Knowing the symptoms for heat-related illnesses
Summer is officially here. With record-breaking temperatures coming to the Desert southwest, it’s crucial to recognize symptoms of heat-related illnesses. These illnesses include heat exhaustion and can even be as severe as heat stroke.
In Arizona, nearly 2,000 people visit emergency rooms a year due to heat-related illnesses, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services website. The question is, how do you know you’re suffering from the heat?
Yuma Regional Medical Center Physician, Dr. Matthew Dickson, said it’s best to listen to your body. “Heat exhaustion are the mild symptoms. They are the muscle cramping, the nausea, the vomiting, the dizziness, the weakness”, Dickson noted on heat exhaustion. However, it can get more severe, , “the part that differentiates the changes from when you go from heat exhaustion to heat stroke, is when it starts affecting your mind”.
Dr. Dickson notes that heat illnesses are all preventable. If you experience mild symptoms, the best thing to do is to take a break from the sun, find a cool place to rest, and drink some water. If these symptoms are ignored, it may be time to seek medical attention.
