HEATSTROKE

By. Dr. Pawan S. Chandak

Parbhani, India

Heatstroke is caused by excessive fluid loss and mineral loss through sweating. This leads to a state of severe dehydration and weakness that is accompanied by headache, dizziness, nausea, rapid noisy respiration, cramps and muscle twitches. The victim usually feels hot, has a flushed face and dry skin. If the person temperature rises about 104 F. (40 C. ) there may be collapse, convulsions and unconsciousness. Heat stroke is more common in individuals who are of ill health, weak, or fatigued by overexertion. Drinking alcohol also is a predisposing cause.

The sufferer should be removed from direct sunlight and taken to the nearest cool place. Undress the person and wrap them in a cold wet sheet and fan them until the temperature drops. If there is no sheet, sponge bath the person with cold water instead. Full immersion in cold water may be too radical of a change for the body to bear and may produce reactions. Give the person water to drink in frequent, small amounts. Use oral rehydration mixture if it is available or add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to 1 pint of water. (0.5 liter). Be careful not to give put too much salt in the water as it may cause vomiting and further dehydration. When the individual has cold down cover them with a clean, dry sheet. Call the emergencies services if the temperature begins to rise again. If there is collapse and unconsciousness put them in the recovering position (refer). Give artificial respiration If there is cessation of breathing and CPR if there is heart failure. Monitor the victim's condition closely until help arrives.

Materia Medica

ACONITE (1). Burning heat, especially head and face, with burning dryness of skin excessive thirst. Redness of eyes and cheeks. Restlessness anxiety, fear of death. Nausea, vertigo and headache, worse by warmth. At first the heart works harder, then loses force and gains in rapidity, especially where patient was exposed to the immediate heat.

AGARICUS (2). Vertigo in bright strong light, sunstroke when occasioned by exercise in the sun. Muscular trembling, spine sensitive to touch, great weariness and prostration.

AMYL NITRITE (3). Congestive stage of sunstroke. Anxiety, as if something will happen, longing for fresh air. Head feels full to bursting, pulsations in temples, rushing of blood upward. Eyes protrude, bloodshot, with red face. Tumultuous action of the heart. Constant stretching of the limb for hours.

ANTI CRUD (2). Can not bear the heat of the sun. Exhausted by the least work in the sun, with night-sweats. Constant desire to sleep. Concomitant gastric symptoms with tongue coated thick white as if whitewashed.

ARNICA (2) Exhaustion and topor from the continued effect of sleep after exposure to heat. Burning in the head while remainder of the body cool, or at least not hot. General sinking of strength, he can hardly move a limb.

BELLADONNA (3) Headache, with feeling of fullness and sensation as if everything would issue through the forehead, worse < when stooping, moving or by the least emotion. Great anguish and restlessness. Great irritation of the cerebral nerves. Rage. Great fearfulness, tendency to start, convulsive movements, and dread of things around or near one. Disposition to weep and scream. First stage of sunstroke.

CACTUS (2). Vertigo with sanguineous congestion to the head. Pressing pain in head as if a great weight lay on vertex, increased by taking and noise. difficulty breathing, continued oppression and uneasiness, chest as if constricted with an iron hand, > breathing fresh air.

CAMPHORA (2). Severe headache, congestion of brain, fainting, delirium convulsions. Skin icy-cold, covered with cold sweat, sinking of the vital force. Embarrassed respiration and circulation, with coldness of the surface and extremities tremors and cramp in muscles, cold sweat, especially about head and neck.

GELSEMIUM (2). Depression from heat, delayed reaction. Vertigo, dilation of pupils, dimness of sight, dull, confused headache spreading form occiput over whole head. No thirst, no appetite.

GLONOINUM (3) Throbbing, burning, pulsating, headache with surge of blood to the head and heart. Shocks in the head synchronous with pulse. Losing consciousness preceded by vertigo, nausea, violent headache, flushed face and cold body. Thirsty. Effects of sunstroke, sun headaches, increases and decreases with the sun. Worse < sun. open fire, jar, stooping, lying down, left side.

LACHESIS (3). Chronic sequel to sunstroke. Talkative delirium, feeling of horror and weak memory. Constriction of throat, difficult swallowing, can't bear the neck to be touched. Palpitation, heart feels as if constricted, can bear no pressure, convulsions, moaning during coma, pulse variable.

NATRUM CARB (3). Never well since a sunstroke, chronic sequels. Inability to think, head feels stupefied and aches when in the sun. Dazzling flashes or black spots before the eyes, dimness of sight. Palpitations, trembling of hands, debility form the least exertion. Restless, unrefreshing sleep. profuse sweat from every exertion. sensitive to the presence of certain individuals. Worse < sitting, music, summer heat, mental exertion. Better > moving.

OPIUM (2). Coma, with perfect unconsciousness, eyes glassy, half closed, face pale. Tetanic rigidity, obscuration of sight, involuntary urination and defecation, irregular and unequal pulse.

VERATRUM ALBUM (3) State of collapse and shock. Cold sweat on the forehead. Headache with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and pale face. Neck too weak to hold up head.

VERATRUM VIRIDE (2). Sunstroke, full head, throbbing arteries (bell., glon..). Faintness and blindness from sudden motion when rising for lying. Convulsions and paralysis. Tongue yellow with red strike in center. Vomiting and persistent diarrhea.

Repertorium

HEATSTROKE, sunstroke - acon., Agar., Arn., AML-N., Ant-c., BELL., Cact., Camph., Gels., GLON., LACH., NAT-C., Op., VERAT., Verat-v..

burning heat

head and face, with burning dryness of skin excessive thirst - Acon..

head while remainder of the body cool, or at least not hot -Arn..

bursting, head feels full to, pulsations in temples,

rush of blood upward -Amy-n..

chronic effects - lach., Nat-c..

coma, with perfect unconsciousness - OP..

concomitants -

chest as if constricted with an iron hand, > breathing fresh air - Cact..

diarrhea, nausea, vomiting with pale face - Verat..

gastric symptoms, tongue coated thick white as if whitewashed- Ant-c..

palpitations, heart feels as if constricted, can bear no pressure, convulsions, moaning during coma -Lach..

vomiting and persistent diarrhea - Verat-v..

convulsions - Bell., Lach., Op., Verat-v..

Mind-

anguish, great - Bell..

anxiety - acon.,

as if something will happen, longing for fresh air - Amy-n..

fear-

death, of - ACON..

great fearfulness, tendency to start, dread of things around or near

one- Bell.

individuals, sensitive to the presence of certain - Nat-c..

rage - BELL..

restlessness - Acon., Bell.,

talkative delirium, feeling of horror and weak memory -Lach..

weep and scream, disposition to - Bell.

muscular trembling, spine sensitive to touch, great weariness and prostration - Agar.

shocks in the head synchronous with pulse - GLON..

skin icy-cold, covered with cold sweat, sinking of the vital force -Camph..

sleeping in the sun - acon., Bell..

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