Several parts of North and Central India are suffering from scorching sun and extreme temperatures reaching 50 degrees Celsius.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued several warnings about heatwaves. Delhi is currently dealing with a water shortage amid the harsh summer.
Our body has two cooling mechanisms: sweating and vasodilation. In vasodilation, blood vessels near the skin widen to remove heat. Sweating causes loss of water and electrolytes.
With the increase in temperature inside the body, heart starts pumping more blood onto the skin surface to cool it down. This results in nausea, weakness, dizziness, and headaches.
Heat cramps are due to the loss of electrolytes and water due to sweating, which leads to pain in the leg and abdomen muscles.
Skin can get irritated with exposure to the sun or excessive sweating, leading to skin rashes and red blisters on the skin surface.
During excess heat, the heart rate increases as blood flow and pumping increase to cool down the body. This can lead to cardiovascular stress, which is lethal for heart patients.
Excess sweating can lead to the loss of sodium, potassium, and other electrolytes from the body. It can result in muscle cramps and lead to other complications.
High temperatures can also affect kidney health and cause several kidney issues due to dehydration, such as kidney stones.
Heatstroke is a deadly condition when body temperature exceeds 40 degrees and cooling mechanisms stop working. It leads to confusion, shallow breathing, organ failure, and coma.