熱中症について

熱中症とは高温多湿の状況で、体温調整ができなくなって発症する障害です。
ご年配の方は体温調整機能が低下ぎみ、小さなお子様は未発達、一般の大人も油断は禁物で、疲れが溜まっていると自律神経のバランスが保ちにくくなって発症しやすくなります。

水分は繰り返し小刻みに摂取しましょう。

• 睡眠をとる前にコップ1杯程度の水を飲むようにしましょう。
• 休養を心がけ、身体にゆとりを与え、栄養を十分に摂取しましょう。

熱中症の症状

倦怠感、虚脱感、悪感、低血圧、めまい、立ちくらみ、貧血症状、大量の発汗、筋肉痛、吐き気、嘔吐、頭痛、異常な言動や行動、運動障害、意識障害、高体温、失神など。

意識の無い時には水を無理やり飲ませないでください、危険です。

救急車を急いで呼んでください。
そして、ペットボトルに水を入れて、わきの下、ももの付け根あたり、首、頭などを冷やしてあげてください。

熱中症の「脱水」を見分ける4つの方法

「わきの下を確認」

「親指の爪を押してみる」

爪が白くなって、もとの赤身の色に戻るのが遅ければ、脱水状態が疑わしいといわれます。
指先は、血管が細いので変化が出やすいです。

「皮膚をつまんでみる」

「舌を見る」

舌が乾燥している場合は、脱水の恐れがあります。

知っておこう、熱中症による後遺症

軽い後遺症でもあっても、回復するまでには数週間から半年程度かかります。
重い後遺症の場合は、10年以上にわたる長期的治療が必要になる場合もあります。

軽い後遺症
倦怠感、食欲不振、めまいなど。

重い後遺症
体をコントロールする司令塔ともいわれる中枢神経の障害、脳や脊髄に後遺症がのこると、思考、行動、記憶、感情、そして内臓機能、感覚機能、運動機能などにも悪影響をおよぼします。
意欲がなくなったり考えられなくなったり、やる気が出なかったり動くのが辛くなったり、記憶が飛んだり憶えられなくなったり、イライラしたり落ち込んだり、のどに詰まる感じが多くなったり、声が出づらくなったり、代謝障害（消化・吸収・貯蔵・分解・排泄）に陥ったり、心臓や肺、腎臓などの働きにも複雑に絡んでいくようになります。よって症状は様々ですが、無理をすると末梢神経系（運動神経や感覚神経、交感神経や副交感神経）をさらに傷め、よりアンバランスな状態に陥り、もっと体調が悪くなり、生命維持が危うくなることもあります。

 

About heat stroke

Heat stroke is a disorder that occurs when the body is unable to regulate its body temperature in hot and humid conditions.
The elderly tend to have a reduced ability to regulate their body temperature, small children are underdeveloped, and adults should also remain vigilant; if you are tired, it becomes difficult to maintain balance in your autonomic nervous system, making you more susceptible to developing heat stroke.

Drink fluids in small, frequent sips.

• Try to drink a glass of water before going to sleep.
• Make sure to get plenty of rest, give your body plenty of room, and get enough nutrition.

Symptoms of heat stroke

Fatigue, weakness, nausea, low blood pressure, dizziness, lightheadedness, symptoms of anemia, excessive sweating, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, headache, abnormal speech and behavior, movement disorders, impaired consciousness, high body temperature, fainting, etc.

If the person is unconscious, do not force them to drink water as this is dangerous.

Call an ambulance immediately.
Then fill a plastic bottle with water and use it to cool the armpits, groin area, neck, head, etc.

4 ways to tell if heat stroke is caused by dehydration

"Check your armpits"

When it's hot, you sweat to keep your body moist.
However, if you become dehydrated, you stop sweating and your armpits become dry. If it's hot but you're not sweating, be careful.

"Press your thumb nail"

If your nail turns white and takes a long time to return to its original red color, it is said that you may be dehydrated.
The blood vessels in your fingertips are thin, so changes are likely to occur.

"Pinch your skin"

Pinch your skin.
If it doesn't return to its original shape for more than three seconds, it's suspicious.
The skin contains a lot of water and is elastic. Normally, it returns to its original shape quickly, but if you become dehydrated, it loses elasticity and becomes difficult to return to its original shape.

"Look at your tongue"

If your tongue is dry, you may be dehydrated.

Be aware of the aftereffects of heat stroke

Even with mild aftereffects, it takes several weeks to half a year to recover.
Severe aftereffects may require long-term treatment for more than 10 years.

Mild aftereffects
fatigue, loss of appetite, dizziness, etc.

Severe aftereffects
damage to the central nervous system, also known as the command center that controls the body, and damage to the brain and spinal cord can have a negative effect on thinking, behavior, memory, emotions, and even visceral, sensory, and motor functions. You may lose motivation or be unable to think, lose motivation or have difficulty moving, lose memory or be unable to remember, become irritable or depressed, feel a sense of congestion in your throat, have difficulty speaking, fall into metabolic disorders (digestion, absorption, storage, decomposition, excretion), and become intricately involved in the functioning of the heart, lungs, kidneys, etc. Symptoms vary, but pushing yourself too hard can further damage your peripheral nervous system (motor nerves, sensory nerves, sympathetic nerves, and parasympathetic nerves), leading to a greater imbalance, making you even more uncomfortable and potentially putting your life at risk.