damage and even death of a person.

Some of the signs and symptoms of heat stroke are hot, flushed and dry skin, coma or confusion, deep rapid breathing, seizures.

To treat heat stroke, avoid too much travel under sun’s direct heat. If a person has got affected with heat stroke, call 911 immediately. Assure that the patient has an airway and is breathing. Move the patient to the cooler environment immediately. The cooler the better! Take out the clothes of patient to encourage heat loss. Put ice on the armpits, neck area and groin. You can also cover the patient with sheet soaked with water to cool the victim’s body. Do not give patient anything to drink.

Prevention of heat stroke starts with prevention of heat exhaustion. For this, start acclimating to the hot conditions slowly, stay well-hydrated and avoid performing exercises during peak hours of the day. Hydrate body well before and after completing your exercising schedule to replace the lost electrolytes such as magnesium, sodium and potassium with healthy food and drinks. Drink lots of water otherwise it can dry out your skin in a big way.

Go for loose and light clothes to prevent heat stroke. Go for clothes made from wicking fabrics like polypropylene, smartwool. These fabrics allow you to breathe in and out easily and avoid the occurrence of heat stroke.  For preventing sunburn, apply a good quality sunscreen having SPF 30 to keep skin cool and ailment free during hot weathers of summers.

If you notice any sign of heat illness, stop performing any activity and seek a cool shaded place.

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