In heat, dizziness, nausea or confusion means move to shade and cool immediately; give nothing by mouth if consciousness is impaired
Hot red skin, slurred speech and confusion can mean heatstroke, a life-threatening emergency that can progress from dizziness to coma within tens of minutes. Move to shade and ventilation, remove excess clothing, cool with water and wet towels, and call China's 120. Do not give water to an unconscious or confused person because of aspiration risk.
What it takes
Free.
What you may gain
The US National Weather Service describes heatstroke as a severe medical emergency, with temperature over 103°F (39.4°C), confusion, slurred speech and hot red skin. It advises immediate emergency help, moving to a cool place, cooling with water/wet cloths and no oral fluids. Heat exhaustion features heavy sweating, weakness, cool clammy skin and a fast weak pulse; move to a cool place, loosen clothes and sip water, seeking care for vomiting, deterioration or symptoms beyond 1 hour. Yunnan's disease-control authority likewise advises shade/ventilation, cool wet towels, salt-containing drinks only if alert and immediate emergency calls for severe symptoms; it describes severe heatstroke as highly fatal. The Wilderness Medical Society's 2019 guideline addresses outdoor and resource-limited care.
Context & considerations
Do not wait for it to pass; progression can take only tens of minutes. Do not force water into someone with impaired consciousness. The Wilderness Medical Society full text required subscription, so only the abstract was verified and detailed recommendations such as cold-water immersion remain pending verification. The Chinese National Health Commission's prevention page returned 412 and could not be opened.
Research & references
US National Weather Service. Heat Related Illnesses. https://www.weather.gov/safety/heat-illness; Yunnan Disease Control and Prevention Administration (2026). These Symptoms May Indicate Heat Illness. https://ynsjkj.yn.gov.cn/html/2026/jikongkepu_0719/2606.html; Lipman GS et al. (2019). Wilderness Medical Society Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Heat Illness: 2019 Update. Wilderness & Environmental Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wem.2018.10.004