Heat Cramps: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

In this Article

• Heat Cramps Overview
• Causes of Heat Cramps
• Symptoms of Heat Cramps
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Heat Cramp Treatment
• Home Remedies for Heat Cramps
• Preventing Heat Cramps

Heat cramps are painful, brief muscle cramps. Muscles may spasm or jerk involuntarily. Heat cramps can occur during exercise or work in a hot environment or begin a few hours later.

Heat cramps usually involve muscles that are fatigued by heavy work, such as calves, thighs, and shoulders.

• You are most at risk if you are doing work or activities in a hot environment — usually during the first few days of an activity you’re not used to.
• You are also at risk if you sweat a great deal during exercise and drink large amounts of water or other fluids that lack salt.

The exact cause of heat cramps is unknown. They are probably related to electrolyte problems. Electrolytes include various essential minerals, such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. They are involved in chemical reactions in your muscles. An imbalance can cause problems.

Sweat contains a large amount of sodium, and drinking fluids with inadequate sodium content may result in a serious low-sodium condition called hyponatremia. Some factories have virtually eliminated heat cramps in their workers by supplying salt-enriched fluids.

Muscle spasms that are:

• Painful
• Involuntary
• Brief
• Intermittent
• Usually self-limited (go away on their own)

Heat cramps can be quite painful. Consider seeking medical attention if the symptoms do not go away with rest and after restoring fluid and electrolytes.

Call your doctor if these conditions develop:

• If you are unable to drink sufficient fluids because you have nausea or are vomiting, you may need IV rehydration with normal saline.
• Heat cramps may accompany heat exhaustion.
• If you have more severe symptoms of heat illness, including dizziness, fatigue, vomiting, headache, fast heartbeat, shortness of breath, or a high temperature (greater than 104 degrees), get immediate medical care.

The doctor will check you for more severe heat illness and possibly provide you with IV fluid rehydration.

Heat cramps usually go away on their own, but you can try one of these home remedies:

• Rest in a cool place and drink a sports drink, which has electrolytes and salt, or drink cool water.
• Make your own salt solution by mixing 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon table salt dissolved in a quart of water.

Salt tablets by themselves should not be used. They can cause stomach upset and don’t adequately replace fluid volume lost.

If you work in a hot environment, you may experience heat cramps during the first few days on the job. Once you get used to the environment, and make sure you have adequate fluid replacement, you are less likely to have problems.

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Heat Cramps: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

In this Article

• Heat Cramps Overview
• Causes of Heat Cramps
• Symptoms of Heat Cramps
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Heat Cramp Treatment
• Home Remedies for Heat Cramps
• Preventing Heat Cramps

Heat cramps are painful, brief muscle cramps. Muscles may spasm or jerk involuntarily. Heat cramps can occur during exercise or work in a hot environment or begin a few hours later.

Heat cramps usually involve muscles that are fatigued by heavy work, such as calves, thighs, and shoulders.

• You are most at risk if you are doing work or activities in a hot environment — usually during the first few days of an activity you’re not used to.
• You are also at risk if you sweat a great deal during exercise and drink large amounts of water or other fluids that lack salt.

The exact cause of heat cramps is unknown. They are probably related to electrolyte problems. Electrolytes include various essential minerals, such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. They are involved in chemical reactions in your muscles. An imbalance can cause problems.

Sweat contains a large amount of sodium, and drinking fluids with inadequate sodium content may result in a serious low-sodium condition called hyponatremia. Some factories have virtually eliminated heat cramps in their workers by supplying salt-enriched fluids.

Muscle spasms that are:

• Painful
• Involuntary
• Brief
• Intermittent
• Usually self-limited (go away on their own)

Heat cramps can be quite painful. Consider seeking medical attention if the symptoms do not go away with rest and after restoring fluid and electrolytes.

