Beat the Heat this Summer!
Who doesn’t love summertime? Trips to the beach, cookouts in the back yard, going camping, planting gardens, and splashing around in the pool are just a few of the fun activities that the summer time brings. But summertime also means heat, and lots of it!
While there is nothing wrong with enjoying the plentiful sunshine and warm weather, it can still bring dangers that you may not be aware of. Believe it or not, heat is the number one weather-related killer in the United States. The National Weather Service statistical data shows that heat causes more fatalities per year than floods, lightning, tornadoes and hurricanes combined.
Why you may ask? Well, as the body temperature increases, our bodies try to maintain normal temperatures by transferring heat through sweating and flowing blood to the skin. But when our bodies can no longer keep us cool enough, that’s when a heat-related illness can occur.
Many of us are familiar with the term hypothermia – when our body temperature is too cold. Well, hyperthermia is just the opposite – when our body temperature is too high. Hyperthermia can develop quickly in hot environments, such as when a child is left in a car in the summer heat or being in small spaces with poor ventilation.
Additionally, environmental and physical conditions can make it hard to stay cool. Things such as exercising during hot weather, working outdoors, and overdressing for the environment increase risk. Caffeine or alcohol also increases risk of dehydration.
According to WebMD, heat-related illnesses include:
- Heat rash (prickly heat): Occur when the sweat ducts to the skin become blocked or swell, causing discomfort and itching.
- Heat cramps: Occur in muscles after exercise because sweating causes the body to lose water, salt, and minerals (electrolytes).
- Heat edema (swelling) in the legs and hands: Occur when you sit or stand for a long time in a hot environment.
- Heat tetany (hyperventilation and heat stress): Usually caused by short periods of stress in a hot environment.
- Heat syncope (fainting): Occurs from low blood pressure when heat causes the blood vessels to expand (dilate) and body fluids move into the legs because of gravity.
- Heat exhaustion (heat prostration): Generally develops when a person is working or exercising in hot weather and does not drink enough liquids to replace those lost liquids.
- Heatstroke (sunstroke): Occurs when the body fails to regulate its own temperature and body temperature continues to rise, often to 105°F (40.6°C) or higher.Heatstroke is a medical emergency. Even with immediate treatment, it can be life-threatening or cause serious long-term problems.
Other things that may increase your risk of a heat-related illness include (according to WebMD):
- Age
- Obesity
- Heat waves
- Chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart failure, and cancer
- Travel to wilderness areas or foreign countries with high outdoor temperatures and humidity
So while you are out enjoying the summer sun this year, just keep in mind that most heat-related illnesses can be prevented by making a conscious effort to stay cool and hydrated. Luckily, many heat-related illnesses can be treated at home, but heat exhaustion and heatstroke need immediate medical treatment.