Summer is coming, high temperature weather "baking" to test everyone's tolerance, in addition to sunburn, but also to focus on heat stroke, especially heat stroke, which is related to everyone's health.
However, for heat prevention and hydration, many people actually have different degrees of confusion or cognitive misunderstanding. For example, why does drinking white water not work, or even the more you drink, the thirstier you get, how can you suffer from heat stroke if you don't go out, and so on. Zhang Qian, Director of the Department of Clinical Nutrition of Beijing Tongren Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, answered these puzzles for us, and shared the tips of effective heat prevention and scientific hydration to avoid misperceptions affecting our own health.
Timely electrolyte replacement is key to prevent heat stroke
As we all know, the normal temperature of the human body is roughly between 36.2 °C ~ 37.2 °C, when the body temperature rises, the body will accelerate metabolism, and reduce the body temperature through perspiration, maintain the stability of the body, and prevent damage to important organs. However, if the ambient temperature exceeds the normal body temperature, close to or even exceeds 40 ° C, the human body cannot control the body temperature through heat dissipation, followed by headache, dizziness, thirst, sweating and other symptoms of aura heat stroke.
For how ordinary people can prevent heat stroke, Zhang Qian believes that the following five measures can be taken: first, maintain sufficient sleep and achieve an appropriate balance between work and rest; Second, indoor attention should be paid to window ventilation, and the use of fans, air conditioners and other electrical appliances to cool down; Third, avoid the high temperature environment, try not to go out during the high temperature period, if you want to go out to do a good job of sun protection, exercise is best in the cooler morning and evening period; Fourth, timely and active hydration, especially pay attention to electrolyte supplementation; Fifth, wear light, loose and light-colored clothing, and wear quick-drying clothes and pants when exercising.
Zhang Qian said that in the matter of heat stroke, whether it is prevention or relief, hydration is effective. High temperature and high humidity weather, the body sweats all the time, easy to lack of water, but hydration is also particular, if you drink the wrong water is also very dangerous. Do not wait until you are thirsty to drink water, when there are symptoms of dark yellow urine, thirst and upset or fatigue headache, it means that the body's cells have been dehydrated, and the ideal state can be scientifically hydrated according to the temperature. When the temperature is mild and cool, it is recommended that women drink at least 1500 ml of water per day, men 1800 ml, hot weather or sweating after exercise to increase water drinking.
Second, pay attention to electrolyte replenishment. "If you have sweated a lot, due to sweat leading to a large loss of electrolytes, you can not simply supplement plain water at this time, otherwise dilutive hyponatremia may occur. In this case, you can choose the electrolyte drinks sold in supermarkets, in addition to containing potassium, sodium, chloride and other ions, but also contain a little sugar, provide energy for physical activity, but also nourish the intestinal mucosa to maintain its normal function, so as to absorb water more effectively, prevent hypoglycemia, and replenish hydration more scientifically and efficiently. Zhang Qian said.
In addition, for some people who have to engage in outdoor operations or activities in high temperature and humidity environments, Zhang Qian suggested that they should pay attention to their personal physical condition at all times and rest in time. On the one hand, try not to work when the sun is too strong, let alone work in the heat for a long time. On the other hand, it is recommended to actively hydrate in time, preferably electrolyte drinks or sugar saline, to maintain fluid balance by timely and effective hydration and multiple electrolytes.
What measures can I take to deal with heat stroke?
Zhang Qian said that the essence of heat stroke is that the body cannot maintain normal body temperature due to the body's failure to dissipate heat in time, resulting in a series of acute diseases mainly manifested by central nervous system and or cardiovascular dysfunction. Specifically, it can be divided into three categories: aura heat stroke, mild heat stroke, and severe heat stroke, of which heat stroke is the most serious type of heat stroke, and if it is not treated in time and effectively, the mortality rate is extremely high.
"Heat stroke does not appear suddenly, but gradually worsens. If there are symptoms of heat stroke such as dizziness, nausea, fatigue, palpitation, heavy sweating, chest tightness and shortness of breath, it must be paid attention to and dealt with in time. Zhang Qian reminded everyone that after finding heat stroke, you can start to deal with it from three aspects: First, get out of the high temperature and humidity environment as soon as possible and move to a ventilated and cool place or cool room, such as an air-conditioned room. Second, replenish water, conscious people drink electrolyte drinks in time, unconscious people should not forcibly irrigate water, should be sent to the hospital in time. Third, unbutton the neckline, tie, etc., expose the skin as much as possible, keep the surrounding ventilation, and also sprinkle cool water and fans on the patient to quickly cool down.
