Homemade Treatments for Heat Exhaustion

Senior citizens and people who suffer from health problems are the most likely to suffer from heat exhaustion. According to Answers.com, heat exhaustion (also known as "heat prostration") can be defined as a medical condition that's brought on by over exposure to heat. The heat causes a depletion of body fluids. In turn, the symptoms of heat exhaustion can include physical weakness, lightheadedness, headache pain, muscle cramps, rapid pulse rate, rapid- but shallow- breathing, sweating, cold, clammy skin and nausea. It can even cause a person to pass out. The next time you, or someone else, is suffering from this condition, use these homemade treatments for heat exhaustion.

Note: If the patient's symptoms are extreme, or if their speech is slurred or is incoherent, if their pupils are dilated, if they act mentally confused, or if the patient has heart problems or high blood pressure, call the emergency operator or get them to a doctor right away.

The first thing to do to treat heat exhaustion is to move the patient out of the heat or direct sunlight. A shady spot can be beneficial, but you must move him/her out of the high humidity as well. The best place will be an air-conditioned area where the temperature, as well as the humidity level, is lower. S/he should sit down and stay as calm as possible. Remove or loosen any clothing that's holding in the heat to their bodies.

If the patient feels dizzy or lightheaded, have them lie on the floor and put their feet up on a chair. Or, have them lie down and prop their feet up so they're a foot or two above their heads. This will help increase the blood flow to the brain.

The next homemade treatment for heat exhaustion is to give the patient plenty of cool liquids. The liquids will help to replace the fluids that were lost from the body. The cool liquids will also help lower the patient's temperature.