Heat stroke occurs when your body becomes over heated. This can happen on days that are very hot and/or humid. If you work or exercise outside on these types of days your body may not sweat enough to cool itself down properly. If your body temperature rises to 104 degrees or higher you may suffer from heat stroke. The good news is that if you recognize the signs, you can successfully recover by cooling yourself down quickly. However, if it is not treated properly or continues for a prolonged period, you may have residual effects, some of them serious.
Organ Damage
According to the Mayo Clinic, if your body temperature remains high for too long the vital organs in your body begin to swell in response. This occurs since you are no longer sweating. If you develop heat stroke it means your body is no longer capable of responding to the heat. If your body is cooled quickly enough, the swelling will go down and there will be no long-term effects. If your condition is not resolved, the swelling may be permanent. You may develop disease and even failure of your kidneys, liver and heart. The American Academy of Family Physicians states that in 20 percent of untreated heat stroke cases, there is permanent damage to the central nervous system. You can develop irregular heart rhythms and eventually go into cardiac arrest.
Rhabdomyolysis
Rhabdomyolysis is another complication of untreated heat stroke. It occurs when the heat damages your muscles and causes a breakdown of muscle fibers. This results in myoglobin being released into your bloodstream. Myogobin is a protein, and too much of it in the blood stream can cause damage to your kidneys.
Brain Damage
The Chinese University of Hong Kong states that heat stroke can lead to permanent brain damage. The damage that results depends on what part of the brain is affected. One possible long-term problem is ataxia, which is a loss of the ability to control muscular movements. It can affect any area of the body and can interfere with vision and speech, as well. Another complication of brain damage from heat stroke is dysarthria. This is a condition in which the muscles in your mouth, face, and respiratory system become weak. This can lead to slurred speech and trouble breathing.
Additional Effects
In some cases, damage to the brain can result in permanent personality changes, according to Merck.com. In addition, your brain might no longer be able to regulate your body temperature causing your body temperature to fluctuate. This can continue for a few weeks after heat stroke, or it can become a permanent problem.
