Overheating, hypothermia and frostbite. Heatstroke First aid for overheating of the body

Overheating of the body leads to a violation of water-salt metabolism, a disorder of the functions of vital organs. Overheating can be caused by prolonged exposure to the sun (sun, heat stroke). In this case, the central nervous system is affected.

Overheating, the first emergency pre-medical and medical care for overheating.

Sunstroke.

People exposed to sunstroke are those who work in the field without a hat, who abuse sunbathing on the beach, and who make long walks in hot climates. Sunstroke can manifest itself both during exposure to the sun and several hours (6-8) after that.

Heatstroke.

The cause of overheating is often the effect of external artificial heat sources. Overheating develops with prolonged stay in hot and humid rooms, with heavy physical exertion in stuffy rooms with poor ventilation. The risk of developing heat stroke increases if the victim is warmly dressed, overtired and does not comply with the drinking regimen.

In young children, heat stroke can develop when excessively wrapped in warm diapers and blankets, when in a stuffy room, and if the crib is near a stove or any heating device. With a strong overheating of the body, disturbances in water-salt metabolism, the work of the cardiovascular system occur, edema develops and small hemorrhages appear in the brain.

overheating symptoms.

General malaise, feeling of weakness, headache, feeling of dizziness and tinnitus are revealed. There may be nausea and vomiting. During an external examination of the patient, redness of the face and head, rapid pulse and respiration, increased sweating, body temperature rises, and sometimes blood comes out. With more severe overheating, a severe headache occurs, blood pressure drops, body temperature can reach 40-41 degrees and above, the patient ceases to navigate in space, and then is able to lose consciousness.

First, there is an increase in breathing, then it slows down, irregularities appear in the movements of the chest. The pulse in severe condition slows down. Pulmonary edema, convulsions may develop, while the patient falls into a coma. In rare cases, there are agitation and hallucinations. For young children, a rapid increase in dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract in the form of vomiting and diarrhea is characteristic, body temperature rises very quickly. The child's face sharpens, there is a rapid deterioration in the general condition, consciousness is disturbed, convulsions and coma develop.

First aid for overheating.

More often it is quite enough to transfer the victim from under the sun to the shade, take off his clothes, give cool water to drink. It is recommended to apply a cold compress or ice pack to the head, axillary and inguinal regions of the body, wrap the body with a sheet moistened with cold water. If the victim is indoors, it is required to provide him with fresh air and, if possible, give oxygen. In more severe cases, in addition to these measures, the health worker additionally injects physiological saline (0.9% sodium chloride solution), reopoliglyukin intravenously.

When blood pressure drops and respiratory disorders appear, 1 ml of a 10% caffeine solution or 1–2 ml of cordiamine is injected subcutaneously. If necessary, start artificial respiration. If pulmonary edema develops, cardiac agents (solutions of strophanthin or corglicon in glucose solution), diuretics (furosemide) are administered intravenously. Cordiamin is administered intramuscularly. In severe cases, the patient must be taken to the intensive care unit of the hospital. If violations of the functions of vital organs are mild, then he is hospitalized in the therapeutic department.

Based on the book "Quick help in emergency situations."
Kashin S.P.

Prolonged exposure to high temperature, especially in combination with high humidity, can lead to a significant accumulation of heat in the body and the development overheating of the body above the permissible level - hyperthermia - a state in which the body temperature rises to 38-39 ° C. With hyperthermia and as a result of heat stroke, headache, dizziness, general weakness, color perception distortion, dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, and profuse sweating are observed. The pulse and respiration are quickened, the content of nitrogen and lactic acid in the blood increases. At the same time, pallor, cyanosis are observed, the pupils are dilated, at times convulsions, loss of consciousness occur.

