Excess heat escapes through sweating, exhalation of warmed air, and increased blood flow to the skin. But hot weather can overwhelm those mechanisms, leading to a wide array of uncomfortable symptoms. If nothing is done to remedy these symptoms, serious harm even life-threatening problems can occur. The following are the three most dangerous types of heat-related ailments listed in order of severity. Additional symptom include clammy skin, diarrhea, rapid pulse, vomiting, and weakness.
Heat stroke can be fatal depending upon severity and treatment.
Symptoms include confusion, agitation, hyperventilation, racing pulse, lethargy, convulsions, and eventually loss of consciousness. The body temperature rises to extremely high levels, sometimes above 110 degrees Fahrenheit, which can damage major organs. If you are aware of the danger signs of heat-related illnesses, life threatening situations can be avoided. You also need to keep in mind that symptoms can develop over several days or strike during a single burst of strenuous activity. Two conditions, which signal that your body is under extreme stress from heat, are heat edema, and prickly heat.