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Hyperthermia refers to a group of heat-related illnesses that include (in order of severity):
Heat Cramps: Muscle cramps might develop if you sweat a lot and lose a lot of body electrolytes. Arms, hands, lower legs, and feet are frequently affected by heat cramps.
Heat Exhaustion: Heat exhaustion is a much more serious condition than heat cramps. It's possible that your body temperature is as high as 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Heatstroke can occur as a result of heat exhaustion.
Heat Rash: It is a skin irritation that occurs when you sweat excessively in hot, humid weather. It resembles a cluster of small red pimples or blisters. Heat rash commonly appears in the creases of your elbows, beneath your breasts, around your groin, or on your upper chest and neck.
Heat Stress: If you have a job that needs you to work in hot weather, you may experience occupational heat stress. Firefighters, miners, and construction workers are just a few examples. Heat exhaustion or heatstroke can occur as a result of heat stress.
Heat Stroke: Heatstroke is the most severe form of hyperthermia which occurs when your body temperature rises above 104 degrees Fahrenheit. It can affect your brain and other organs.
Malignant hyperthermia: It is a hereditary condition that can result in hyperthermia if you are given a specific mix of sedatives and anesthesia for medical procedures. Your body temperature can dangerously increase during or after surgery if you have this disease. People with malignant hyperthermia may react to certain drugs the first time they are exposed, but it is more common after several exposures.
Hyperthermia is different from a fever. Your body temperature increases above a particular "set-point" controlled by your hypothalamus when you have hyperthermia. On the other hand, your hypothalamus increases your body's set-point temperature when you have a fever. Your body's attempt to fight off a disease or infection is reflected in this intentional rise in body temperature.
Sweat is your body's natural cooling mechanism, but it isn't always enough to keep you at a normal temperature. Your body temperature may rise as a result of this. The most prevalent cause of hyperthermia is physical exertion in extremely hot and humid weather.
Heat illness can affect anyone, but you're at a higher risk if you:
The following can be some of the symptoms of hyperthermia:
Your healthcare provider diagnoses hyperthermia by examining your symptoms, conducting a physical examination, and testing your temperature. Blood or urine tests may also be ordered.
Heatstroke is usually apparent to doctors, but laboratory tests can confirm the diagnosis, rule out other possible causes, and assess organ damage. They may order the following tests:
Blood Tests: To check your blood sodium or potassium levels, as well as the content of gases in your blood, to determine if your central nervous system has been damaged.
Urine Tests: To examine the color of your urine, which will be darker if you have a heat-related disorder, as well as your kidney function, which might be affected by heatstroke.
Muscle Function Tests: To determine whether or not your muscle tissue has been seriously damaged (rhabdomyolysis).
Imaging: To see if your internal organs have been damaged.
If a person suspects hyperthermia, they should immediately stop what they're doing and get to a cool, shady area with adequate airflow. If heat cramps persist more than an hour after resting in a cool environment or if general symptoms do not subside after 30 minutes of rest and care, medical help should be sought.
Your healthcare provider may administer electrolyte-containing intravenous fluids, as well as cold fluids, once you arrive at the hospital. Individuals will be closely monitored until their symptoms subside and their body temperature returns to normal, which could take several hours. Severe or complicated cases of heat stroke may require further emergency medication and treatment, such as if organ failure, seizure, or other medical conditions have developed. Severe cases of hyperthermia often require hospitalization and observation for several days until the patient is fully recovered.
Some types of hyperthermia can cause various complications depending on the duration of continuous raised body temperature. For example, heatstroke can cause your brain or other vital organs to swell, potentially causing permanent damage if you don't respond quickly enough to lower your body temperature and can be fatal if not treated promptly and adequately.
Some types of hyperthermia can cause various complications depending on the duration of continuous raised body temperature. For example, heatstroke can cause your brain or other vital organs to swell, potentially causing permanent damage if you don't respond quickly enough to lower your body temperature and can be fatal if not treated promptly and adequately.
When people rest in a cool environment and replace lost electrolytes, they usually recover completely from heat illnesses. On the other hand, heatstroke can cause permanent organ damage that may be life-threatening.
When people rest in a cool environment and replace lost electrolytes, they usually recover completely from heat illnesses. On the other hand, heatstroke can cause permanent organ damage that may be life-threatening.
In the majority of cases, hyperthermia can be prevented.
Our clinical experts continually monitor the health and medical content posted on CURA4U, and we update our blogs and articles when new information becomes available. Last reviewed by Dr.Saad Zia on May 03, 2023.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22111-hyperthermia
Hyperthermia, or overheating, is a condition in which the body temperature is abnormally high. When your body produces or absorbs more heat than it can dissipate, you experience hyperthermia. The average temperature of a human body is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. A body temperature of 99 or 100 degrees Fahrenheit is considered high. Hyperthermia comes in a variety of forms. Heat cramps are milder than heat exhaustion, which is more severe. Heatstroke is the most severe type of hyperthermia, and it can be fatal.
Hyperthermia, or overheating, is a condition in which the body temperature is abnormally high. When your body produces or absorbs more heat than it can dissipate, you experience hyperthermia. The average temperature of a human body is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. A body temperature of 99 or 100 degrees Fahrenheit is considered high. Hyperthermia comes in a variety of forms. Heat cramps are milder than heat exhaustion, which is more severe. Heatstroke is the most severe type of hyperthermia, and it can be fatal.