If signs of overheating appear, it is necessary to move to a cool, well-ventilated room (place), shade. Then you should wipe yourself with water at room temperature and drink water or chilled tea. In case of fainting, it is necessary first of all to free the victim from tight clothing, lay him down with his head slightly raised and ensure free breathing, spray his face and chest with cold water, put a cold compress on the back of the head and on the heart area. To excite the breath, it is good to give a sniff of ammonia. According to indications, artificial respiration, indirect heart massage and hospitalization can be performed.

Reduced temperature, high mobility and humidity of the air can cause cooling and even hypothermia- hypothermia. AT the initial period of exposure to moderate cold, there is a decrease in the frequency of breathing, an increase in the volume of inhalation. With prolonged exposure to cold, breathing becomes irregular, the frequency of inhalation increases, and carbohydrate metabolism changes. The increase in metabolic processes with a decrease in temperature by 1 °C is about 10%, and with intensive cooling it can increase by 3 times compared with the level of basal metabolism. The appearance of muscle tremors, in which external work is not performed, and all energy is converted into heat, can delay the decrease in the temperature of internal organs for some time. The result of the action of low temperatures are cold injuries. Therefore, when signs of hypothermia appear (chills, muscle tremors, cyanosis of the skin, stiffness of the muscles), it is necessary to do intense physical exercises. It is advisable to rub the body to redness with a woolen cloth moistened with alcohol or vodka, drink sweet hot tea and put on warm clothes. With more severe hypothermia, a shower or bath is necessary with a gradual increase in temperature from room temperature to +37 ° C. During the provision of assistance, it is necessary, first of all, to pay attention to the warming of the region of the heart, liver, as well as the head, especially the back of the head, and neck.

Rice. 168.

1 - II and III degrees and fingers of the IV degree; 2 - the first toe of the III degree; 3 -IV degree;
4 - IV degree (stage of dry gangrene and rejection of dead tissues)

frostbite- local effect of cold on the body.

If exposure to cold is accompanied by a decrease in overall body temperature, freezing of the body may occur.

With frostbite in the affected area of the body, mild soreness, tingling and burning are observed. Then these sensations disappear, and a feeling of numbness appears. The skin turns pale or becomes bluish in color. Depending on the depth of tissue damage, there are four degrees of frostbite (Fig. 168): mild (I), moderate (II), severe (III) and extremely severe (IV).

At the initial signs of frostbite, you should rub the frostbitten areas of the body well with your hand or a soft cloth, while making active movements with your fingers, hand, and foot. If possible, frostbitten parts of the limbs should be placed in a warm

water at room temperature (+18-20 °C) and gradually heat it up to +37 °C, adding hot water, and at the same time rubbing the limb very carefully. Normal skin color is a sign that blood circulation has resumed in the frostbitten area. After warming, wipe the skin with alcohol and apply a sterile bandage.

In cases where the victim has changes in the tissues (blisters on the skin, areas of necrosis), the damaged areas are wiped with alcohol and a sterile bandage is applied to them. It is not recommended for frostbite of any degree to rub the damaged areas of the skin with snow.

General freezing accompanied by a significant decrease in body temperature. Lethargy appears, speech and movements slow down. In this state, a person, as a rule, falls asleep and loses consciousness. Due to the continued decrease in body temperature, respiration and cardiac activity first weaken, and then stop. To save the victim, you should immediately take him to a warm room and take measures to warm him up by gently massaging the body. Give sweet hot drink. If possible, a warm bath with a water temperature of 36-37 ° C is useful. Do not give alcohol to drink - it can be detrimental to the victim. In case of loss of consciousness, rare breathing, absence of a pulse, resuscitation measures are necessary.

1. What are the signs of overheating? What should be done if signs of overheating appear?
2. How is first aid provided for fainting?
3. What are the signs of hypothermia? What should be done in case of hypothermia?
4. What are the signs of frostbite? How are frostbite graded according to severity?
5. How to prevent frostbite?
6. What is the first aid for frostbite?
7. What characterizes general freezing, and what should be done to save the victim in this case?

