How to treat heat-related health problems
NHS Direct has identified the most common heat-related symptoms, based on call volumes received in a hot spell last year, to provide the most effective advice now summer heat appears to be here.
NHS Direct received over 2,000 heat-related calls between 27 June - 2 July last year. The top reasons for calling were heat exhaustion, insect bites and stings, sun burn, fainting, breathing difficulties and hay fever.
Helen Young, Chief Nurse at NHS Direct says:
“We would recommend people follow advice on how to prevent heat-related health problems as most symptoms are really easy to avoid if you take sensible precautions. NHS Direct can help people prepare for the hot weather and there are great tips available online.
“Our nurses and trained health advisors are ready to advise patients on the best ways to treat any heat-related conditions. In the majority of cases, NHS Direct can provide advice so that people can manage their heat-related symptoms at home or with help from their local pharmacist, meaning that they do not have to go and see their GP or attend A&E.”
Self care advice from NHS Direct 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Heat exhaustion
Heat exhaustion occurs when the temperature inside the body, known as the core temperature, rises to 37-40°C (98.6-104°F). If someone is suffering from suspected heat exhaustion the advice includes:
• Stay out of the sun.
• Rest in a cool place - ideally a room with air conditioning, a fan or at least, somewhere that is in the shade.
• Drink plenty of fluids - this should either be water, or a rehydration drink such as a sports drink. Avoid alcohol or caffeine as this can increase levels of dehydration.
• Take a cool shower or bath - equally as effective is a damp flannel on the back of the neck, or spraying or splashing your face and the back of your neck.
• Loosen any unnecessary clothing and get plenty of ventilation.
Babies, young children, the elderly and people with severe or chronic illness are at greater risk of developing heat exhaustion and should take extra care. People taking certain medication such as amphetamines, antipsychotics, beta-blockers and calcium-channel blockers and diuretics, may also find that these medications can interfere with the body’s ability to regulate its temperature and make them more vulnerable.
Insect bites/stings
In England, most insect bites will only cause mild discomfort and can be treated at home, and advice includes:
• Do not scratch the bite or sting. If the insect has left any deposit in the bite or sting, scratching it can cause you to rub it in, making the bite or sting worse
• If you can see the sting has been left behind remove it carefully using your finger nail, the edge of a credit card or a blunt knife.
• Gently wash the area where the sting was with soap and water. Pat the area dry – don’t rub it as this can irritate the skin further.
• A cool compress (such as a cold, wet flannel) can help soothe and cool the area.
• If you are in pain, consult NHS Direct or your local pharmacist about the medicines you can take.
Sun burn
Regularly applying a factor 30 or higher suncream will give you protection from harmful UVA and UVB sunrays. However if you are sunburnt, there are a number of things you can do to help manage the condition at home, and advice includes:
• Take a cool bath or shower to help ease the pain of sunburn.
• Leave any blisters alone, do not break them open or pop them. If they open on their own, clean the area with water to keep it clean and avoid infection.
• Do not apply anything to the burn including ointment, cream, oil, butter, spray, or any other household remedy.
• If no blisters appear, use after-sun lotion to soothe the sunburn. Ask NHS Direct or a pharmacist for advice on applying after-sun on children under 5 years of age.
Fainting
Fainting can be the result of being in a hot and stuffy environment for a long period, or because of dehydration, and advice includes:
• If you know or suspect that someone is going to faint, you should help the person lie down, preferably in a position where their head is low and their legs are raised.
• If it is not possible for the person who is feeling faint to lie down, sit them down with their head between their knees. Gently, but firmly, push their head down, while they try to push their head upwards. This will encourage the blood to flow to their brain, reducing their symptoms and helping them to recover more quickly.
• If, when a person faints, they do not regain consciousness within 1-2 minutes, you should put them into the recovery position. Lie the person on their side, with their chin up slightly so that they can breathe easily. You should then alert the emergency services, and stay with the person until medical help arrives.
Hay fever
The best way to control an allergy is to avoid the trigger. However, it is difficult to avoid pollen, particularly during the summer months.
There is a range of products available to treat the symptoms of hay fever. For them to be most effective, it is best to try to minimise your exposure to pollen by avoiding tasks such as mowing the lawn, and by staying indoors when the pollen count is high.
The types of hay fever treatment available include antihistamine tablets or nasal sprays; steroid nasal sprays and drops, and eye drops. If you have severe, long-term hay fever, immunotherapy or desensitisation treatment may be an option.
Other things to try include: keeping windows and doors shut; wearing wrap-around sunglasses; keeping car windows closed and considering buying a pollen filter for the air vents; keeping fresh flowers out of the house, and applying vaseline around the edge of the nostrils to stop pollen from entering the nasal passages.
Breathing difficulties
People with serious chronic or respiratory conditions are more prone to breathing difficulties as a result of the hot weather. Many prescription medicines can reduce a person’s tolerance of heat, but they should continue to take their medicine and take extra care to keep cool.
Breathing difficulties can also affect young children, especially if they are suffering from heat exhaustion. If a child’s breathing becomes fast and shallow it’s important to cool them down by removing their clothes, putting a fan on them or applying a cold cloth to their face and body. They also need to drink plenty of water to re-hydrate.
NHS Direct’s advice for all symptoms is that if they worsen, or the initial advice provided is not working, additional help should be sought immediately, either through NHS Direct, a GP or a pharmacist.
NHS Direct is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week or on the web (nhs.uk/nhsdirect).