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Heat intolerance
Sensitivity to heat; Intolerance to heat
Heat intolerance is a feeling of being overheated when the temperature around you rises. It can often cause heavy sweating.
Heat intolerance usually comes on slowly and lasts for a long time, but it may also occur quickly and be a serious illness.
Causes
Heat intolerance may be caused by:
- Amphetamines or other stimulants, such as those found in drugs that suppress your appetite
- Anxiety
- Caffeine
-
Menopause
Menopause
Menopause is the time in a woman's life when her periods (menstruation) stop. Most often, it is a natural, normal body change that most often occurs...
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Too much thyroid hormone (
thyrotoxicosis
)
Thyrotoxicosis
Hyperthyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland makes too much thyroid hormone. The condition is often called overactive thyroid.
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Home Care
Exposure to extreme heat and sun can cause heat emergencies or illnesses . You can prevent heat illnesses by:
Heat emergencies or illnesses
Heat emergencies or illnesses are caused by exposure to extreme heat and sun. Heat illnesses can be prevented by being careful in hot, humid weather...
- Drinking plenty of fluids
- Keeping inside room temperatures at a comfortable level
- Limiting how much time you spend outdoors in hot, humid weather
When to Contact a Medical Professional
Call your health care provider if you have unexplained heat intolerance.
What to Expect at Your Office Visit
Your provider will take a medical history and perform a physical examination .
Physical examination
During a physical examination, a health care provider studies your body to determine if you do or do not have a physical problem. A physical examinat...
Your provider may ask you questions like these:
- When do your symptoms occur?
- Have you had heat intolerance before?
- Is it worse when you exercise?
- Do you have vision changes?
- Are you dizzy or fainting?
- Do you have sweating or flushing?
- Do you have numbness or weakness?
- Is your heart beating fast, or do you have a rapid pulse?
Tests that may be performed include:
- Blood studies
-
Thyroid studies (
TSH
,
T3
, free
T4
)
TSH
A TSH test measures the amount of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in your blood. TSH is produced by the pituitary gland. It tells the thyroid gla...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleT3
Triiodothyronine (T3) is a thyroid hormone. It plays an important role in the body's control of metabolism (the many processes the body does to func...
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T4 (thyroxine) is the main hormone produced by the thyroid gland. A laboratory test can be done to measure the amount of free T4 in your blood....
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References
Kim M, Ladenson P. Thyroid. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman's Cecil Medicine . 25th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016:chap 226.
Sawka MN, O'Connor FG. Disorders due to heat and cold. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman's Cecil Medicine . 25th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016:chap 109.
Review Date: 1/31/2016
Reviewed By: Laura J. Martin, MD, MPH, ABIM Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Atlanta, GA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