Extremely high ambient temperature, flames, hot water and other liquids, burning or heated resins (napalm, bitumen) and resinous substances, hot bodies have a damaging effect. They will be discussed in detail in a separate article.

The general thermal effect on the body is determined by the height of the ambient temperature and the time the victim stays in it.

Prolonged exposure to high ambient temperature on the body as a whole leads to general overheating of the body (heat stroke). In unadapted people, heat strokes can develop at temperatures above 45-47 ° C after 4-6 hours.

Causes of the disease

Normal life activity is possible under the condition of maintaining a constant body temperature due to the balance between heat generation and heat transfer. At high ambient temperatures, the constancy of body temperature is maintained mainly due to the function of the skin, through which heat is transferred by radiation, conduction of heat and evaporation of sweat. When the temperature of the surrounding air is equal to body temperature, heat is lost only through sweating. Therefore, overheating most often occurs at high humidity and high air temperature. Such conditions also arise when working in tight, poorly ventilated clothing, etc.

A number of other factors also contribute to overheating: high physical activity, insufficient water intake, overeating, liquefaction, infections.

Mechanisms of occurrence and development of the disease (pathogenesis)

As the air temperature rises, perspiration and evaporation increase. At temperatures above 35 ° C, a person loses an average of about 5 liters of sweat per day, which corresponds to the return of almost 3000 kcal of heat. Overheating of the body is facilitated by any conditions that impede these processes: high humidity, calm, tight clothing, etc. Staying in an environment with a high temperature leads to an acceleration of metabolic processes in the body, which, if heat transfer is difficult, contributes to the progressive development of general overheating.

An increase in body temperature to 42 ° C and above is considered critical. Death occurs from paralysis of the respiratory center. The rate of development of general overheating largely depends on the individual characteristics of the organism. Ceteris paribus, persons suffering from diseases of the cardiovascular system, vegetative-vascular dystonia, and other metabolic disorders, increased function of the thyroid and thymus glands are more easily exposed to overheating. The absence or low degree of adaptation to a hot climate, hard physical work in these conditions also contribute to the rapid development of general overheating. The most dangerous stay at high air temperature is for children under the age of one year due to the fact that their thermoregulation mechanisms are not yet sufficiently perfect.

Excess heat accumulating in the body during overheating leads to disruption of all metabolic processes (first of all, protein and water-salt metabolism are disturbed). There is a loss of water, salts by the body, protein denaturation occurs. With a significant water deficit, blood thickens, hypoxia increases, and hemodynamics worsens. The CNS is most sensitive to overheating, therefore, the symptoms of its defeat predominate in the clinical picture of overheating.

Morphological changes in general overheating are nonspecific and are reduced to plethora of internal organs, mildly expressed blood clots, perivascular hemorrhages, pulmonary and cerebral edema.

A local increase in tissue temperature to more than 50 °C leads to cell death and the development of coagulation (dry) necrosis. Tissue damage from local action of high temperature is called a burn.

Clinical picture of the disease (symptoms and syndromes)

Depending on the severity of the lesion, overheating is classified as mild, moderate and severe.

With mild overheating, patients complain of general weakness, malaise, thirst, tinnitus, dry mouth, and a moderate increase in body temperature can be observed. Consciousness is clear, the skin is moist, tachycardia, blood pressure is normal. When the impact of the damaging factor ceases, the patient's condition quickly returns to normal.

Moderate overheating is accompanied by a significant increase in body temperature - up to 39-40 ° C. Patients complain of general weakness, dry mouth, thirst, darkening of the eyes, tinnitus, nausea, and often vomiting. Consciousness is clouded, sometimes lost. The skin is moist, muscle tone is lowered, deafness of heart sounds, tachycardia, blood pressure is normal. In the blood, leukocytosis, the number of leukocytes reaches 12-16-109/l.

