Heatstroke can be serious and come on suddenly. It most frequently affects older people, young children and people who exercise in the heat. The skin becomes hot and red, perspiration may be absent or profuse, the pulse fast and strong. There may also be confusion, stupor and even unconsciousness, as well as, headaches, nausea and in extreme cases convulsions. There is a failure for the body to regulate a normal temperature and reach very high (40C or higher).
If this is the case, the body must be cooled immediately, by removing their clothing and getting them to a cool place, immersing them in cool water or rubbing them with a cool wet cloth or ice and fanning them until their temperature comes down. The first priority is to get their temperature down while keeping them cool and their temperature down.
Heat exhaustion develops gradually when the body is exposed to hot weather and sun, and the person loses water and salt through excessive sweating.
In both cases of heatstroke and exhaustion people will be abnormally sensitive to heat for sometime afterwards, so avoid exposure.
Homeopathic remedies can be used in cases of acute heatstroke and exhaustion to help relieve immediate symptoms quickly and gently especially if you are in remote area far from immediate help, in the case of hiking and biking in the back country or out on a boat or kayak and as well at home. Here is a list of commonly used homeopathic remedies used for heatstroke and heat exhaustion. Remember with homeopathic remedies match the symptoms of the person to one of the homeopathic remedies below.
Belladonna – face is very red and hot, throbbing headache, sensitivity to light, symptoms are better by bending the head backwards, sitting quietly and keeping the head uncovered and stupor.
Glonoine – also has a high temperature, pulsating, bursting headaches that are better from pressure, worse from bending the head backwards and applying cold water, which can sometimes cause spasms. Better uncovering and being in the open air. Red flushed face and confusion.
Veratrum Album – profuse sweating and clammy. Weakness to the point of collapse and faintness. The body feels cold and stiff, especially the feet, hands and face. Nausea and possibly vomiting from exposure to heat and sun can occur.
Cuprum Metallicum – is similar to Veratrum Album but will have cramping and twitching/jerking and convulsions of the muscles.
Natrum Carbonicum – weakness, nausea and diarrhea from exposure from sun. There will not be the same intensity of symptoms as the other remedies above, but there will be a lot of weakness with dizziness.
These remedies can be given immediately and frequently in a 30c potency, every 15 minutes, until symptoms are relieved. Try at least 3- 5 doses of the remedy that best matches the symptoms of the person to that of the homeopathic remedy. If there is no change after 5 doses than choose a better matching remedy.
I am available for acute consultations online if you would like extra support and you are having difficulties with home prescribing. Please visit my online booking calendar or contact me directly.
For those individuals that have a chronic sensitivity to heat and sun or if they have become sensitive from over exposure to heat or sun, professional homeopathic treatment can help relieve this susceptibility. This is a chronic and complex condition and can be helped through constitutional homeopathic treatment so that you or your child are not as susceptible to heat and the sun.