About Sunstroke

The most common health problem during summer months is Sunstroke or Heatstroke. Sunstroke is a severe and life threatening condition where the heat regulating system fails in our body due to excessive exposure to high temperatures or production of excessive heat in the body. The person with sun stroke will stops sweating due to failure in heat control system. Particularly children up to age 5 and adults over 65 are more vulnerable because they cannot adjust to heat like others. Prolonged heatstroke sometimes may damage heart, brain, muscles and kidneys. In severe conditions, sunstroke can even damages the brain and function of organs leading to death.

Causes:

• Excessive exposure to sunlight
• Working in extreme hot environment.
• Excessive consumption of alcohol
• Failure of heat regulating system
• Heavy clothing
• Humidity
• Dry air
• Excessive sweating
• Excessive exercises or workouts
• Excessive loss of water from our body i.e dehydration

Symptoms:

Listed below are some of the most commons symptoms :

• Extreme rise in body temperature (up to 106°F) 41°C
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Lack of sweating
• Unconsciousness or sometimes Coma
• Nausea
• Weakness
• Swollen face
• Muscle cramps
• Fainting
• Vomiting
• Fast Breathing or difficulty in breathing
• Rapid pulse
• Fits
• Dark colored urine
• Dry skin
  

Who is at Risk of Sunstroke?

• People with obesity or over weight
• Infants and Younger children
• Old age people
• Heart patients
• People with uncontrolled diabetes
• Alcoholism
• Undergoing certain temperature regulating medications
• People who are known to be more sensitive to excessive heat.
• High blood pressure patients
• People with Kidney diseases
• Sunburns
• People with sleeping deprivation
• Person with sunstroke before are at higher risk.

Emergency steps to treat Sunstroke victim:

Sunstroke is a medical emergency. If you suspect someone with sunstroke call for a doctor or an ambulance. But before that follow some important first-aid steps listed below

• First get the person into a cool shady area preferably to a air conditioned room.
• Remove any unnecessary clothing and cover the body with a wet towel or involve the victim in a cool shower or bath to bring down the high temperature.
• If the victim is conscious offer him to drink fluids like juice and cool water.
• Never give beverages that contain alcohol or caffeine.
• Place ice packs to the victim’s armpits, neck and back side.
• Slow down the cooling treatment when the person starts shivering which in turn raises core temperature.
• Check the victim’s temperature every 20-30 minutes.
• Have a continuous look on breathing system, if you find any sign of failure in breathing then get ready to give mouth to mouth resuscitation i.e. rescue breathing.
• Consult your doctor or health care provider as soon as possible.

Preventive Steps:

Follow the below guidelines to prevent from sunstroke or heat stroke-

• The first best step is to stay in a shady cool room when the temperature is extremely high.
• Prefer to wear loose and light colored clothes, preferably cotton clothes.
• Always use umbrella while going outside and wear a wide hat.
• Drink lots of water even if you don’t feel thirsty.
• Drink 8-10 glasses of water and fruit juices per day to prevent dehydration.
• Schedule your exercising time early in the morning or after sunset.
• Avoid consuming fluids that contains alcohol or caffeine because they dehydrate the body.

World Turtle Day-2015

 The World Turtle Day 2015 is on May, 23. The purpose of the observance is to bring attention to, and increase knowledge of and respect for, turtles and tortoises, and encourage human action to help them survive and thrive. Turtle Day is celebrated worldwide in a variety of ways, from dressing up as turtles to saving turtles caught on highways, to research activities. It is sponsored yearly since 2000 by the nonprofit corporation American Tortoise Rescue.
World Turtle Day was to increase respect and knowledge for the world's oldest creatures. Turtles are reptiles, characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield. These gentle animals have been around for about 200 million years, yet they are rapidly disappearing as a result of the exotic food industry, habitat destruction and the cruel pet trade.
You can do a few small things that can help to save turtles and tortoises for the next generation. Never buy them from a pet shop as it increases demand from the wild. Never remove turtles or tortoises from the wild unless they are sick or injured. If a tortoise is crossing a busy street, pick it up and send it in the same direction it was going. Report cruelty or illegal sales of turtles and tortoises to your local animal control shelter.