No matter how cautious someone may be, accidents happen. While minor injuries may not need professional medical attention, there are more serious issues that require proper treatment. One such condition is heat stroke. Heat stroke is a condition in which the body becomes overheated with prolonged exposure to heat or strenuous physical activity in the heat.
Heatstroke treatment is offered at Texas Urgent Care & Imaging Center in New Caney and surrounding areas. People who normally avoid professional medical treatment under the assumption they can take care of themselves at home will need to seek professional care. As an urgent care clinic, we can treat patients quickly and do not require an appointment.
If you or a loved one has heatstroke, do not hesitate to visit us or call to learn what you need to do next.
A common scenario in which someone experiences heatstroke is participating in exercise or physical activities on a hot day. Even though people may attempt to be careful by drinking water and taking breaks when they need, there is always a higher chance of heatstroke occurring when the outdoor temperature rises over 100 F.
Most common during the summer, heatstroke can occur when the body temperature at least reaches 104 F. Seeking professional treatment is a must in order to properly treat heatstroke. Contrary to popular belief, it will take more than just pouring cold water on someone to treat them. Benefits of our heat illness treatment include:
While the treatment can seem straightforward, it is important to take the proper steps throughout the process. Our team has the tools and knowledge to properly treat heatstroke.
Heatstroke is more than just feeling a bit hot or sweating. Heatstroke pushes the body temperature to the point that it can harm the brain, heart, kidneys and muscles. The longer a patient delays seeking treatment, the worse the damage can get. In many cases, if heatstroke remains untreated, it can lead to long-lasting complications to one’s well-being.
Signs of heatstroke to watch out for in children, teens and adults include:
When a patient has heatstroke, the way they sweat can help determine the reason for their heatstroke. If the heatstroke is brought on by hot weather, then the patient will have hot and dry skin to the touch. Intense exercise will cause the patient’s skin to feel slightly moist. Strenuous exercise and physical activity in hot weather can easily lead to heatstroke, which is why most schools will not allow anyone outside in extreme weather conditions.
People suffering from heatstroke may even experience confusion, slurred speech, delirium, seizures and even coma.
If you or a loved one has heatstroke, it is crucial to seek medical treatment right away. Have someone give us a call for instructions on how to proceed. The most important factor is getting the individual out of the heat and into a cold area. This can include an air-conditioned building or at least the shade under a tree.
Have the individual lay down and avoid moving around. If it is available driving the individual to our urgent care clinic is advised. At our clinic, we can provide a variety of possible treatment methods to help cool the patient down.
Cold water immersion
If available, this technique involves the patient taking a bath in a cold or ice-water tub. This is one of the fastest methods for cooling a patient’s body temperature down. By lowering the core body temperature as soon as possible, there is a better chance of lowering the patient’s risk of sustaining serious damage.
Applying ice packs
Another option involves wrapping the patient in a special cooling blanket that and applying ice packs. We may place the ice packs in the groin, neck, back or armpits to help lower the body temperature.
Evaporation cooling methods
Another option is to spray cool water on the body in the form of mist while using a fan to blow warm air over the body. This will cause the water to evaporate and cool the skin.
The length of time the treatment takes and the type of treatment we choose will depend on the needs of the patient. If you or a loved one is suffering from heatstroke, call or visit us immediately.
Texas Urgent Care & Imaging Center is located at
17516 US-59 BUS Suite 100
New Caney, TX
77357