Medical · Emergency · Basic
Heat Exhaustion vs Heatstroke
The difference between 'get this person in the shade' and 'cool them now or they die', with the steps for each.
This is for educational purposes only. Not professional medical, electrical, or safety advice.
Warning
Confusion, seizure or unconsciousness in hot weather is a life-threatening emergency. Cool the person aggressively and get them to medical care.
- 01
Heat exhaustion looks like this
Heavy sweating, weakness, dizziness, nausea, headache, muscle cramps, cool clammy skin. Move to shade, lie down with legs up, fluids with salt, cool wet cloths and fanning.
- 02
Give it 30 minutes
Exhaustion should improve within half an hour with cooling and fluids. No improvement, or it gets worse, is treated as heatstroke.
- 03
Heatstroke looks like this
Core temperature above 104°F, confusion, slurred speech, staggering, seizure, or unconsciousness; hot skin that may be dry or sweaty; fast pulse. Sweating does not rule it out.
- 04
Cool first, transport second
Cold-water immersion is the fastest and best treatment. If you can't immerse, remove clothing, wet the skin, ice packs at neck, armpits and groin, and fan hard. Keep cooling until they're alert or help arrives.
- 05
Nothing by mouth if confused
Do not force fluids into someone drowsy, confused or seizing — they'll inhale it. Cool them and get them out.
- 06
Don't use fever medicine
Aspirin and acetaminophen don't work on heatstroke and can make things worse. Only cooling works.
- 07
Prevent it in a blackout
Hydrate before you're thirsty, add salt, work in the cool hours, cool your body before you feel hot, and never leave a person or pet in a parked car. Check on older neighbors twice a day.