Sunstroke | General Travel Safety | HolidayTravelWatch
Sunstroke, or heatstroke, is an illness caused by prolonged exposure to very hot temperatures or dehydration.
It can also be caused if the body’s own temperature regulation mechanisms fail to work properly.
Even a rise of a couple of degrees from the body’s normal temperature can have profound effects on the way the metabolism works.
Very often a human exposed to very hot temperatures can suffer first from heat exhaustion, which manifests itself as dizziness, fatigue, a headache, rapid pulse, rapid breathing, and muscle cramps. The warning signs that this is becoming the potentially fatal sunstroke are that they become hot, have flushed skin, no sweating, a high body temperature, confusion, and loss of consciousness. The body cannot cool itself
Exposure to extreme heat can cause a breakdown in the body’s ability to reduce its own temperature through sweating, and body temperature can reach as much as 107F.
If the body is dehydrated and cannot cool the skin through sweat evaporation, this compounds the problem.
This can cause the failure of many of the body’s vital systems, such as the heart, lungs, kidney and brain.
The sufferer can fall into shock and unconsciousness. However, the more rapidly treatment is given; the more likely a full recovery is to be made.
The sufferer should be cooled down as quickly as possible and then taken straight to hospital.
If the symptoms of heat exhaustion are present, but the person involved is still sweating, drinks should be given, but not salt pills.
The World Health Organisation has produced a report into the Global effect of exposure to Ultraviolet Radiation. For full details of the report visit their website.
This link provides further information on heat exhaustion and heat stroke from the NHS. Further information from the NHS is supplied on the issue of ‘Sun Safety Questions’.
If you have been affected by any holiday complaints, then please contact us at HolidayTravelWatch.
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Tags: Heat Exhaustion, Sun Stroke, sunstroke
HTW has noted that amongst the submissions to the Committee on Toxicity (COT) it has been suggested that the symptoms highlighted by crew and passengers were akin to the condition of hyperventilation.
HTW has for many years received reports from concerned holiday makers or independent travellers as to the safety of their aircraft, ship or boat, train or road transport.
