Heat Stroke: Prevent Your Health from Going Up in Smoke

If you feel that it’s getting hot in here, it may not just be rapper Nelly’s catchy tune. Heat stroke is the most severe form of heat-related illness. It can cause your body temperature to rise quickly but your sweating mechanism will fail, preventing you from cooling down. 

Should your temperature reach 41 degrees Celsius (˚C) or higher and you don’t receive medical treatment in time, the consequences could be death or permanent disability. 

Take note of the symptoms of heat stroke: 

• Confusion 
• Seizures 
• Slurred speech 

• Altered mental state 
• Loss of consciousness 
• Extremely high body temperature 
• Hot and dry skin, or profuse sweating 

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), a heat stroke is the result of a significant loss of qi (vital life force) and yin (passive energy) due to exposure to Heat and Dampness.

Here’s how clinical treatment and supplementary traditional remedies can help you recover from heat stroke.

How Can You Prevent a Heat Stroke?

Clinical and traditional healthcare providers say that these habits can heat stroke at bay: 

• Drinking enough fluids daily 
• Avoiding the consumption of sugary or alcoholic beverages 
• Wearing sunglasses or a wide-brimmed hat when outdoors 

• Taking a cold bath or shower 
• Wearing lightweight and loose-fitting clothing 
• Keeping outdoor exercising to a minimum: If you’re not used to outdoor exercise, it’s advisable to start slowly and pick up the pace gradually 
• Using salt tablets or sports drinks to replenish body salt and minerals: Speak to a healthcare provider if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or are on a low-salt diet 
• Applying sunscreen with SPF 30 protection or higher to the skin: Look for products that offer broad-spectrum, or ultraviolet A radiation (UVA) and ultraviolet B radiation (UVB) protection 

What are the Treatment Options for Heat Stroke? 

If you suspect someone has heat stroke symptoms, call 999. If you or the affected person are exposed to sunlight or a hot environment, immediately move to a cool and shaded area, and remove the outermost piece of clothing.

Next, wet the skin and soak their clothing with cold water. Circulate the air around them to speed up the cooling process. If possible, place ice cubes or ice blocks on their head, armpits, neck, and groin area.

At the hospital, they may be treated with: 

• Cooled intravenous fluids administered through a vein in the arm 

• Supplemental oxygen 
• Cooling blankets 
• Ice baths 
• Medications that prevent seizure onset 
• Cold-water lavage: Catheters (thin, flexible tubes) lower overall body temperature by filling the body’s cavities with cold water 

The treatment regimen will stop as soon as their body temperature reaches 38.9˚C. 

How Can Alternative Medicine Support Heat Stroke Recovery? 

Herbal remedies and acupuncture on acupressure points can help in recovery from heat stroke.

Some of the formulas are:  

• Xiang Ru San (香薷散): Removes Dampness 
• Liu Yi San (六一散) and Gui Ling Gan Lu Yin (桂苓甘露饮): Clears Heat and removes Dampness 
• Sheng Mai Yin (生脉饮): Regenerates Heart and Lung qi and yin, regulates sweating 

• Qing Shu Yi Qi Tang (清暑益气汤): Regenerates qi and yin, removes Heat and Dampness 
• Qi Xing Heat Clearing Tea: Nourishes Lungs and removes excess Heat  

Acupuncture will be used on these acupoints: 

• Yin ling quan (SP9, 阴陵泉): Removes Dampness 
• Dan zhong (RN17, 膻中): Removes Heat and regenerates qi 
• Nei guan (PC6, 內关): Restores and enhances blood and qi circulation 
• Zhong wan (RN12, 中脘) and zu san li (ST36, 足三里): Removes Dampness and regenerates qi 
• He gu (LI4, 合谷): Removes Heat and Dampness and restores and enhances blood and qi circulation 

• Bai hui (DU20, 百会), tai yang (EX-HN5, 太阳), and feng chi (GB20, 风池): Removes Heat and Dampness, restores and enhances localised blood and qi circulation 

Combining clinical treatment and traditional therapy can help you cool off from heat stroke. However, Physician Yew cautions, “Be mindful that herbal formula prescriptions target specific pathologies of post-heat stroke syndrome. Acupressure only provides mild relief of the condition’s symptoms. Don’t self-medicate or perform self-treatment without consulting a clinical healthcare provider and licensed TCM professional.” 

Experienced heat stroke before or know of someone who has overcome it? Share your experience below.