How to Rehydrate After Heat Stroke
Dehydration is the primary condition of a person with heat stroke. The body becomes overheated due to very high temperatures and after exposure to the hot sun. When the body becomes severely overheated it cannot replenish the fluids as fast as it's expending them.
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Instructions
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Rehydrate a Heat Stroke Victim
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Seek medical attention. If a person has a high fever (over 103 degrees F), heart palpitations, is very weak and has no signs of sweating or faints, take them to the emergency room.
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Provide fluids. As soon as you suspect dehydration, have the victim drink something. Even after a person has vomited, try and get him to consume water or an electrolyte-heavy drink such as sports drinks.
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Have the patient sip small amounts of the drink at first. Placing an ice cube or ice chip in the patient's mouth is also helpful. An ice pop is also acceptable if no ice is on-hand.
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Concoct your own solution to rehydrate a person with heat stroke. Find a simple drink recipe to help the body soak up salt and water at MedicineNet (see Resources below).
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Cool down a person suffering from dehydration. This will help while you continue to rehydrate her. Remove any layered clothing and loosen tight-fitting garments.
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Soak a towel in cool water and place around the victim's neck. Try and bring him to an air conditioned room if at all possible. After in a cool place for a few hours, continue administering water in small amounts.
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Be careful not to make a person's skin too cold. This will restrict the blood vessels in the skin and trap heat in the body. Also, too much cold could cause a victim to shiver, actually increasing the body temperature.
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Spray the skin. Use a spray bottle or other device to mist the person with lukewarm water. This will help cool down a victim of heat stroke and provide evaporation of fluids into the skin.
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Tips & Warnings
Be sure and pack a sports drink the next time you are physically active in hot weather. A beverage high in minerals can effectively rehydrate bodily fluids.
In a severe case of dehydration, a visit to the hospital for intravenous fluids might be necessary. But if detected early, minimal rehydration may be all that is needed.
Do not give a person suffering from heat stroke soda since it has caffeine and can cause additional dehydration.
