Dr Ayushi Singh
Abstract :- Heat exhaustion or heat stroke happens when the body becomes overheated. Normally, the body cools itself through sweating, but this mechanism fails when a person is exposed to high temperatures for a long time without replenishing lost fluids. Consequently, the body produces more heat than it can expel, which can become a life-threatening condition requiring urgent care. This article examines how homeopathy can help to prevent or treat heat stroke.
Key words – Heat stroke, Heat exhaustion, life threating conditions, Repertory, Rubrics, homoeopathic medicines
Introduction – Heat stroke is the most severe type of heat-related illness (hyperthermia). It happens when your body becomes overheated and is unable to cool down. This condition can develop if you’re in a very warm environment, like a home without air conditioning, or if you’re engaged in intense physical activity that generates excess heat. Heat stroke causes your body temperature to rise to dangerous levels, usually above 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius).[1]
Sudden and extreme temperature changes can be harmful to the body, leading to illness. If the body temperature rises beyond a critical level, typically between 105 and 108 degrees Fahrenheit, heat stroke is likely to occur. Hyperpyrexia, or dangerously high body temperature, severely damages body tissues, particularly the brain, and can cause lasting effects. In fact, even a few minutes of excessive body heat can sometimes be fatal. One such illness caused by extreme heat is a heat headache, which results from prolonged exposure to heat. During extreme heat, the body can suffer from heat stroke, dehydration, headaches, and various other related conditions [2].
Causes of Heat Stroke – Heat stroke occurs when excessive heat overwhelms your body’s natural cooling system. This excess heat can come from: External sources: Environmental heat, such as the hot, humid air of a summer day or the warm, stuffy air in an enclosed room. Internal sources: Heat generated by your metabolism during physical activity, often referred to as internal body heat. Both can occur simultaneously. For instance, running on a hot day might expose you to both external and internal heat.
Normally, your body can get rid of excess heat — primarily through sweating — and restore a normal body temperature. When sweat evaporates from your skin, it cools your skin and the tissues underneath. This process is vital to thermoregulation, or your body’s ability to maintain a constant internal temperature that’s not too hot or too cold.
But if the air around you is very hot or your metabolism generates lots of heat, your body may struggle to keep up. Just like extreme heat can strain your home’s A/C unit, it can also overtax your body’s natural cooling system, leading to heat stroke.[1]
Symptoms –
- Elevated internal (core) body temperature, usually above 104°F (40°C).
- Behavioral changes, such as agitation or aggression.
- Blurry vision.
- Confusion.
- Delirium.
- Dizziness.
- Fainting (syncope).
- Rapid heart rate (tachycardia).
- Fast, shallow breathing (tachypnea).
- Low blood pressure (hypotension).
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Seizures.
- Slurred speech.
- Skin color changes, either flushed or paler than normal.
- Dry skin (classic heat stroke) or sweaty skin (exertional heat stroke).
Home remedies for heat stroke-
- Keep your home cool: Use fans and/or air conditioning. When the temperature is extremely high — especially above 99°F (37.2°C) — fans alone won’t be sufficient.
- Plan for hot days: If your home isn’t cool enough, find places where you can cool down, such as community centers, shopping malls, movie theaters, or the homes of family and friends.
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water before, during, and after physical activity in the heat. Be sure to replenish electrolytes, for example, by adding electrolyte tablets or powders to your water. It’s important to stay hydrated even if you’re not engaging in strenuous activity. Sufficient amount of water you should drink to meet your body’s needs.
- Limit heat exposure: Try to schedule physical activities during cooler parts of the day, such as early morning. On hot days, consider indoor workouts in air conditioning. If you have to work in the heat, discuss with your employer the need for scheduled breaks and strategies to minimize the risk of heat-related illnesses.
- Acclimatize: This term means allowing your body time to adjust to heat. A coach or trainer can help you create a plan that suits you. Generally, you’ll start with shorter sessions in the heat and gradually increase the duration and intensity.
- Wear loose and light weight clothings.
- Take bath with cold water.
Medical Emergency Care –
Heat stroke treatment involves quickly cooling down your body and monitoring for complications. This requires care in an emergency room.
Following things that we should do for someone with signs of heat stroke:
- Move the person out of the sun or heat to a cooler spot.
- Pour water over their skin and use anything available to fan them.
