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SATURDAY, June 17, 2023 (HealthDay Information) — Warmth sickness may be lethal, so it’s important to acknowledge the warning indicators and know what to do because the summer time season will get into gear.
“Warmth sickness tends to occur when the physique is unable to control its temperature as a consequence of overexertion or prolonged intervals of time in excessive temperatures,” mentioned Dr. Maria Carmenza Mejia, an affiliate professor at Baylor School of Medication in Houston.
“Circumstances can vary from delicate discomfort to life threatening,” she mentioned in a university information launch.
Meija supplied some details about warmth sickness and suggestions for avoiding or treating it.
The primary signal of warmth sickness tends to be cramps and spasms as a consequence of dehydration or an electrolyte imbalance. This will progress to warmth exhaustion, through which an individual experiences fever, heavy sweating, weak point, dizziness, headache or nausea.
It is usually doable to expertise warmth syncope, an episode of fainting or dizziness. This may be triggered by a decreased blood movement to the mind as a consequence of standing for lengthy intervals in excessive warmth or from shortly rising from the sitting or mendacity place when it’s sizzling.
Warmth exhaustion can progress to life-threatening warmth stroke, if the physique is now not in a position to calm down. Physique temperature rises quickly above 104 levels F, and an individual with warmth stroke could have seizures or lose consciousness and shortly expertise harm to the mind, coronary heart, kidneys and muscle mass.
Warmth stroke requires speedy emergency intervention.
To maintain warmth sickness from progressing all the best way to warmth stroke, Mejia mentioned it is very important cease any bodily exercise as quickly as you expertise the preliminary warmth cramps.
Transfer to a cool place inside and with air con, if doable.
Fan the pores and skin to chill it down and start to hydrate.
For those who suspect somebody is experiencing warmth exhaustion, transfer them to a cool place and attempt to deliver the physique temperature down, Mejia recommends.
If the particular person could also be experiencing warmth stroke and might’t maintain fluids down, name 911. Place ice packs within the particular person’s armpit, groin, neck and again areas whereas ready for paramedics.
Take these steps to guard in opposition to warmth sickness when spending time outside, Mejia advised:
Put on light-weight, loose-fitting and light-colored clothes.
Drink plenty of water. It’s doable to be dehydrated even if you’re not thirsty.
Select electrolyte drinks or options low in sugar, resembling sports activities drinks or powder-based electrolyte components to maintain your electrolytes up.
Attempt to plan out of doors actions when temperatures are cooler, throughout the morning and night.
Take a break each 15 to twenty minutes, getting out of the solar and warmth.
Put on sunscreen — having sunburned pores and skin can impair the physique’s skill to chill itself.
Use the buddy system in case you encounter warmth sickness if working exterior.
“Kids, aged people and people with persistent situations that hinder the physique’s skill to chill itself are at a better threat of warmth sickness,” Mejia mentioned. “Kids spending plenty of time within the solar additionally could expertise warmth rash, which occurs when sweat ducts get clogged and small bumps or blisters type. Deal with this by preserving the affected space dry, cool and undisturbed. If you’re 65 years of age or older, have a good friend or relative name to examine on you twice a day throughout a warmth wave.”
Mejia additionally urged communities to supply protected environments for individuals to take pleasure in out of doors actions in the summertime, together with parks and out of doors areas with plenty of shade, in addition to cooling facilities to help households with out entry to constant air con.
Pay attention to experiences on air high quality, air pollution and ozone ranges as they will present data for individuals with respiratory points.
“Entry to those sorts of environments and assets can scale back the quantity of heat-related sicknesses, so it’s vital for individuals to pay attention to this stuff to remain protected and wholesome in hotter months,” Mejia mentioned.
Extra data
The U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention has extra on heat-related sickness.
SOURCE: Baylor School of Medication, information launch, June 8, 2023
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