Fitness Blurbs » Temperature http://fitnessblurbs.com Improve Your Fitness Level with Blurbs of Moving Information Mon, 06 Sep 2010 19:33:22 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Life Threatening Signs of Heat Stroke and Symptoms for Medical Emergency http://fitnessblurbs.com/life-threatening-signs-of-heat-stroke-and-symptoms-for-medical-emergency/ http://fitnessblurbs.com/life-threatening-signs-of-heat-stroke-and-symptoms-for-medical-emergency/#comments Sun, 02 Mar 2008 19:08:44 +0000 Healthy Lifestyle Geek http://fitnessblurbs.com/life-threatening-signs-of-heat-stroke-and-symptoms-for-medical-emergency/ The most serious and life-threatening heat illness is heat stroke. Exercising in hot and humid conditions can cause you body to become overheated resulting in its inability to control its own temperature. This lost control occurs when your body temperature rapidly increases and sweating mechanism fails, giving rise to its inability to cool itself down.

If your body (or any body) temperature rises to 106°F, or more, in the short span of about 10 to 15 minutes, this stroke of heat can cause death or permanent disability without emergency medical treatment.

Warning signs for a heat stroke do vary, but some of the following are more common:

  • nausea
  • dizziness
  • confusion
  • unconsciousness
  • rapid, strong pulse
  • throbbing headache
  • red, hot, dry skin (no sweating)
  • extremely high body temperature (above 103°F)

If you experience these signs, or witness them in somebody else, you are dealing with a life-threatening medical emergency situation. Get medical assistance as soon as possible, and in the meantime, begin cooling the overheated body down by any means possible.

Some examples of body cooling actions that are often possible in various situations:

  • remove clothing
  • no alcohol to drink
  • fan or blow air across the skin
  • getheat stroked body into the shade
  • continue cooling efforts until the body temperature drops to 101-102°F
  • use whatever means available to cool body ~ shower, tub of cool water, cool water spray, cool water sponging

Needs repeating, any body who is confused with red hot dry skin, a rapid pulse and positioned in a hot environment, may be experiencing a heat stroke.  And this body is in desperate need of immediate medical attention.

Whenever it is hot and humid take it a bit easier during your fitness regime.

]]> http://fitnessblurbs.com/life-threatening-signs-of-heat-stroke-and-symptoms-for-medical-emergency/feed/ 0 Heavy Sweating, Paleness and Feeling Faint Signs of Heat Exhaustion and Its Cool, Moist Skin http://fitnessblurbs.com/heavy-sweating-paleness-and-feeling-faint-signs-of-heat-exhaustion-and-its-cool-moist-skin/ http://fitnessblurbs.com/heavy-sweating-paleness-and-feeling-faint-signs-of-heat-exhaustion-and-its-cool-moist-skin/#comments Sun, 02 Mar 2008 16:30:25 +0000 Healthy Lifestyle Geek http://fitnessblurbs.com/heavy-sweating-paleness-and-feeling-faint-signs-of-heat-exhaustion-and-its-cool-moist-skin/ Heat exhaustion is a heat illness, usually developing after exposure to high temperatures coupled with an inadequate or unbalanced replacement of fluids.

Higher incidences of heat exhaustion are found in the elderly, high blood pressure sufferers, and those individuals working or exercising in hot, humid environments.

Heat exhaustion’s warning signs are:

When experiencing heat exhaustion, your skin may be cool and moist, pulse rate fast and weak, and breathing rate fast and shallow.

If you do not take the necessary steps to overcome your heat exhaustion, it can progress into heat stroke. Some steps you can take to assist your body in cooling:

  • drink cool fluids
  • take a cool shower/ bath
  • pat your body down with a damp clothe
  • move into an air-conditioned environment
  • take off your clothes, replace with lighter weight ones

Seek medical attention should your heat exhaustion symptoms get worse or drag on for more than one hour.

]]> http://fitnessblurbs.com/heavy-sweating-paleness-and-feeling-faint-signs-of-heat-exhaustion-and-its-cool-moist-skin/feed/ 0 Overview of Extreme Heat Illness Heatstroke, Exhaustion, Cramps and Rash http://fitnessblurbs.com/overview-of-extreme-heat-illness-heatstroke-exaustion-cramps-and-rash/ http://fitnessblurbs.com/overview-of-extreme-heat-illness-heatstroke-exaustion-cramps-and-rash/#comments Sun, 02 Mar 2008 15:49:38 +0000 Healthy Lifestyle Geek http://fitnessblurbs.com/overview-of-extreme-heat-illness-heatstroke-exaustion-cramps-and-rash/ Sweating is your body’s way for cooling itself. During extremely hot weather coupled with high humidity, sweating may not be enough to cool your body. In this condition, its temperature could rapidly rise to dangerously high levels that results in you experiencing a heat illness, aka hyperthermia.

When the air is humid (air with high water content), your body’s natural sweat evaporation cooling system markedly decreases. This decrease causes a corresponding reduction in your ability to release your body systems natural production of heat. And a very high body temperature can damage your brain or other vital organs.

Most heat illnesses occur from exercising or staying in a hot, humid environment for too long. Heat-related illnesses include:

  • Heat exhaustion is an illness that precedes heatstroke
  • Heat rash is a result of skin irritation from excessive sweating
  • Heat cramps are your muscles pains or spasms that occur during heavy exercise
  • Heat stroke is a life-threatening illness in which body temperature may rise above 106° F in minutes

Some common sense approaches to help prevent heat illness’ rapid rise in body temperature are:

Other conditions that can limit your body’s ability to regulate temperature include:

The risk for heat-related illness may increase with the use of the following drugs:

  • psychotropics ~ haloperidol, chlorpromazine
  • diuretics (water pills) ~ affect fluid balance in the body
  • Parkinson’s disease medications ~ can inhibit perspiration
  • tranquilizers such as phenothiazines, butyrophenones, thiozanthenes

And promote a fit cool body by wearing temperature appropriate clothing.

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