"If the condition is severe and the person suffering from heat stroke is delirious and cold with cold limbs and pale face, raising the feet can relieve the symptoms of shock and immediately take him to the hospital." Zhang Qian said that under normal circumstances, the following five situations should be treated in time: first, the body temperature continues to rise, even exceeding 40 °C; second, persistent headache; Third, muscle spasms, especially involuntary twitching of the muscles of the limbs; Fourth, shallow and fast breathing, mainly manifested as accelerated breathing speed, more than 20 times / min, small inhalation and exhalation; Fifth, nausea, wanting to vomit but unable to vomit.
In Zhang Qian's view, the hot summer can be a key prevention for some people who are prone to heat stroke, such as high temperature, high humidity environment work, exercise people, people who do not sleep enough and rest insufficiently, larger people, and the elderly, children, pregnant women, etc. with poor physical fitness are relatively prone to heat stroke and need more attention. At the same time, doing a good job in daily health management can also help prevent heat stroke, such as eating breakfast, avoiding lack of sleep, maintaining exercise, and so on.
7 common misconceptions about heat stroke
Most people know a little about heat stroke, but most people have "misunderstandings", that is, wrong perceptions. In Zhang Qian's view, common "misperceptions" can be summarized into 7 aspects: outdoor heat stroke, heat stroke in hot days, heat stroke fainting, lotus fragrance positive qi treatment of heat stroke, oral antipyretic drugs to cool down, one-time drinking a large amount of water to relieve heat and alcohol rubbing bath to cool down.
Zhang Qian explained that heat stroke is caused by the imbalance of the body's thermoregulation function, not without going out to stay at home will be fine, if the home environment is stuffy and poorly ventilated, long-term in such an environment will also suffer from heat stroke. If the heat dissipation conditions are too poor, the weather is not hot may also cause heat stroke, such as confinement fear of wind, or cold and fever with a quilt to cover sweat, etc., will affect the body's heat dissipation, resulting in a short period of rapid increase in body heat and electrolyte imbalance in the body, inducing heat stroke.
"There is no first aid effect in pinching, the first thing to do in heat stroke is to cool down and get rid of the heat source, and pinching can only stimulate pain, which is no different from pinching the thighs." Zhang Qian said that for comatose patients, aspiration and asphyxiation may be caused by painful stimulation that makes the injured person's airway more unobstructed, but there is a potential risk of aggravation of the disease.
In addition, for the common use of Huo Xiang Zhengqi to treat heat stroke, Zhang Qian explained that the indication of Huo Xiang Zhengqi Water is to deform dampness, rationalize qi and neutralize, and use it for colds caused by external wind cold, internal injury dampness or summer injury and summer humidity, excluding heat stroke. And the alcohol components in Huo Xiang Zhengqi water may aggravate dehydration, cause electrolyte imbalances, and aggravate heat stroke symptoms, so it is not recommended.
Of course, it is also wrong to cool down with oral antipyretics after heat stroke, because the mechanism of heat stroke fever is different from that caused by bacterial or viral infections. "The fever caused by heat stroke is because the heat caused by the blockage of the body's heat dissipation center accumulates in the body, and it is impossible to dissipate heat through sweating; Antipyretics mainly use sweating of the body to achieve the purpose of cooling. Taking antipyretics after heat stroke can further cause excessive sweating and exacerbate water and electrolyte losses, thereby aggravating the condition. Zhang Qian said.
In addition to the preferred physical cooling after heat stroke, scientific hydration is also key. Zhang Qian said that after heat stroke, scientific hydration is needed, but it is by no means a one-time fierce drinking of boiled water or mineral water, it is best to choose electrolyte drinks, medical rehydration salts, and to drink in small amounts, many times, divided mouths. Because a lot of sweating will be accompanied by the loss of electrolytes, if you just drink a lot of white water, it will lead to dilution hyponatremia in the body, and severe cases can lead to cerebral edema coma.
In addition, the reason why it is not recommended to cool down with an alcohol rub bath Zhang Qian explained is because alcohol evaporation takes away heat far less efficiently than water evaporation. "Alcohol scrub baths may dilate blood vessels on the body surface, aggravate water loss in the body, and cause electrolyte imbalance." Zhang Qian said.
In short, the most effective way to prevent heat stroke is to avoid high temperature and high humidity environments as much as possible, do a good job of ventilation, pay attention to heat dissipation, and replenish electrolytes in time. Oral rehydration salts and electrolyte drinks are acceptable. In fact, if you are more concerned about portability and taste, there are also solid electrolyte drinks sold on the market, which are very convenient to carry, and can be carried with you in the sauna weather, soon it will be a three-volt day, and you must pay more attention to heat and hydration, do not be careless.
Source: Beijing Daily
Editor/Liu Bin
Review/Qiao Hong
Executive Producer/Zhou Zhifei
In 2023
China Women's Daily