What is heat stroke like?

I read that you completely stop sweating, get extremely dizzy, and your heart starts racing like crazy. It sounds absolutely terrifying to be honest. If you or anyone you know feels even slightly disoriented in the sun, please get into the shade immediately.

In our younger days we worked in the fields for hours, and we knew heat stroke was coming when our eyes felt heavy and mouth went bone dry. Just sitting under a tree and dousing cold water on the head saves lives. Be careful but don't panic, our bodies are resilient if we listen to them.

It feels like your body has turned into an oven and you suddenly feel very weak, nauseous, and get a splitting headache. The best way to avoid this is to carry a bottle of salt-sugar water or ORS whenever you step out in May or June. Don't walk in the direct sun empty stomach.

For me, having a thyroid condition makes heat tolerance much worse, so I get severe headaches and nausea very fast in the sun. If you feel faint, cold, or clammy, it could be heat exhaustion leading to stroke. Get a proper checkup and check your thyroid levels too.

During afternoon field visits, I have seen colleagues get heat strokes where they just collapse after complaining of extreme fatigue and confusion. If your field job requires outdoor hours, keep taking short breaks in air-conditioned areas. Don't try to power through the heat to meet deadlines.

My grandmother used to rub onion paste on the feet to cool down heat illness, but modern doctors say heat stroke is a medical emergency. You might feel very confused, throw up, and even lose consciousness. If those severe signs happen, skip the home remedies and head to the hospital.