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Hyperthermia Research Paper

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Let’s face it, it is nearly impossible to avoid heat. However, people forget there can be serious consequences from too much heat intake. The most common reaction to overheating is heat stroke, medically referred to as Hyperthermia. Hyperthermia occurs when the body is absorbing more heat than it can give off. The body’s temperature keeps climbing due to failed thermoregulation. Thermoregulation is a homeostatic mechanism used by all living organisms to keep a stable internal core temperature. All mechanisms function for one reason, to maintain homeostasis. When the body is experiencing a lower or higher core temperature, it sends signals to the glands, muscles, organs and parts of the nervous system. Instructions for the nervous system start …show more content…

That being said, it takes an abnormally high body temperature to be classified as hyperthermia. Usually the body reaches an internal temperature of 104°F before it goes into shock and dies. It can be caused from extreme weather conditions, drug use, other medical conditions could cause the body to not be able to stabilize the internal core temperature. In order to treat hyperthermia, doctors need to restore the temperature back to its normal 98.6°F. Serious consequences can come from hyperthermia, including tissue damage, organ damage if the tissues are damaged severely, lesions on internal organs, and sometimes fatality. Heat stroke occurs in both male and female. The illness effects people who are over 50 more severely, because they are unable to fight off the increasing heat. Circulation is also poor in elderly people due to deteriorating artery walls. This is a huge issue when dealing with hyperthermia because older people will have a harder time circulating more blood cells to damaged sites. Small children often suffer from heat stroke because they have a larger surface to weight ratio. Treatment for hyperthermia is to cool down the body, but not to the point where the patient will become hypothermic. Doctors use both internal and external techniques in order to balance the temperature. A few signs and symptoms include dizziness, confusion from the heat affecting the mental state of the patient and nausea. So remember to take caution when sitting out in the sun for long periods of time. Your body is susceptible for hyperthermia and potentially other health

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