Human beings need to maintain their internal body temperature at around 98.6°F. Sometimes, the body struggles to regulate and cool itself down, resulting in an inability to shed excess heat effectively. This can lead to a loss of balance in body temperature and an increase in heat, which can cause heat-related illnesses or injuries. Heat illnesses can include conditions such as heat rash, heat cramps, heat syncope (fainting), heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. Heat stroke and heat exhaustion are two different types of heat-related illnesses.
The key difference between heat stroke and heat exhaustion is their severity. Heat stroke is a serious form of heat illness that progresses from milder heat-related illnesses such as heat cramps and heat exhaustion, while heat exhaustion is a milder form of heat illness that happens when the body overheats and cannot cool down.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Heat Stroke
3. What is Heat Exhaustion
4. Similarities – Heat Stroke and Heat Exhaustion
5. Heat Stroke vs Heat Exhaustion in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Heat Stroke vs Heat Exhaustion
7. FAQ – Heat Stroke and Heat Exhaustion
What is Heat Stroke?
Heat stroke is a serious form of heat injury and a medical emergency. It mainly affects people over age 50 and healthy young athletes. Normally, it happens as a progression from milder heat-related illnesses such as heat cramps, heat syncope, and heat exhaustion. The typical symptoms of heat stroke may include high temperature, fainting, throbbing, headache, lack of sweating despite heat, red, hot, and dry skin, muscle weakness or cramps, nausea, vomiting, rapid heartbeat, rapid shallow breathing, behavioural changes, seizures, and confusion.
Heat strokes can be diagnosed through medical history, physical examination, and urinalysis. Furthermore, treatment options for heat stroke may include using cooling strategies, rehydration and replacing electrolytes through an intravenous fluid, using sunscreen, avoiding fluids containing caffeine or alcohol, breathing aids, and managing heart-related complications.
What is Heat Exhaustion?
Heat exhaustion is usually triggered when the body overheats and cannot cool down itself. It is mainly caused by physical activity in hot weather. People over 65 years, children less than 4 years, and athletes are commonly affected by heat exhaustion. The symptoms of heat exhaustion may include dizziness, fever, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, rapid or shallow breathing, severe or excessive sweating, cold, swollen ankles or swelling in the feet and hands, weak, fast heartbeats, and low blood pressure when standing up.
Heat exhaustion can be diagnosed through physical examinations, blood tests, and urine tests. Furthermore, heat exhaustion is treated through cooling down, taking small sips of water or sports drinks with electrolytes, resting, and seeking the help of a health care provider if symptoms worsen.
Similarities Between Heat Stroke and Heat Exhaustion
- Heat stroke and heat exhaustion are two different types of heat illnesses or injuries.
- Both may have similar symptoms, such as high temperature, fainting, weakness, shallow breathing, etc.
- Both can be diagnosed through physical examination and urine tests.
- They can be treated through rehydration and resting.
Difference Between Heat Stroke and Heat Exhaustion
Definition
- Heat stroke is a serious form of heat injury.
- Heat exhaustion is a milder form of heat injury.
Who are Affected
- Heat stroke affects people over age 50 and healthy young athletes.
- Heat exhaustion affects people over 65 years, children less than 4 years, and athletes.
Causes
- Heat stroke is caused by the progression of mild heat illnesses such as heat cramps, heat syncope, and heat exhaustion.
- Heat exhaustion can be caused by physical activities in excessive heat.
Symptoms
- Heat stroke symptoms include high temperature in the body (more than 104°C), syncope, headache, lack of sweating despite excessive heat, redness in the skin, dry skin, cramps, nausea, vomiting, rapid heartbeat rate, shallow breathing, behavioral changes, and seizure.
- Heat exhaustion symptoms include dizziness or lightheadedness, fever, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, rapid, shallow breathing, rapid heart rate, excessive sweating and cold, swelling in the body parts such as feet and hands, weakness, and low blood pressure when standing.
Treatment
- Treatments for heat stroke include cooling the body (using air conditioners, ceiling fans, etc.), rehydration, replacing electrolytes, using sunscreen, avoiding certain foods, taking antipyretics medications, breathing aids, and admission to hospitals when symptoms have not improved.
- Treatments for heat exhaustion include cooling the body using different strategies, rehydration, and seeking the help of a health care provider if symptoms worsen.
The following table summarizes the difference between heat stroke and heat exhaustion.
Summary – Heat Stroke vs Heat Exhaustion
Heat stroke and heat exhaustion are two different types of heat illnesses. Heat stroke is a serious form of heat illness resulting from the progress of milder heat-related illnesses such as heat cramps, heat syncope, and heat exhaustion. Heat exhaustion is a milder form of heat illness that occurs when the body overheats and is unable to cool itself down. This is the key difference between heat stroke and heat exhaustion.
FAQ: Heat Stroke and Heat Exhaustion
1. What are the stages of heat exhaustion?
- Heat emergencies have three stages: heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke. People who live in hot climates or play sports in the summertime normally get the symptoms of a heat emergency.
2. What are the symptoms of a heat stroke?
- The typical symptoms of a heat stroke include throbbing headache, behavioural changes like confusion, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, body temperature above 104°C, hot, red, dry or damp skin, rapid heart rate, shallow breathing, and loss of consciousness.
3. How do you treat heat stroke?
- To treat heat stroke, immerse in cold water, use evaporation cooling techniques, pack with ice and cooling blankets, rehydrate with electrolytes, use medications such as antipyretics to stop shivering, and give breathing aid.
4. What does heat exhaustion feel like?
- The typical symptoms of heat exhaustion include headache, feeling sick, excessive sweating, skin becoming pale and clammy, getting a heat rash, muscle weakness, and cramps in the arms, legs, and stomach.
5. How to treat heat exhaustion?
- Treatment for heat exhaustion include sipping water in small amounts, sitting or lying down in a shaded or air-conditioned area, taking off tight clothes and wearing light clothes, cooling off by taking a cool shower or placing wet towels around the body, rehydration with electrolytes and taking help from a healthcare provider when symptoms worsen.
Reference:
1. “Heatstroke.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.
2. “Heat Exhaustion: Symptoms & Treatment.” Cleveland Clinic.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Heat Stroke” (CC0) via Picpedia.
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