Call your doctor if these conditions develop:

• If you are unable to drink sufficient fluids because you have nausea or are vomiting, you may need IV rehydration with normal saline.
• Heat cramps may accompany heat exhaustion.
• If you have more severe symptoms of heat illness, including dizziness, fatigue, vomiting, headache, fast heartbeat, shortness of breath, or a high temperature (greater than 104 degrees), get immediate medical care.

The doctor will check you for more severe heat illness and possibly provide you with IV fluid rehydration.

Heat cramps usually go away on their own, but you can try one of these home remedies:

• Rest in a cool place and drink a sports drink, which has electrolytes and salt, or drink cool water.
• Make your own salt solution by mixing 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon table salt dissolved in a quart of water.

Salt tablets by themselves should not be used. They can cause stomach upset and don’t adequately replace fluid volume lost.

If you work in a hot environment, you may experience heat cramps during the first few days on the job. Once you get used to the environment, and make sure you have adequate fluid replacement, you are less likely to have problems.

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first aid, how it happens, stages, how to avoid and how to help a person with overheating of the body

From Friday to Sunday, I work in the country without straightening up, and this year it is very hot on weekends. I wear a panama hat, but I’m still afraid of heatstroke. Tell me how to protect myself from it and how to act if I still overheat.

Daniil Davydov

medical journalist

Author profile

If you work in the heat for a long time, the risk of getting heat or sunstroke increases even for those who wear a hat. At the same time, it is not difficult to protect yourself from heat stroke: it is enough to drink water from time to time and work in the sun without a break for no longer than 15-20 minutes.

What is heatstroke

Heatstroke, sometimes called sunstroke, is the second stage of overheating. This condition develops if a person is exposed to heat for a long time, for example, is outside during the heat, and the sweat that his skin secretes is not enough to cool the body. The different stages of this condition vary in severity.

What diseases are associated with overheating – Medlineplus international medical guide

At first, a person sweats a lot, breathes heavily and often and is thirsty. This is a normal reaction to the heat: this is how the body gives a sign that the time has come to rest in the shade. If this is not done, symptoms of overheating begin to develop.

Stage 1: heat exhaustion. As a rule, in healthy adults, this condition occurs if you spend several days under the scorching sun on the street, in a tent camp or in the garden and drink rarely and little. With heat exhaustion, a person becomes ill: he feels weak, his head is spinning or hurts, he feels sick, the skin becomes cool and moist, and the pulse is weak but frequent.

Heat exhaustion – Mayo Clinic

Some people have heat cramps at this stage. These are muscle pains or spasms that occur in the arms, legs, or abdomen when working or exercising in hot weather. The cause of cramps is the lack of salt, which is lost with sweat. The cramps will go away if you sit in the shade, drink juice, mineral water or a sports drink with electrolytes, and take a break from the load for a few hours.

Heat cramps: first aid – Mayo Clinic

Although heat exhaustion usually takes several days to develop, it must be remembered that a healthy adult’s body can effectively cool itself in the heat for only two to three hours. If after this time you do not go to a cool place or shade, do not drink and do not take a break from work, an exhausted body can get a heat stroke in just 10-15 minutes.

Stage 2: heat stroke. This is a life-threatening condition in which the body loses the ability to sweat and cool itself in the heat. As a result, the body temperature rises to +40 °C and higher.

At +40 °C, enzymes begin to break down — substances that control all chemical processes in the cells that make up our body. At the same time, overheating is more dangerous than high temperature in infectious diseases.

The effect of temperature on enzyme activity – an international student project Science

When sick, the body raises body temperature to slow down the reproduction of bacteria, viruses, and pathogenic fungi. As soon as the temperature gets too high, the brain tells the body to stop heating up. As a rule, he has time before overheating can harm. That is why in most cases it is better to get sick with a temperature than without it.

What is the difference between a high temperature in illness and overheating – an international textbook for medical students “Medical Physiology”PDF, 25.6 MB

In contrast to the temperature in illness, overheating is an uncontrollable process. Since the body heats up without any effort from the brain, it cannot turn off the “built-in oven” if the temperature rises too high. If you do not take emergency measures to cool the body during heat stroke, enzymes can break down due to overheating, and the person risks death.

