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Heat exhaustion
Urgent care is needed when warm temperatures place people in risk or
heat stroke or heat exhaustion. Many people errantly use the terms heat
exhaustion and heat stroke interchangeably. The only similarity between the two
is that the conditions result from overexposure to the sun. However, when it
comes to overexposure, heat exhaustion is less dangerous than heat stroke. Both
conditions are caused by the same basic processes. Your body maintains its
internal temperature through evaporative cooling, otherwise known as sweating.
When you are properly hydrated (have plenty to drink) and your body is
functioning properly, your sweat glands push heated fluids through your skin,
and the atmosphere wicks away that heat.
Heat exhaustion occurs when your
body temperature rises above its normal 98.6-degrees. If you are not
properly hydrated, your body does not have the necessary fluids to release heat
as sweat. When the body loses its ability to cool itself, body heat climbs
above the normal body temperature of 98.6 degrees, but remains less than 106
degrees, the condition is characterized as heat exhaustion.
Explaining the danger of heat stroke
Heat exhaustion can ruin your day and possibly keep you in bed for another;
however, heat stroke is an extremely serious condition that requires emergency
care. Heat stroke can be life-threatening if not treated immediately. If you observe
someone:
- in a hot environment who is not sweating and has reddened skin
- has an internal temperature of more than 106 degrees Fahrenheit
They need to seek emergency care as soon as possible. Heat exhaustion
is the far more common than heat stroke, that is why you should know where the
nearest urgent care center is, in order to help heat exhaustion victims before
heat stroke has a chance to set in.
Convenient, walk-in care for
Germantown, MD
We all want the best for our families, especially when it comes to
general healthcare and occupational medicine. Medical Access provides
convenient walk-in care as an alternative to long waits in the emergency room.
Their friendly staff will carefully and quickly assess your needs and provide
the appropriate services, from preventive medicine to x-ray and lab services.
Their facilities are fully staffed and equipped in order to meet the demands of
their patients and their healthcare needs.
Dr. Manbir Takhar is the Chief Medical Officer, and has been associated
with Medical Access since 1999. She is qualified to treat almost any type of
injury or illness that may present itself. In addition to these qualifications,
she is also a Civil Surgeon and Medical Review Officer. This designation is
granted by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, making Medical
Access one of the select facilities for immigration physicals. Call them today
or simply drop in, as no appointment is needed to receive timely, quality
urgent care for fevers or any non life-threatening health issues.
