Heat exhaustion or heat stroke? Here’s how you can tell the difference

As the blazing sun beats down across large parts of the country, cases of heat-related illnesses are on the rise as well. Here’s a guide to the entire spectrum of heat-linked disorders and what you can do to treat them.

A hot day in Kolkata. (Express Photo: Shashi Ghosh)

What are the different types of heat-related illnesses?

Heat-related illnesses comprise a spectrum of disorders from muscle cramps and heat exhaustion to a more serious medical emergency such as heatstroke. These illnesses occur when there is a disruption in regulating the body’s temperature because heat input from the environment and body metabolism is increased compared with output from the skin —— via radiation, evaporation, and convection.

What are heat cramps?

During the heat cramps, patients experience painful, involuntary, spasmodic contractions of skeletal muscle in the calves, thighs and shoulders. In such a situation, the patient is advised to rest in a relaxed environment. The Health Ministry also recommends fluid and salt replacement (oral).

What is heat exhaustion?

When the patient experiences any of the following, the condition is referred to as heat exhaustion. It may progress to a heatstroke if treatment fails.

Headache, nausea, vomiting
Malaise, dizziness
Muscle cramps

In such a situation, the health ministry suggests that we remove the patient from the heat stress area. Also, if the patient doesn’t respond to treatment in 30 minutes, then they should be ‘aggressively’ cooled down to a core temperature of 39°C.

Also read | All you need to know about the heatwave, how to protect yourself

What is a heat stroke? How can it be treated?

If a person has a body temperature greater than 40°C and showing signs of Central Nervous System dysfunction such as confusion, delirium, seizures, and coma, they may be experiencing a heat stroke. Such a person, recommends the Health Ministry, should be immediately removed from the heat stress area, and be ‘aggressively’ cooled down to a core temperature of 39°C.

Kaunain Sheriff M

As City Editor ( Delhi) at the Indian Express, Kaunain Sheriff leads city reporting with a sharp focus on accountability journalism, data-driven stories, and ground-level impact. As the National Health Editor he leads the newsroom’s in-depth coverage of pressing health issues. He is the author of Johnson & Johnson Files: The Indian Secrets of a Global Giant, a definitive investigation into the accountability of one of the world’s most powerful pharmaceutical corporations. Areas of Expertise Investigative Reporting: Has deep expertise in investigative reporting spanning public health, regulatory affairs, drug safety, and the criminal justice system. His work sits at the intersection of governance, law, and accountability, with a particular focus on how regulatory failures, institutional lapses, and policy decisions affect citizens’ rights and safety. Data Journalism: Has extensively on big data–driven investigations, including analyses of flagship government schemes and large datasets on criminal trials, uncovering systemic gaps. Global Collaborations Kaunain is a key contributor to major international journalistic projects: The Implant Files: Collaborated with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) to expose global malpractices in the medical device industry. Chinese Big-Data Investigation: Uncovered how a foreign data firm monitored thousands of prominent Indian institutions and individuals in real-time. Awards & Recognition His commitment to "Journalism of Courage" has been recognized with the industry's highest honors: Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism SOPA Award (Society of Publishers in Asia) Red Ink Award (Mumbai Press Club) Indian Express Excellence Awards (Triple recipient for investigations into the NSA abuse in UP, Vyapam scam, and the anti-Sikh riots). Education: Studied Mechanical Engineering at Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), Bangalore, before moving to Delhi to pursue his passion for journalism. His engineering training informs his analytical approach, enabling him to decode technical, legal, and data-heavy systems with precision. Social media LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kaunain-sheriff-3a00ab99 X ( fromerly Twitter): @kaunain_s ... Read More

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