Heat exhaustion treatment

Heat exhaustion follows fluid and salt loss during heat exposure or exertion. Sweating, weakness, headache, thirst, nausea, cramps, and dizziness can appear together. Cooling reduces the heat load, while suitable fluids help restore what was lost. Improvement should be noticeable as the person rests in a cool setting. Treatment at home is not appropriate when alertness is reduced, swallowing is unsafe, or symptoms are severe.

Move away from heat, stop physical activity, loosen clothing, and cool the skin with wet cloths, a cool shower, or a fan. Give small sips of water or oral rehydration fluid if the person is awake and can swallow. Avoid forcing fluids and avoid alcohol. Keep observing breathing, alertness, sweating, and dizziness; improvement should continue rather than stall.

Call emergency services for confusion, collapse, seizure, severe breathing trouble, or very hot skin with worsening illness. Seek urgent care if vomiting prevents drinking, the person becomes unusually sleepy, symptoms persist despite cooling, or urine becomes very dark. Do not wait for a home remedy to work when heat stroke is possible.

Ask whether your medicines or health conditions change the safest fluid choice. Clarify how long to avoid strenuous heat exposure, which warning signs matter most for you, and how to plan rest and hydration before future outdoor activity.