By Connie Colbert
Director, Canyon Health and Wellness Clinic
Sunday officially marked our first triple-digit temperature day of the year and our first excessive heat warning of 2020, and it kicked off our first heat wave of the season.
Heat can be dangerous, and we all need to take necessary precautions to prevent illness and dehydration.
Anyone can succumb to heat-related illnesses. The body normally cools itself by sweating, but when temperatures are high and sweat does not evaporate quickly, body temperature can rise rapidly.
Very high body temperatures may damage the brain or other vital organs.
Other factors that increase risk include age, weight, fever, dehydration, heart disease, mental illness, poor circulation, sunburn and prescription drug and alcohol use.
Heat-related illness
Heat exhaustion is a relatively mild form of heat-related illness that can develop after several days of exposure to high temperatures and inadequate hydration. Heat exhaustion is the body's response to an excessive loss of the water and salt contained in sweat.
Warning signs of heat exhaustion include:
- Heavy sweating
- Muscle cramps
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Nausea or vomiting
- Fainting and weakness
- Skin may be cool, moist and pale
- Pulse will be fast and weak
- Breathing will be fast and shallow
If heat exhaustion is untreated, it may progress to heat stroke. Seek medical attention immediately if symptoms are severe or if the person has heart problems or high blood pressure.
Otherwise, help the person cool off, and seek medical attention if symptoms worsen or last longer than one hour.
Cooling measures that may be effective include:
- Drinking cool, nonalcoholic beverages
- Rest
- A cool shower, bath or sponge bath
- An air-conditioned environment
- Lightweight clothing
Heat stroke is defined as a core body temperature of more than 105 degrees F and brain dysfunction. The body's temperature rises rapidly, the sweating mechanism fails and the body is unable to cool down. Heat stroke can cause death or permanent disability if emergency treatment is not provided.
Warning signs of heat stroke vary but may include:
- Rapid, strong or weak pulse
- An extremely high body temperature (above 103 degrees F or 39.4 degrees C, measured orally)
- Red, hot and dry skin (no sweating)
- Throbbing headache
- Dizziness and nausea
- Confusion
- Unconsciousness
If you see any of these signs, you may be dealing with a life-threatening emergency. Call 911 while you begin cooling the person.
Get the person to an air-conditioned or shady area and cool them rapidly using whatever methods you can. For example:
- Place ice packs on areas such as wrist, neck, armpits, groin and back
- Immerse the person in cool water or apply cool water, such as in a tub or shower, from a garden hose or by sponging water on
- Fan the person vigorously
Monitor body temperature, and continue cooling efforts until the body temperature drops to 101-102 degrees F.
Sometimes a person's muscles will begin to twitch uncontrollably as a result of heat stroke. If this happens, prevent self-injury but do not place any object in the mouth and do not give fluids. If there is vomiting, make sure the airway remains open by turning the person on his/her side.
Heat cramps are muscle pains or spasms — usually in the abdomen, arms or legs — that may occur in association with sweating during strenuous activity. If you have heart problems or are on a low-sodium diet, get medical attention for heat cramps.
If medical attention is not necessary, take these steps:
- Stop all activity and sit quietly in a cool place.
- Drink water or a sports beverage.
- Do not return to strenuous activity for a few hours after the cramps subside because further exertion may lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
- Seek medical attention for heat cramps if they do not subside in one hour.
Sunburn damages the skin and should be avoided. Although the discomfort is usually minor and healing often occurs in about a week, more severe sunburn may require medical attention.
Consult a health care provider if the sunburn affects an infant younger than 1 year old or if these symptoms are present:
- Fever
- Fluid-filled blisters
- Severe pain
Also, remember these tips when treating sunburn:
- Avoid repeated sun exposure.
- Apply cold compresses or immerse the sunburned area in cool water.
- Apply moisturizing lotion to affected areas. Do not use salve, butter or ointment.
- Do not break blisters.
Heat rash is a skin irritation caused by excessive sweating during hot, humid weather. It can occur at any age but is most common in young children.
Heat rash looks like a red cluster of pimples or small blisters. It is more likely to occur on the neck and upper chest, in the groin, under the breasts and in elbow creases.
The best treatment for heat rash is to provide a cooler, less humid environment. Keep the affected area dry. Dusting powder may be used to increase comfort.
Beat the heat: Suggestions for staying cool
- Find air conditioning
- Exercise during the early morning or late evening hours, when heat and ozone levels are at the lowest levels of the day.
- If you must be outdoors, try to limit your outdoor activity to morning and evening hours. Rest often in shade or air conditioning so that your body's thermostat will have a chance to recover.
- Drink plenty of hydrating fluids and avoid drinking alcohol, caffeine and carbonated drinks. (If your health care provider generally limits the amount of fluid you drink, ask how much you should drink while the weather is hot.)
- Eat meals that are well-balanced and light. Avoid high-protein foods, which increase metabolic heat and can add to water loss.
- Drink a sports beverage to replace the salt and minerals you lose in sweat. However, if you are on a low-salt diet, talk with your health care provider before drinking a sports beverage or taking salt tablets.
- Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing. Dress infants and children in cool, loose clothing and shade their heads and faces with hats or an umbrella.
- Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses and by putting on sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher (the most effective products say "broad spectrum" or "UVA/UVB protection" on their labels) 30 minutes before going out. Continue to reapply according to the package directions.
- Do not leave children or pets in cars, which can heat up to dangerous temperatures very quickly.
- Take showers or baths or go swimming.
Be prepared before you step out of the house!