Severe overheating (heat stroke, heat coma) occurs suddenly or is preceded by various kinds of mental disorders in the form of hallucinations, delusions of persecution, psychomotor agitation. The body temperature is 40-42 o C, the skin and mucous membranes are dry, the pupils are dilated, their reaction to light is sluggish or absent, tachycardia (140-160 heart beats per minute or more), blood pressure is lowered. Breathing like Cheyne-Stokes or superficial, frequent; sometimes pulmonary edema develops. Often there are convulsive twitching of the muscles, as well as clonic and tonic convulsions, involuntary defecation, urination. There may be symptoms of irritation of the meninges (Kernig, Brudzinsky). BCC due to blood clotting is significantly reduced, tissue dehydration is pronounced. The content of leukocytes in the blood increases to 20x109/l.

Sometimes the clinical picture of a heat coma is similar to the clinic of sunstroke, although with sunstroke, as a result of exposure to sunlight directly on the skull, the brain overheats, hyperemia and.

With relatively mild forms of sunstroke, patients complain of general weakness, weakness,, noise in ears , . Expressed hyperemia, puffiness of the face, moist skin, clear consciousness, tachycardia, rapid breathing, normal or slightly elevated body temperature, with more severe forms, symptoms of CNS damage increase.

It is customary to distinguish between burns: I degree - erythema (redness) of the skin; II - serous inflammation with the formation of blisters; III a - coagulation necrosis of the superficial layers of the skin with a partial lesion of the germ layer; III b - skin necrosis to the full depth with the death of the sebaceous and sweat glands; IV - necrosis of the skin and deeper tissues, including bones.

Death in both cases occurs from dysfunction of the vital centers, the central nervous system.

So, you are interested in what is heat stroke, where does it come from, why is it dangerous for health, what does it look like in a real life situation, and, most importantly, how to deal with it?

Before sorting out all these questions, let's plunge into science a little and remember:

First: Heatstroke and sunstroke are the same thing.

Second: The normal body temperature of a healthy person ranges from 36.2°C to 37.0°C. This normal body temperature depends on the balance of heat production and its consumption. Heat is generated in the body due to muscle work and metabolic processes in the cells of the body. Muscular work should also include activities that are familiar to us, i.e. breathing, walking, etc. The brain regulates all these processes in our body. It is part of the central nervous system.

Now you can proceed to the analysis of your questions.

So what is heat stroke?

Heat stroke is a uniform increase in body temperature under the influence of the external environment. Please note that in this case we are not talking about a cold, brain diseases or poisoning.

Where does this heatstroke come from?

In addition to the influence of the external environment, which we will discuss below, we must pay special attention to our habits.

An irrepressible thirst to enjoy life often leads us to unexpected problems. Many of us do not know the sense of proportion! The authors of this site, of course, also went through a lot on themselves. Remember with what motto we go sunbathing? That's right - until we peel off !!! When do we go to the hated garden? That's right - when the sun is at its zenith! When do we especially want to watch a sunset in Africa? Of course, when we have winter! Why do we need their sunset, if we have summer?

In a word - if you do something, then in full and even more!

Let's build the received information about the causes of overheating in a clear scheme.

So, the causes of overheating can be:

Direct exposure to sunlight.
Prolonged stay in a room with high air temperature (bath).
Physical work at high external temperature.
A sharp change in the usual climate to hot and humid.
Drinking alcoholic beverages in conditions of high ambient temperature.

Why is it getting so bad, is it dangerous?

It becomes bad because we, as a rule, want everything at once. As they say in the famous song of all times and peoples "... Iwantitall, Iwantitnow ...".

We want, for example, to get a tan, we come to the beach and begin to compare our pale self with sweaty red-brown bodies around. Comparison, of course, is not in your favor. Your next step is to make a firm decision to become the same as all "normal people". Next is a typical scenario - we are looking for the most “profitable” place on the beach and forget about time. Pass unnoticed measured by science, a few minutes, designed to receive the first portion of ultraviolet. This, of course, is not enough for us! Everything would be fine if we didn’t continue to overheat ...

