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Kennedy/Jenks Consultants Section 4: Signs and Symptoms of Heat Illness Several factors may contribute to one's susceptibility to heat illness. These factors include: • Weather conditions • Physical conditioning • Weight • Duration in warm weather • Amount of last fluid intake • Time since last fluid intake Heat illness affects people in different ways. No two individuals should ever be compared to one another for the purposes of analyzing heat illness. Each person must be evaluated separately using the criteria listed below. 4.1 Signs of Heat Cramps Heat cramps are painful muscle spasms that occur because of an imbalance between water and electrolytes. Profuse sweating, thirst, and flushed skin may accompany heat cramps. Heat cramps often affect the larger leg muscles first. Abdominal cramping and muscle cramps in other parts of the body on a warm day must be recognized as possible early stages of heat illness. The stage of Heat Illness when heat cramps become present is sometimes referred to as heat stress. Heat stress should be recognized as a serious condition and treated similar to heat cramps and heat exhaustion. 4.2 Signs of Heat Exhaustion A person with heat exhaustion will be near collapse and will have profuse sweating, flushed skin, elevated temperature, dizziness, hyperventilation, and rapid pulse. Confusion, nausea, and slurred speech may also become present. An indicator of concern is cool, dry skin on a warm day. This may indicate that the person's self cooling mechanism (sweating) is beginning to fail. While thirst is often present in heat exhaustion, some individuals may report not being thirsty due to an altered level of consciousness. An individual with signs of heat exhaustion may or may not be experiencing heat cramps. This is considered a serious medical condition. 4.3 Signs of Heat Stroke Heat exhaustion, if not immediately treated, may develop into a critical condition called heat stroke. Signs of heat stroke include sudden collapse or loss of consciousness, pale skin, lack of Heat Illness Prevention Program Page 8 Kennedy/Jenks Consultants©, March 2015 U1COR-UserUmMocument originalsTormatted Final Versions