Helping the patient with a solar, thermal shock

A sunstroke occurs when the sun is exposed to the head or naked body for a long time. In this case, there is an expansion of the cerebral blood vessels, as a result of which the blood rushes to the head. As a result of the onset of hyperemia, inflammation of the meninges can develop( up to the inflammation of the brain itself).

Heat stroke is a painful condition that results from overheating of the body with reduced or delayed heat release at elevated or even normal heat formation, leading to more or less severe damage to the central nervous system.

In severe cases, a thermal or solar shock may result in death as a result of cerebral edema.

The factors that contribute to the development of heat shock include: high ambient temperature, high air humidity, lack of air movement, dense clothing, preventing evaporation of the skin, increased physical work in leather clothing or clothing made from artificial fabrics, overwork, restrictions on fluid intake. Predisposing factors contributing to the occurrence of heat stroke are obesity, weakened by the diseases of the body, as well as the lack of habit of staying in certain conditions, age( children, elderly people), cardiovascular diseases and other concomitant diseases.

Since heat and sun impacts are caused by overheating of the body and lead to various degrees of severity of damage to the central nervous system, the clinical picture of both is similar, and emergency treatment in both cases occurs according to the same rules.

The first signs of overheating are fatigue, lethargy, weakness, general weakness, drowsiness, yawning, nausea, less often vomiting. The face of the victim blushes, he complains of noise in the ears, darkening in the eyes, headache, dizziness.

If the thermal effect on the body continues, the patient develops severe symptoms from the cardiovascular, respiratory and central nervous systems: body temperature rises to 39-40 ° ;

pupils dilate, the pulse rate sharply increases to 140-160 beats per minute, while it is hardly probed;

breathing also sharply increases and can be up to 70 beats per minute, sometimes taking a wrong character( Cheyne-Stokes breathing).

The patient becomes pale, the skin with a cyanotic shade, cool to the touch and covered with a cold sweat;the patient is vomiting;he loses consciousness. Often in such cases, epileptic type convulsions may occur. Often before the appearance of a coma, the patient becomes very talkative, raves, hallucinations are observed.

In the case of continuing overheating and in the absence of medical care, the patient's body functions are increasing and he may die in the next few hours at a very high temperature from stopping breathing and paralysis of the heart. In the central nervous system, focal inflammatory processes develop. In severe sunlight, encephalitis or meningitis may develop.

As already noted above, with a solar and thermal shock, emergency care is provided according to the same scheme and is reduced to the following actions.

1. The victim must be transferred to a cool place, in the shade;release from clothing;to lay with a raised head. If the victim has reddening of the skin of the face and pallor of the skin of the body, then it should be laid so that the head is slightly lowered down. At the same time, fast and abrupt cooling should be avoided.

2. Immediately after this, proceed to measures to combat overheating. To this end, do not too cold douches of the head with subsequent compresses on the heart, head, large vessels, located on the neck and in the groin. If the victim's consciousness is preserved, he is shown a copious drink, otherwise enemas are made, and the depleted patient is injected subcutaneously with a saline solution 2 times a day. In very severe cases, bloodletting or lumbar puncture is performed.

3. If the patient suffers from a breathing disorder, oxygen is given through a mask or artificial respiration.

4. With the decline of cardiac activity, injections of camphor, caffeine, and ephedrine are prescribed. When the heart is stopped, intracardiac adrenaline and cardiac massage are shown. Then the patient is provided with complete peace and constant observation of the state of the heart and respiration.

5. Detoxication therapy is prescribed.

Patients who suffered a heat or sunstroke, which were accompanied by a disturbance of vital body functions, urgently needed hospitalization in the intensive care unit. Recovering the patient comes slowly, with the possible deterioration of the condition.

In order to prevent the development of heat or sunstroke, the following precautions should be observed:

• avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight during the warm season;

• in sunny weather, wear a hat, clothes that match the weather;

• Have enough drinking water;

• observe the precautionary measures while relaxing on the beach during the hot season. In particular, the heat should not be immediately exposed, but undressed gradually;alternate stay in the sun with rest in the shade. Northerners, holidaymakers in seaside resorts, sunbathe better in the morning and start with sunbathing in a thin shade and even on cloudy days. The residents of the northern regions and the middle zone should take sun baths from 11.00 to 13.00.Persons suffering from cardiovascular diseases and at the age of 55-65 years are advised to stay in the sun, under direct sunlight not more than 20-30 minutes per day, the older

is not recommended to be exposed to direct sunlight in general and to take air baths in a roastthe time of the year until 11.00 am and after 16-17 hours;it is not recommended to take sun baths on an empty stomach, immediately before meals or after eating;Sunbathing is best finished with showering or bathing, resting in the shade;

• during work, long marches and hikes must arrange a rest in a shady place, during the rest it is desirable to swim or pour water;clothes should be light and made of natural fabrics that let in air;

• For those working in hot and hot rooms, it is necessary to arrange ventilation, provide workers with drinking water, and also a liquid that ensures the maintenance of water-salt balance in the body( such as weak tea, kvass, salted tomato juice, etc.) and water retention in the body, in sufficient quantity;arrange shower rooms;

• for those who live and work in hot climatic conditions, it is necessary to organize a working day so that the main working time and lunch are at a cooler time of the day;

• avoid drinking alcohol during the hot time of the day, as it disrupts the thermoregulatory system of the body, which can lead to a thermal shock.