- Soak a towel in ice water and apply it to their skin. Cover as much of their skin’s surface area as possible. Replace with newly soaked towels every minute or so.
- Apply ice or cold packs to their armpits or neck.
Homoeopathic Treatment of Heat Stroke – The selection of Homoeopathic similimum is based on totality of symptoms of the case. Totality is outwardly reflected picture of the internal essence of the disease, that is, of the affection of the vital force”.[13]
As Homeopathy is a system of medicine which works on the dynamic level and the person as a whole and hence it is there by the best form of medicine to treat any diseases, here the cure is obtained by constitutional treatment and therapeutics In homeopathy, one can treat the patient as a whole, by using holistic approach. One can collect lots of information during case taking and by evaluating the symptoms of the patients and repertorization done on those characteristic rubrics of the patients and thus we find a narrow range of similar medicines and similimum can be given after confirmation in materia medica.
Rubrics mentioned in different repertories for Heat Stroke are as follow –
| Name of Repertory
|
Chapter | Rubric |
| Augmented Clinical Synthesis Repertory by Fredrick Schroyens | Generals | Heat Stroke
Sun Stroke [3] |
| Repertory of the Homoeopathic materia medica by Dr. J T Kent | Head
Generalities |
Sunstroke
Sun from exposure to [4] |
| Homoeopathic Medical Repertory by Dr. Robin Murphy
|
Clinical | Sun, sunlight general,
Heat of sun aggravates [5] |
| Boericke Pocket manual of Homoeopathic materia medica with repertory by O E Boericke | Generalities | Sun Exposure, ill effects sunstroke [6] |
| Boger Boenninghausen Characteristics and repertory by Boger | Head Internal | Sunstroke & after effects [7] |
| Boenninghausen’s Therapeutic Pocket Book by H.A. Robert & Annie C. Wilson | Aggravation | Summer in, effects sun in the [8] |
| A Synoptic key of the Materia medica by Boger | Generalities | Sun or radiated heat [9] |
| The Concordance Repertory of the more characteristics symptoms of the materia medica by William D Gentry | Generalities | Sun’s rays – ill effects from exposure to [10] |
| Repertory of Hering’s Guiding symptoms of our materia medica by C B Knerr | Generalities | Sun- Sunstroke [11] |
| A Concise Repertory of Homoeopathic Medicines by Dr. S R Phatak | —— | Sunstroke |
Conclusion
From the study conducted we have gathered the sufficient evidence that the Homoeopathic medicine shows excellent results in the treatment of Heat stroke, Homeopathic treatment also helps in reducing the reoccurrence frequency of heat stroke and further reduces any chances of complications when prescribed by the homeopathic physicians.
REFERENCES
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21812-heatstroke
- Ferri FF. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke. In: Ferri’s Clinical Advisor. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Mosby; 2015. p. 532-533.e1.
- Schroyens F. Synthesis Repertorium Homeopathicum Syntheticum, reprint Edition 9. Jain Publishers Pvt. Limited; 2004.
- Kent JT. Repertory of the Homeopathic Materia Medica. 6th ed. New Delhi: B Jain Publishers; c20
- Murphy R. Homoeopathic Medical Repertory. 3rd rev. ed., 6th impr. New Delhi: B Jain Publishers (P) Ltd.; 2017.
- Boericke W. Pocket Manual of Homeopathic Materia Medica & Repertory. 9th ed. New Delhi: B Jain Publishers; c2007.
- Boger Boenninghausen Characteristics and repertory by Boger
- 8.Boenninghausen’s Therapeutic Pocket Book by H. A. Robert & Annie C Wilson
- A Synoptic Key of the Materia Medica by Boger
- The Concordance Repertory Of Materia Medica by Willim D. Gentry (vol 6)
- Repertory of Hering’s Guiding Symptoms Of Our Materia Medica by Calvin B.Knerr
- A Concise Repertory Of Homoeopathic Medicines by Dr. S.R. Phatak
- B.K. Sarkar -Hahnemann`s Organon of Medic
Dr. Ayushi Singh
MD Scholar, Department of Homoeopathic Repertory & Case Taking
Govt. Homoeopathic Medical College & Hospital Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
Email Id – ayushisinghbetu9999@gmail.com
Guided by- Dr. Neetu Kushwaha (Professor)
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