Tips to Avoid Heat Stroke

I originally shared these tips for avoiding heat stroke as part of a weather forecast, but the tips for protecting yourself from heat exhaustion and heat stroke apply any time so I removed the part for a specific day and am leaving it up as a sort of public service announcement.

For tomorrow, June 18, 2018, the Galion weather forecast is predicting another sweltering day with temperatures above 90-degrees for the second day in a row.

So, I thought I would toss some tips on how to avoid heat stroke out there as a reminder to everyone to take care of yourselves in this extreme weather.

Signs of Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke

Heat stroke symptoms can look and feel like heart attack symptoms, and even the symptoms of some other conditions, as noted by WebMD.

Heat exhaustion is actually the thing you go through first before it turns to heat stroke, so we'll start with the symptoms of heat exhaustion.

It's important to note, though, that heat stroke can occur without any of the heat exhaustion symptoms happening first.

Heat exhaustion symptoms:

• Dizziness
• Fatigue 
• Headache
• Muscle aches and cramps
• Nausea and vomiting
• Weakness

Heat stroke symptoms:

• Absence of sweat
• Agitation
• Breathing problems
• Coma
• Confusion and disorientation
• Elevated body temperature
• Flushed dry skin
• Hallucinations
• Hot red skin
• Rapid pulse
• Seizures
• Strange behavior

What to Do for Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke

According to the CDC, if you are experiencing signs of heat exhaustion, you should move to a cooler spot, loosen tight clothing, take a cool bath or put cool, wet cloths against your skin, and take sips of water.

If you start to feel worse, throw up, or your heat exhaustion symptoms linger for over an hour, seek medical help immediately.

If you or someone you're with experiences signs of heat stroke, treat it as a medical emergency and call 911.

If possible, move to a cooler location and apply cool compresses or a cool bath, but the CDC says don't give a heat stroke patient anything to drink. (I didn't know that before I researched for this article!)

Tips for How to Avoid Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke

While it's good to know what to do, it's even better to avoid the risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke altogether.

The Mayo Clinic offers some suggestions for that. 

• Rehydrate to replace the water your body loses by sweating by drinking plenty of water or electrolyte beverages. 
• Skip sugary, icy, and booze-laden beverages because these can interfere with your body's natural ability to adjust your core temperature.
• Take a cool shower or bath.
• Put a damp piece of fabric against your skin, like a sheet, towel or bandanna, and direct the airflow from a fan at yourself, or anyone experiencing these heat-related effects.
• Go somewhere shady or preferably air-conditioned to cool off. 

Thanks for reading, and I hope you find a way to beat the heat during all the hot days this summer. in the 92-degree temperatures tomorrow.