Sunstroke: Brief overview
- What to do in case of sunstroke? Bring affected person into the shade, elevate upper body/head, give to drink, cool head, calm down
- Sunstroke Risks: In severe sunstroke, the brain may swell (cerebral edema), in extreme cases resulting in death.
- When to see a doctor? If there are signs of severe sunstroke or brain edema (worsening condition, loss of consciousness, seizures, etc.).
Caution.
- Symptoms of sunstroke usually do not appear until the affected person has long been out of the sun.
- Especially do not leave children alone with sunstroke.
- Sufferers should only take painkillers such as diclofenac or ibuprofen after consulting a doctor.
- Call 911 if the affected person loses consciousness or begins to have seizures.
Sunstroke: Symptoms
If the head or neck gets too much sun, sunstroke can result. Triggers are the long-wave heat rays (infrared rays) in sunlight. They can overheat the head locally, irritating the meninges and, in severe cases, affecting the brain itself. You can read how to recognize sunstroke in the article Sunstroke – Symptoms.
Sunstroke: What to do?
- Shade: Move the affected person to a cool, shady place, preferably a cool, darkened room.
- Proper positioning: Position the affected person on his back, with his head and upper body slightly elevated, to relieve pressure on his head and neck. Place a pillow underneath, for example. Bed rest is advisable.
- Cold compresses: You should use these to cool the head and neck, and possibly the torso of the affected person. You can also use ice cubes or “cool packs” or “ice packs,” but never place these directly on the skin, always with a layer of cloth in between (risk of frostbite!).
- Soothe: Especially children with sunstroke should be calmed and not left alone until the unpleasant symptoms subside.
- Drink plenty of fluids: Ensure that the affected person drinks plenty of fluids (but not ice cold!), provided there is no disturbance of consciousness.
- Emergency call: Call the emergency services if the patient loses consciousness, his condition does not improve quickly or even deteriorates noticeably.
Painkillers such as ibuprofen or diclofenac should be given as first aid for sunstroke only after medical consultation. In case of very severe sunstroke or heat stroke, these medications should not be used – in this case, alert the emergency physician immediately!
Sunstroke: Home Remedies
If the stay in the sun was associated with heavy sweating, the affected person may have lost a lot of minerals. Then you can stir a teaspoon of salt into a cup of cooled tea or a glass of water and let the affected person drink the whole thing. If necessary, an electrolyte solution from the pharmacy may also be useful to compensate for salt loss due to heavy sweating (or vomiting).
Home remedies have their limits. If the symptoms persist over a longer period of time, do not get better or even get worse, you should always consult a doctor.
Sunstroke: Homeopathy
Some people rely on the support of homeopathy for various complaints. For example, the homeopathics Natrium carbonicum, Belladonna and Glonoinum are said to be helpful for sunstroke.
The concept of homeopathy and its specific efficacy are controversial in science and not clearly proven by studies.
Sunstroke: Risks
Typical sunstroke signs include symptoms such as a bright red, hot head, headache, dizziness and fatigue. Nausea, vomiting and mild fever are also possible.
In sunstroke, on the other hand, the circulation is usually not affected. Therefore, there is only very rarely a danger to life, for example if a so-called brain edema develops as a complication of severe sunstroke. This is an accumulation of fluid in the brain tissue: the inflammatory processes during sunstroke make the blood vessel walls more permeable, so that more fluid escapes into the tissue – the brain swells and presses against the skull wall, which, however, cannot escape. Therefore, the more pronounced the brain swelling, the higher the pressure inside the skull. This can damage the sensitive brain cells. In addition, the high pressure compresses the finest blood vessels, which affects the supply of nerve cells.
In addition to headaches, nausea, vomiting and dizziness, an increase in intracranial pressure can cause the following symptoms, among others:
- Seizures (epileptic seizures)
- Disturbances of consciousness (such as confusion, drowsiness and even coma)
- Decreased respiration up to respiratory arrest (respiratory depression)
Sunstroke signs in young children
Sunstroke: When to see a doctor?
Whether a doctor should be consulted depends on how severe the sunstroke is and how the patient’s condition develops. In most cases, the symptoms subside within hours to a maximum of two days. Adults often recover more quickly than children.
However, if the patient’s condition does not improve or even worsens to the point of unconsciousness, you should immediately take the patient to a doctor or call an emergency physician!
Sunstroke: Examinations by the doctor
If sunstroke is suspected, the doctor will first take the patient’s medical history (anamnesis). This means: he asks the patient or the parents (in the case of affected children) various questions that are important for the diagnosis. Examples:
- How long were you/your child in the sun?
- What complaints occurred?
- When exactly did the symptoms occur?
- Did you/your child notice any disorders of consciousness such as confusion?
- Are there any known pre-existing conditions?
Physical examinations
In the next step, the physician measures the patient’s body temperature, blood pressure and heart rate. In the case of sunstroke, all three parameters are usually unremarkable. The skin temperature on the head or forehead is also significant. It is often elevated in sunstroke. The scalp may also be visibly red.
In addition, the physician will use simple questions to check the patient’s orientation to time and place and test the reflexes of the brain stem (e.g., pupillary reflex).
Further examinations are usually not necessary in the case of sunstroke. Only if the patient’s circulation is unstable or the physician suspects increased intracranial pressure are additional examinations appropriate.
Examinations for suspected cerebral edema
If increased intracranial pressure due to cerebral edema is suspected, imaging procedures such as computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide clarity.
If no signs of increased intracranial pressure are found in these examinations, the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is examined. If the cause of the symptoms is bacterial or viral, typical traces are found in the cerebrospinal fluid; in contrast, the findings are normal in the case of sunstroke. A sample of the cerebrospinal fluid is obtained by CSF puncture.
Exclusion of other causes
In his examinations, the physician must take into account that symptoms such as those seen in sunstroke can also occur in other diseases. These include:
- Heat exhaustion and heat stroke: these two conditions are similar to severe sunstroke. However, the distinction is very important because heat exhaustion and heat stroke require different treatment.
- Meningitis: Sunstroke is often accompanied by a mild inflammation of the meninges. Symptoms similar to those of bacterial or viral meningitis may then occur. Typically, however, bacterial meningitis is associated with a high fever, unlike sunstroke.
- Stroke: It occurs when the blood supply to parts of the brain is acutely interrupted (for example, by a clot). Possible signs include severe headaches, drowsiness and dizziness – symptoms that can also occur with sunstroke.
Sunstroke: Treatment by the doctor
The treatment of sunstroke depends on its severity. As a rule, sunstroke can be treated well by oneself (bed rest in a cool, darkened room, drinking plenty of fluids, etc.). In severe cases (for example, when there is a loss of consciousness), treatment in the hospital is necessary, possibly even in the intensive care unit.
For example, the doctor may give the patient infusions to stabilize the circulation. In the case of increased intracranial pressure, certain medications may help, among other things. Epileptic seizures, which can occur in the course of severe sunstroke, can also be treated with medication.
Prevent sunstroke
If a (prolonged) stay in the sun cannot be avoided, one should at least wear a head covering. Sunscreen (e.g. for babies or bald people) is ineffective as head protection. It only partially blocks ultraviolet rays, but not the heat rays (infrared rays) that cause sunstroke. Only headgear such as a scarf, hat or cap can help against these.
Particularly recommended are head coverings that do not allow any sun rays to penetrate to the skull and thus prevent heating. These are mainly light-colored head coverings: They reflect most of the sunlight. This means that the head underneath cannot heat up as much as under black textiles, for example. This effectively prevents sunstroke.
