There are two major health concerns when it comes to high summer temperatures: Heat exhaustion and heat stroke. When it comes to these heat illnesses, you should try to avoid them at every opportunity. To help, the healthcare providers at California Urgent Care Center have gathered some tips on how to prevent heat stroke and heat exhaustion. But first, everyone needs to understand a bit more about these heat illnesses.
What Is Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke?
Heat exhaustion sets in when you are hot and dehydrated. It can cause headaches, dizziness, confusion, cramps and fast breathing. If heat exhaustion continues, it can lead to a far more severe condition, heat stroke. When your sweating stops, you continue feeling unwell, and you experience nausea and vomiting, you could be having a heat stroke.
Tips on How to Prevent Heat Stroke and Heat Exhaustion
- Stay Hydrated – Maintaining proper hydration will help your body manage a healthy body temperature. This is especially important during outdoor activities. Drink plenty of water but remember to try to consume some sports drinks to replenish salts and electrolytes that you have lost from sweating.
- Acclimate to the Heat – Do not try to suddenly start doing outdoor activities if you have spent most of your time in the air conditioning. Your body may not be ready for the temperature shift, so take the gradual approach. Limit your time in the heat and then built up to longer intervals over a series of several days.
- Protect Against Sunburn – Your skin is a vital part of your body’s temperature regulation system. When your skin is injured, your ability to regulate your body heat is compromised. These injuries include cuts, abrasions and sunburn. To protect your skin from sunburn, use a broad-spectrum sunscreen of at least SPF 15. Apply that sunscreen over all exposed skin and reapply as frequently as recommended on the sunscreen’s packaging. If you are sweating a lot or swimming, reapply your sunscreen more frequently.
- Wear the Right Clothing – As we said before, you must protect your skin, and another way to do that is by wearing the appropriate clothing. Wide-brimmed hats, light-colored and loose-fitting clothing can all help keep you cool and covered from the sun’s rays. Your clothing can also protect you from cuts and abrasions.
- Take It Easy When It’s Hot – Sometimes the best protection is just to stay out of the sun. Seek out shade, bring an umbrella, and hang out under awnings. Try to limit your activity to early morning or the evening when the day is at its coolest. Avoid sitting in parked (unairconditioned) cars, and do not leave children in cars.
Can Our Urgent Care Center Help With Heat Exhaustion?
If you are experiencing the symptoms of heat exhaustion, stop by our urgent care facility. Our trained medical staff can help you feel better so you can get back to enjoying your summer. Walk-ins at our many locations are welcome, but you can also fill out one of our online contact forms.
However, if you are experiencing vomiting, seizures, or loss of consciousness, please head to the emergency room immediately. You may have heat stroke, which is a severe medical condition that needs immediate treatment.