The following information about heat exhaustion and heatstroke is taken from official NHS advice. It is designed to help people provide first aid to older and disabled people during the heatwave, because there is likely to be a very long delay before an ambulance or healthcare professional can reach you. This is only general advice, and you should follow any specific advice given to you by a healthcare professional.
Heat-related Illnesses and Heat Exhaustion
These are the symptoms which tell you that a person is experiencing a heat-related illness:
- Muscle cramps, often following exercise
- A rash of small, red, itchy spots (‘heat rash’)
- Swollen ankles or other joints (‘heat oedema’)
- Dizziness and fainting (‘heat syncope’)
- Feeling ill, being sick, low blood pressure, or unsteady pulse (‘heat exhaustion’)
If a person has any of the above symptoms, you need to take action to cool them down. You can cool them down by:
- Moving them to a cooler place
- Giving them cold water to drink
- Putting their hands and feet into cold water
- Putting a wet flannel, wet towel, or ice pack around their neck or in their armpits
- Look at this advice for keeping cooler during the heatwave, and follow it to cool down the person effectively
Heatstroke
Heatstroke is a dangerous and life-threatening condition which requires emergency treatment. Heatstroke develops when a person with heat exhaustion isn’t treated. This is why heat exhaustion, and other heat symptoms, must always be taken seriously – especially in older and chronically ill people. The symptoms of heatstroke are:
- Becoming confused or delirious
- Becoming uncharacteristically aggressive or verbally abusive
- Not knowing what’s going on around you, or who people are (disorientation)
- Shuddering, shaking, or uncontrolled movements of the arms and legs (convulsions)
- Losing consciousness and not being able to be roused properly
- Having very hot, dry skin
If anyone who has perviously shown signs of heat exhaustion or another heat-related illness develops any of these symptoms, this should be treated as a medical emergency. If you come across someone with these symptoms in a very hot place, e.g. inside a car or an unventilated room, you should assume that they have heatstroke and treat it as a medical emergency.
Here is what to do when a person has heatstroke:
- Call 999, make it clear that the person has heatstroke, and follow the instructions given. Remember, it may be many hours or even a day before paramedics can reach you.
- If possible, move the person to a cooler place. For example, if someone has collapsed in a car, get them out of the car
- If you can’t move them to a cooler place, try to make the place they are in cooler
- Cool the person down as quickly as possible. A cool shower or bath is best, but if this isn’t possible sprinkle them with water to wet their clothes or wrap them in a damp sheet. Use a fan, or create a draft to help the water evaporate – this cools them down quickly. Encourage them to drink water if they are conscious and it is safe to do so
- Do not give the person aspirin or paracetamol
- Stay with the person, and try to keep them cool until they have either fully recovered, or paramedics have arrived. Do not leave them unattended
Remember to look after yourself while you are giving first aid. Keep yourself cool, don’t over exert yourself, and keep drinking lots of water. You can’t help anyone else if you become ill yourself.