Heat stroke happens to people who are already in the stage of heat exhaustion. In this situation, in addition to lightheadedness and a frequent weak pulse, the following signs are added:

1. The person does not understand well what is happening around, everything is floating before his eyes. He may panic or lose consciousness.
2. Skin becomes dry, hot and red.

How different people develop heatstroke

Everyone is at risk of overheating. But the circumstances under which different groups of people get heatstroke are different.

Classic Heat Stroke in Adults – An International Physician’s Guide Uptodate

Classic Heat Stroke without Exercise usually occurs in young children and people over 50 years of age. In childhood, thermoregulation is still imperfect, and older people overheat much faster than young people.

The older the person, the faster he overheats – Journal of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine

In addition, overweight people, patients with disabilities and chronic diseases in which thermoregulation is disturbed are more at risk of getting heat stroke without physical activity. These are, for example, diseases of the cardiovascular system, neurological or mental disorders and anhidrosis, when a person cannot sweat normally. Some drugs, such as blood pressure lowering diuretics and beta-blockers, also interfere with thermoregulation.

Young healthy people get heatstroke without physical activity much less often, as their body copes well with heat. But even among them there is a risk group – those who quench their thirst with alcoholic beverages. Ethyl alcohol makes it difficult to regulate body temperature and increases the likelihood of heat stroke, even when just lying on a beach chair.

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Thermal shock during exercise usually occurs in healthy young people who perform energy-intensive exercise or work outdoors in high temperatures. The risk increases when heat is combined with high humidity. When the air is humid, the skin produces less sweat, so the body cannot cool properly.

How to deal with heat stroke

Helping yourself with heat stroke is hard on your own: this condition is very unsettling. To avoid this, you need to carefully monitor your well-being and take measures at the first signs of heat exhaustion.

If a person is very hot, behaves inappropriately, or has lost consciousness, an ambulance must be called. But while she is driving, you can provide first aid to the victim.

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Here’s how to help someone with heat stroke.

✅ If the victim is conscious and able to drink, make him a salty drink: a heaping teaspoon of salt per liter of water. To make the taste not so unpleasant, you can add a couple of spoons of jam or squeeze lemon into the drink. Make sure the person with heat stroke drinks half a glass every 15 minutes. If you can’t make a salty drink, cool clear water, mineral water, or an electrolyte sports drink will do.

✅ Cool down the person. The best and fastest way is to immerse it in cold water, such as a pool or bath. At the same time, you need to be near and support his head so that the person does not drown. If this is not possible, soak a few rags in cool water and put the victim in a cool place. Rest your feet on a pillow or box to raise your feet about 30 centimeters from head level. This will ensure blood flow to the body and help increase heat dissipation. Place damp rags on your forehead, neck, groin, and armpits. This will help you cool down faster.

✅ If the person continues to have muscle spasms, gently but firmly massage the muscles until they relax.

⛔ If the victim is conscious, do not give him antipyretics, especially aspirin or paracetamol. These drugs act on the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that controls the body’s temperature. But since in the heat the body does not heat the brain at all, antipyretics simply will not help. On the contrary, aspirin can make things even worse. Some people may develop internal bleeding due to heatstroke, and aspirin can make it worse.

⛔ Do not give the victim drinks with alcohol or caffeine: they impair thermoregulation.

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How to avoid heatstroke

The tips are very simple.

Pay attention to the weather forecast. Not only the temperature outside is of interest, but also the humidity. The higher it is, the easier it is to overheat and the less work time spent outside should be.

Use sunscreen. Cream protects the skin from burns. Burnt skin sweats less, which means it cools worse.

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Do not recycle. If the temperature in the workroom approaches +28.5 °C, Rospotrebnadzor recommends reducing the working day by an hour. At temperatures up to +29 °C – for two hours, and at +30.5 °C – for three.

