Pilgrims are exposed during movement and transfer to perform Hajj rituals to extremely high temperatures for long periods, which results in severe sweating and loss of a lot of water and salts in the body, and symptoms of these injuries include:
- Headache.
- Heavy sweating.
- Feeling nauseous and weak.
- Extreme thirst.
- Vertigo dizziness.
When feeling these symptoms, the body must be cooled immediately by moving to a cool place and drinking plenty of cold water. If you do not feel better within 30 minutes, you should see a doctor immediately.
Areas with a high incidence of thermal injuries:
- Circumambulation (Tawaf), especially at noon
- Upper Arafat at noon.
- Mina (places of slaughter and Jamarat), due to the long distance and crowding when stoning the Jamarat.
Heat stress prevention:
- Avoid exposure to heat and direct sunlight as much as possible.
- Make sure to drink fluids regularly and not wait until you feel thirsty.
- Avoid drinks that contain added sugars and caffeine; Because it leads to the loss of more body fluids.
- Avoid very cold drinks; Because it leads to stomach cramps.
- Ensure adequate rest.
- Make sure to wear light colored clothes (for women).
- Make sure to use light colored umbrellas.
Sunstroke
It is a severe increase in body temperature that reaches more than 40 degrees Celsius, due to exposure to high temperature of the sun for a long time, and it is a very dangerous degree that the body’s systems cannot bear. Which leads to imbalance in the central nervous system functions, which appears in a form of delirium, convulsions, or coma, and one of the most important causes of this is exertion of great physical effort in high temperatures and high humidity.
Sunstroke is an emergency medical condition that must be treated as soon as possible through the following:
- Stay with the injured person and call for emergency medical care immediately.
- Transfer the injured person to a cool place and remove outer clothing.
- Cool the body with cold water and apply cold compresses, especially on the head, neck and armpits
- Circulate air around the injured person to speed up cooling by using a fan or an air conditioner.
- Immediately transfer the injured person to the nearest health facility
Sunburn:
It is a painful reddening of the skin that occurs within hours of excessive exposure to sunlight, causing skin burning, redness, pain, swelling and sometimes small fluid-filled blisters.
Treatment:
- Take frequent cold showers to help relieve the pain, then gently dry the body, leaving a little water on the skin.
- Apply a moisturizer to the affected areas of the skin to help lock in water and relieve dryness.
- You can take a pain reliever to help reduce swelling, redness, and pain.
- Drink enough water to help prevent dehydration.
- When fluid-filled blisters appear on the affected skin, they should not be punctured, as blisters form to help the skin heal and protect against infection.
- Protect sunburned skin during recovery by wearing clothes that cover the skin when going out.
Protection:
- Avoid performing the rituals in the sun as much as possible, especially from 10 am to 4 pm.
- Choose shaded places when going out.
- Use sunscreen on places exposed to the sun (protection factor 30 or higher) and water-resistant a quarter of an hour before going outside, then apply it again every two hours or after heavy perspiration.