As heatwaves become a regular part of summer travel, knowing how to recognize heat illness has become an essential travel skill. Heat exhaustion and heatstroke exist on a spectrum, and catching the early signs can prevent a medical emergency. Here is how to tell them apart and what to do.
Why travelers are especially at risk
Tourists tend to spend long stretches outdoors, walking between sights, queuing in the sun, and using public transport during the hottest hours. People visiting from cooler climates often underestimate how fast extreme heat affects the body. Add physical activity, alcohol and not enough water, and even healthy adults can develop heat illness quickly.
Heat exhaustion: the warning stage
Heat exhaustion is the body struggling to cope with heat. It is serious but usually reversible if you act. Signs include:
- Heavy sweating and clammy, pale skin
- Feeling faint, dizzy or weak
- Headache and nausea
- A fast but weak pulse
- Muscle cramps
- Intense thirst and reduced, dark urine
What to do: move to a cool or shaded place immediately, lie down and raise the legs slightly, remove excess clothing, sip water, and cool the skin with damp cloths or a fan. The person should feel better within about 30 minutes. If they do not, treat it as an emergency.
Heatstroke: the emergency stage
Heatstroke is when the body can no longer regulate its temperature. It is life-threatening and requires immediate emergency care. The critical difference from heat exhaustion is a change in mental state and, often, a change in sweating. Signs include:
- Confusion, slurred speech, agitation or loss of consciousness
- Hot skin that may be dry, or still sweating in some cases
- A body temperature that feels very high to the touch
- Rapid breathing and a pounding heart
- Seizures in severe cases
What to do: call emergency services immediately. While waiting, move the person to a cool place, remove outer clothing, and cool them aggressively. Wet their skin and fan them, place cold packs against the neck, armpits and groin, or immerse them in cool water if you safely can. Do not give fluids to someone who is confused or not fully conscious.
The rule of thumb
If the person is sweating, alert and improving with rest and water, you are likely dealing with heat exhaustion, manage it and watch closely. If the person is confused, drowsy, or has stopped making sense, treat it as heatstroke and call for help without delay. When in doubt, call emergency services. It is always better to be wrong about an emergency than to wait too long during a real one.
Prevention is the real cure
- Drink water steadily throughout the day, not just when thirsty
- Avoid the peak heat hours for any strenuous activity
- Wear light clothing, a hat and sunscreen
- Limit alcohol and caffeine, which worsen dehydration
- Check on travel companions, especially children and older adults
Know who to call, before you need to
In an emergency abroad, the worst time to look up the local ambulance number is during the emergency itself. Knowing it in advance, along with the nearest hospital, can save critical minutes. Weelp. keeps verified emergency numbers and nearby hospitals for every country on your phone, offline, ready the moment you need them.
This article is general first aid information, not medical advice. It does not replace professional training or emergency care. In any emergency, contact local emergency services immediately.