Heat, cold and sugar
Heat stroke
Also called heat stroke, loo lagna, sunstroke, heat exhaustion, garmi lagna
Call 112 or 108 first, then start. Put the phone on speaker so the operator can talk you through every step while your hands stay free.
What you are dealing with
In heat stroke the body can no longer cool itself. The person becomes confused, stops sweating, and the skin feels very hot. Cooling is the treatment and it cannot wait.
Do this, in this order
- Move them into shade or an air conditioned room and call 112 or 108.
- Remove outer clothing and lay them down with their legs slightly raised.
- Cool them aggressively. Pour or spray cool water over the skin and fan them hard at the same time.
- Put cold wet cloths or ice packs at the neck, the armpits and the groin, where large blood vessels run close to the surface.
- If they are fully awake and can swallow safely, give small frequent sips of water or a rehydration drink.
- Keep cooling until help arrives or until they are alert and their skin feels normal again.
Never do this
- Do not give anything by mouth to someone who is confused, drowsy or vomiting.
- Do not use alcohol rubs, and do not immerse an unconscious person in water.
- Do not give paracetamol or aspirin. They do not lower temperature caused by heat, and they can do harm.
- Do not send them back to work or into the sun once they feel better.
Call an ambulance if
- Confusion, slurred speech, unusual behaviour, a fit or unconsciousness
- Skin that is hot and dry, with sweating that has stopped
- Vomiting that prevents them drinking
- Anyone elderly, pregnant, very young, or with heart or kidney disease
After the emergency
Get it looked at properly
First aid buys time, it does not finish the job. Most of these situations need a doctor to check what happened, prevent infection, and decide whether anything more is needed.