It is dangerous to work outdoors at temperatures above +32.5 °C. It’s better not to do this. If an elderly relative is rushing to the beds, you should try to dissuade him: Rospotrebnadzor advises only people 25-40 years old to be allowed to work in the heat. At this age, high temperatures are most easily tolerated.

Recommendations for those working in conditions of high air temperature – Rospotrebnadzor

Rest regularly. It is possible to work continuously outdoors at a temperature of +32.5 °C and above only for 15-20 minutes. Then you need to take a 10-12 minute break. At this time, you need to go into the shade, and even better – into an air-conditioned room with an air temperature of +24-25 ° C.

Drink often, but little by little, whenever you feel like it. If, for example, you are weeding or fertilizing, and the air temperature is above +30 °C, you should drink at least 0.5 liters of water per hour. That is, about a glass every 20 minutes.

Wear suitable clothing. Rospotrebnadzor recommends choosing light, loose-fitting clothing made from natural fabrics. Headwear is also required.

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Carefully monitor your well-being. At the first sign of faintness, immediately go into the shadows. It is dangerous to endure: you can go from heat exhaustion to heat stroke in just a few minutes.

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Extreme heat | Ready.gov

How to Prepare for Extreme Heat

Safety During Extreme Heat

Heat Related Illnesses

Related Resources

It’s Hot, It’s Hot! An extreme heat wave is a period of high temperature and humidity when the air temperature exceeds 90 degrees Fahrenheit (30°C) for two to three days or more. . Extreme heat is the cause of the largest number of weather-related deaths.

The elderly, children, sick people and overweight people are most at risk.

Humidity enhances the feeling of heat.

How to prepare for extreme heat

Image

• Learn to recognize the signs of fever-related illness.
• Do not rely on the fan as the primary cooling device. A fan creates air movement and provides a false sense of comfort, but it does not lower body temperature or prevent heat stroke.
• Find out where you can go to cool off in your community. For example, it can be libraries, shopping centers. If necessary, contact the health department to find a cooling center in your area.

• Cover windows with curtains or blinds.
• Doors and windows must be sealed.
• Use window reflectors specially designed to reflect heat to the outside.
• Add insulation to keep heat in.
• Consider installing an attic air blower or electric fan to control the heat level in the building’s attic by removing hot air.
• Install window air conditioners and insulate around them.
• If you cannot afford the cost of cooling, insulating, or energy-related home repairs, contact the Low Income Energy Pay Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for help.

Extreme heat safety

Image

• Do not leave people or pets in a closed car on a hot day.
• If you don’t have air conditioning at home, go to a cooling center.
• Take a cold shower or bath.

• Wear loose, light-colored clothing.
• Use the oven less to reduce the temperature in your home.
• If you are outside, look for shade. Wear a wide-brimmed hat to protect your face.
• Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.
• If possible, avoid vigorous activities or outdoor work during the midday heat.
• Check the condition of family members, the elderly and neighbors.
• Watch for heat cramps, signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
• Consider pet safety. If they are outside, make sure they have enough cold water and shade. Asphalt and dark pavement can be very hot for your pet’s paws.
• When using masks, choose breathable fabrics such as cotton rather than polyester. Do not wear a mask if you feel overheated or have trouble breathing.

Heat-Related Illnesses

Get to know the signs and treatment of heat-related illnesses. If you are ill and need medical attention, please contact your doctor or health facility for guidance and shelter in place, if possible. If you need urgent medical care call 9-1-1.

For more information on heat-related illnesses, visit the CDC and National Weather Service websites.

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HEAT STROKE

• Signs:
  • Very high body temperature (above 103 degrees Fahrenheit or 39 degrees Celsius) when measured in the mouth
  • Red, hot and dry skin without sweat
  • Fast, strong pulse
  • Dizziness, confusion or loss of consciousness

If you suspect heat stroke, call 9-1-1 or take the victim to a hospital immediately. Cool the victim by any means available until medical help arrives.