What You Should Know About Heat Stroke and TIA Stroke

Heat stroke and TIA stroke are disorders that are highly preventable if you know how to take care of yourself. Prevention starts by learning about what diseases are such as their causes, signs and symptoms and the particular treatment methods. When you are aware of these information, then you will be able to avoid these disorders.

Heat stroke or also referred to as sun stroke is a medical condition that is life-threatening, brought about by increased body temperature that eventually causes damage to the different organs of the body. According to statistics, there are about 700 people who die yearly of heat stroke in the United States. Heat stroke happens when the temperature of the body goes beyond 40.5 degree Celsius and when the cooling system of the body stops working. This is a medical emergency that needs to be promptly treated since it can lead to death.

There are two ways in which heat stroke happens. The first one is when the cooling mechanisms of a person are impaired and the other is when a person does strenuous activities in a very hot environment. Those who are at risk of developing sun stroke are infants, athletes, the elderly and those who work outdoors. The signs and symptoms of heat stroke include nausea and vomiting, fatigue and body weakness, headaches, dizziness and muscle cramps. There is also the absence of perspiration and extremely high body temperature, rapid pulse, flushed and red skin, difficulty of breathing, confusion, disorientation and seizures.

To treat heat stroke, rehydration is very important to ensure that the blood flow within the body is still normal. Oral fluids are important such as cool sports drinks with less glucose. If oral fluids are not tolerated, then IV fluids should be used. The person should also be staying in a cool environment and adequate rest is required. There are different methods of making the body cool down, including evaporation, immersion and placing ice packs under the armpits and the groin. However, the temperature should be brought down and maintained at 38.5 – 39 degree Celsius so as not to make the body too cold.

On the other hand, transient ischemic attack or TIA stroke is a neurologic disorder caused by a blood clot in the brain, spinal cord or the retina. This is also called mini stroke since tissue death does not happen even if there is a disruption in the cerebral blood flow. It should not be taken lightly since when it is not treated, worse attacks can happen that will eventually lead to ischemic stroke.

The manifestations of TIA stroke include weakness and numbness that occurs in the face, the arms or the legs that happens suddenly, and is usually localized on one side of the body. There can also be confusion, slurred speech, blurring of vision, inability to maintain balance and coordination, dizziness and headache. These symptoms can occur rapidly and can last for only a short time. However, you should seek for immediate treatment since this can lead to a major stroke. The treatment is focused on lowering down the blood pressure, the cholesterol and lipid levels. There will be medications given to you such as aspirin to help dissolve the clot and prevent further clot formation. There will also be blood pressure lowering medications, anti-platelet drugs and medicines that lower down your cholesterol levels.

If TIA stroke and heat stroke are not treated immediately, there are several complications that can happen. But you can always avoid them when you know how to avoid having these disorders.