In the initial stage of overheating, the body struggles with the excess heat kindly offered to it. The vessels of the skin expand, there is an increase in sweating, an increase in heart rate and respiration. All these measures are taken by the body as compensatory. Each person individually, depending on his age and health, can get rid of excess heat for a different time. Of no small importance, of course, is the time spent in adverse conditions. If you finish self-torture in time, then there will be no great harm to health!

If you continue to "get pleasure" from life, then compensatory processes begin to degenerate into pathological ones. As the people say, "Steep hills rolled Sivka." Prolonged vasodilation of the skin leads to a drop in blood pressure. Abundant sweating leads to fluid loss, and most importantly, to the loss of trace elements necessary for the normal functioning of cells. The brain begins to suffer from lack of oxygen. In combination, all this leads to an exacerbation of chronic diseases and to the emergence of unforeseen situations: prolonged loss of consciousness, convulsions, heart attack. But this is no longer a joke, especially for people with problems of the heart, blood vessels and nervous system.

What does heat stroke look like in real life?

The picture of overheating looks different, depending on the degree of overheating. It should be noted that the intake of alcohol and drinks based on purified (from microelements) water greatly aggravates the severity of a person's condition.

Let's distribute the severity of a person's condition according to the manifestations of overheating.

Severity of overheating:

1st mild degree characterized by: redness of the skin, increased sweating, general weakness, headache, nausea, rapid heartbeat and breathing. Body temperature rises to 38°C-39°. Arterial pressure remains in figures habitual for the person.

2nd middle degree severity is characterized by: redness of the skin, moderate sweating, a sharp decrease in mobility, unsteady movements, unsteady gait, headache, accompanied by nausea and vomiting, it seems that a person wants to sleep. Pulse and respiration become more frequent, body temperature rises to 39°C-40°C. Blood pressure may drop.

3rd severe degree severity is characterized by: pronounced redness of the skin, later it becomes pale cyanotic. There is a decrease in sweating until its complete cessation. Delusions and hallucinations appear, prolonged loss of consciousness may occur, seizures may occur. Breathing becomes superficial, rapid heartbeat is replaced by a sharp decrease in it. Blood pressure continues to decline, and body temperature rises to 41°C.

How can you help a person in this situation?

If you see that a person is ill, then you need to call a doctor, regardless of your self-confidence.
If it is not possible to call a doctor, then you need to try to deliver the person to the hospital yourself.
Do not hesitate to call for help, perhaps among the people around you there is a professional doctor or a rescue officer. Your actions can literally save a person's life.
Take action before professional help arrives.

First aid for overheating:

URGENTLY! Eliminate heat exposure.
Lay the person in the shade, preferably in a ventilated place. If a person is unconscious, drunk, or, in your opinion, does not behave adequately (for example: does not respond to your words, although he can move himself), then he must be laid in a stable position on his side. In case of vomiting, this position will prevent the penetration of vomit into the respiratory tract.
Release the victim from outer clothing.
Wet your face and body with cool water, but not cold. Put something cold on your head. You can wrap the body of the victim with a wet cloth.
Let's inhale vapors of ammonia if the victim is "trying" to lose consciousness or has already lost it. If you do not have ammonia, you can bring the victim to his senses by massaging the nerve endings of the temporal regions and the upper lip, earlobes. For more information on this, see the section on "fainting". You can find out how to use ammonia correctly in the "" section (which, by the way, we highly recommend that you subscribe to. It's absolutely free) in the first issue
If the victim is conscious and able to swallow on his own, be sure to fight dehydration. Give the victim a cool drink in small sips every 5-10 minutes. It is better to drink mineral water or a special solution bought at a pharmacy. You can find information about solutions and their application in the section "" in the first issue.
If the victim is conscious and can swallow himself, he can be given an antipyretic. You can find out how to do it right in the "" section in the first issue.
If there are no signs of breathing or heartbeat, start CPR.
If you are faced with the need to somehow help a person with sunburned skin, see information about this in the article.

