Does heat stroke cause vomiting?

Severe overheating can disturb the stomach and nervous system, causing nausea or vomiting along with headache, weakness, dizziness, cramps, rapid breathing, or confusion. Vomiting reduces the body's fluid stores and can prevent safe drinking. Heat stroke is more serious than ordinary heat exhaustion when there are changes in awareness, collapse, or a very high body temperature.

Move the person out of the heat and call emergency services if heat stroke is suspected. Remove excess clothing and cool the skin with wet cloths, cool water, and moving air. Keep the person on their side if vomiting or drowsy, and watch their breathing. Never force fluids and never give a drink to someone who is confused, unconscious, or unable to swallow normally.

Seek emergency care for vomiting with confusion, fainting, seizure, severe weakness, breathing difficulty, hot skin, or inability to keep fluids down after heat exposure. Prompt assessment is also needed if symptoms continue despite moving somewhere cool. Medical staff can treat dehydration and check for effects on the kidneys, brain, and circulation.

Ask how severe the heat illness was, when oral fluids are safe, whether follow-up tests are needed, and how to avoid heat exposure during recovery.