Discover Six Effects Of Heat On The Body
The effects of heat on the body manifest themselves when the system that regulates body temperature begins to fail. If this system does not regulate itself, then heat can lead to life-threatening situations.
Humans have a bodily system that is prepared to maintain a temperature of about 37 ° C. This body temperature helps the organs to function normally. Undesirable effects appear when the body temperature changes. When it undergoes enormous changes, pathological symptoms manifest themselves. Both hypothermia and hyperthermia can lead to death.
Heat on the body: this is how the body controls the effects
The body has two mechanisms for dissipating heat:
- Increased blood supply to the skin. The body produces heat exchange with the environment by causing vasodilation in the skin. This means that excess heat is released so that it does not affect the organs.
- Sweating. It removes excess heat by evaporation. Sweat cools the body as it evaporates. The human body is equipped with sweat glands that can eliminate up to half a liter of sweat per hour.
Sweating can reach a limit when the environment is too hot, at temperatures above 35 ° C. If the body discovers that the loss of fluid and salt in sweat can lead to dehydration, the body postpones sweating. At that time, it is possible that the effect of heat that we will detail below will manifest itself in the body.
The effects of heat on the body
Bad breath
Dehydration affects all bodily tissues. One of the affected tissues is the oral mucosa. A dehydrated oral mucosa dries the mouth due to lack of saliva. Bacteria spread without saliva since one of the defense mechanisms is exhausted. The spread of bacteria causes bad breath, or halitosis.
Heat cramps
Sweat removes not only fluid from the body but also salt and electrolytes. The human body needs electrolytes for cellular functions. One of the tissues that requires the most salt is muscle tissue.
Therefore, you may suffer from muscle cramps or spasms in your extremities if you sweat too much and lose too much electrolytes. This is a warning sign. If you get hot flashes, stop physical activity and drink something. The next step is exhaustion if it is not prevented.
Overheating
When you do not follow the necessary precautions, loss of fluid and salt through sweat can lead to physical exhaustion, especially in situations where you exert yourself physically.
Overall, the symptoms of overheating include:
- Tachycardia
- Generalized exhaustion
- Irritability
- Hyperventilation
- Hypotension
Heat Disease ( Heat illness )
This clinical situation is similar to overheating. The difference, however, is that heat illness is caused by prolonged exposure to the sun. A person suffers from heat illness when their regulatory mechanisms fail due to this prolonged exposure to the sun.
The symptoms of heat illness are:
- Headache
- Exhaustion
- Blood rise in the face
- Nausea and vomiting
- Thirst
Syncope caused by heat
Syncope (fainting) caused by heat has several causes. One of them is the effect of heat on the body. Extreme heat causes excessive vasodilation and redistribution of blood, which reduces the blood supply to the brain.
Syncope caused by heat is a clinical condition caused by the lack of blood supply to maintain proper irrigation in the brain. Since it is not enough to reach the brain, it also does not get enough oxygen and the central nervous system activates a control mechanism.
The adjustment mechanism tries to ensure that the body is in a horizontal position to improve the blood supply to the brain. Therefore, fainting is the symptom of syncope caused by heat. In general, it is preceded by blurred vision and hesitation. Fortunately, you recover quickly. The brain gets enough blood when the body is in a horizontal position.
Heat stroke
The most serious form of the harmful effects of heat on the body is heat stroke. This can lead to death and be considered a medical emergency.
The first symptoms are symptoms of overheating or heat stroke. When these situations are not resolved in the short term, they develop into heatstroke.
How to prevent the effects of heat on the body
You can take some basic measures to prevent the harmful effects of heat on your body. Following them can prevent a dangerous outcome. Prevention consists of:
- Good daily hydration
- Not to expose yourself to the sun for extended periods without protection.
- Stop all work and exercise activities if or when you develop symptoms of heat cramps or overheating.