Remember:

It is impossible to cool the patient abruptly by immersion in cold water! This can lead to a reflex stop of breathing with a heartbeat!
It is impossible to give medicines and drink to the victim through the mouth if he is unconscious! This can lead to blockage of the airways!
You can not bring a person to consciousness with blows on the cheeks!

About hospitalization:

Often victims refuse hospitalization offered by the ambulance. The reluctance to go to the hospital is understandable. Each person is responsible for their own health and life.

However, there are situations that still require observation and assistance in a hospital.

A recommendation to be hospitalized is given to a person not because of the desire to “put” him in the hospital or “ride” with him through all the “traffic jams” to the hospital, but out of necessity. Take our word for it, the hospital is as "glad" to see the patient as the patient is "glad" to see the hospital. Moreover, the hospital is not a prison, you can always write a statement about your unwillingness to be treated further and go home at any time of the day.

When do you need to go to the hospital "without talking"?:

In cases of moderate and severe overheating.
In all cases with a pronounced reaction to overheating (headache with vomiting, a significant increase in blood pressure, etc.).
In all cases, if convulsions and impaired consciousness were noted.

Overheating- an acute painful condition, as a result of prolonged exposure to high temperature on the human body.

The following factors contribute to the development of overheating: prolonged exposure to the sun, in a hot stuffy room, physical activity in hot weather, non-compliance with the drinking regime, warm clothes, overwork. Children, the elderly and people suffering from various diseases of the cardiovascular, endocrine systems and obesity are more susceptible to overheating.

First of all, when overheating, there are violations of the central nervous and cardiovascular systems.

Signs of overheating:

severe weakness, feeling of heat, severe headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, darkening of the eyes, nosebleeds, increased heart rate and respiration, dry and hot skin, body temperature is elevated(often up to high numbers 40-42 C), there may be convulsions, hallucinations, delirium, loss of consciousness. Death occurs from cerebral edema.

Less common is the so-called lightning form heat stroke, when a person suddenly, without the previous listed signs, loses consciousness.

First aid for overheating:

1. Remove the victim from the overheating zone, move to a cool place, lay him down with his head raised, remove excess clothing, provide air ventilation: create a draft, use a fan, etc.

2. Cooling the victim (cold compresses on the head, body). You can use a hypothermic pack, cold packs, ice packs, etc. If the victim is conscious, drink cool water in small portions.

3. In case of loss of consciousness: lay on the right side, giving a stable lateral position, use ammonia solution (ammonia): bring the moistened cotton wool to the nose. Given the high mortality associated with heat stroke, it is essential to be prepared for resuscitation and proceed immediately in cardiac and respiratory arrest.

4. Transportation in the supine position to the hospital.

Fainting is a short-term sudden loss of consciousness as a result of a sharp decrease in blood flow to the brain.

Emotional effects of suddenness (fear, pain, bleeding, etc.);

A sharp transition of their horizontal position to vertical;

Prolonged standing still with insufficient ventilation;

Hyperventilation of the lungs with increased breathing;

Pregnancy,

Diseases of the cardiovascular system.

Signs of fainting:

Loss of consciousness;

pale skin;

Profuse sweat;

Coolness of the skin;

Rhythmic breathing and rhythmic pulse.

The duration of fainting is from a few seconds to several minutes.

First aid for fainting:

1. Horizontal position;

2. Prevention of asphyxia - the head is raised;

3. Unfasten clothes, provide fresh air;

4. Provide inhalation of ammonia vapors;

5. Spray your face, chest with cold water;

6. Heart rate control;

7. After the return of consciousness, drink tea, coffee.

Conclusion: The ability to competently and timely provide first aid when exposed to high and low temperatures, electric shock, heat and sunstroke, will reduce the suffering of the victim, prevent the development of possible complications, alleviate the severity of the disease and save the life of the victim.