How dangerous is heat shock? You can die while taking a bath?

It's hard to understand, but in Japan, it is said that you are more likely to die while taking a bath than to die in a car accident.  I don't understand.  The number of deaths from bathing accidents in Japan is five times that of traffic accidents.  Most bathing deaths in Japan occur during winter.  This is due to the influence of Japan's unique bathing culture.  However, you can never feel safe as a foreigner.  In 2023, an accident occurred in which a Korean tourist died from heat shock while on a hot spring trip to Japan.  In this post, we will learn about Heat Shock by watching Korea's SBS News on February 7, 2023.

How dangerous is heat shock? You can die while taking a bath?

What does heat shock mean?

If you suddenly enter hot water while your body temperature is cold in the cold winter, a rapid change in body temperature occurs.  At that time, blood vessels that had been constricted due to the cold suddenly dilate, causing a sudden drop in blood pressure, causing symptoms of low blood pressure.  When blood pressure suddenly drops, symptoms of shock occur momentarily.  So, when you fall, you may fall into the water and drown or seriously injure your head.  People with poor cardiovascular health may experience myocardial infarction or stroke.  These symptoms are called heat shock.

How dangerous is heat shock? You can die while taking a bath?

What causes heat shock?

When the temperature difference suddenly becomes hot or suddenly cold, the action of rapidly relaxing or constricting the blood vessels occurs. This action occurs smoothly when you are young, but when you are elderly or have an underlying disease (high blood pressure, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, etc.) It does not work smoothly.

What are the precautions for heat shock?

It is a popular filial piety destination for Koreans to take their parents to Japanese hot springs in the winter, but the problem is that older people are especially vulnerable to heat shock.  Patients with low blood pressure should be especially careful about using outdoor baths in winter.  So, if I just watch out for the open-air bath, will it be okay?  Open-air baths require a lot of caution due to the extreme temperature difference, but ordinary bathhouses also require caution.  Also, going back and forth between hot and cold baths is something people do because they like the thrill of the temperature difference between hot and cold, but it is dangerous for heat shock.

How dangerous is heat shock? You can die while taking a bath?

How to prevent heat shock?

It's okay as long as you watch out for sudden temperature differences.  Another way to raise your body temperature is to slowly bathe while spraying hot water on your body or to do light stretching before bathing.  It is also important for people with underlying conditions or the elderly to bathe with their guardians.  Then, if you fall, you can take action quickly to reduce the chance of a fatal accident.

How to deal with heat shock?

When you collapse while taking a bath and have low blood pressure, there is insufficient blood flow to your head.  Therefore, the patient should be laid down and the legs should be placed higher than the head to allow blood flow to the head.  If the person is not breathing or their heart rate drops, perform CPR and call an ambulance.

Accidents due to heat shock occur frequently in Japan, which has a unique bathing culture, but if you are planning a hot spring trip with your parents, you should be careful and think of it as something that could happen to you.