Post by Lαrα on Jul 8, 2015 9:11:57 GMT -8
Its great that summer is now upon us but its also a good time to be wise and put some practical steps in place to avoid issues with over heating or heat exhaustion. Heat exhaustion is serious and can affect anyone at any level.
Overheating for higher level injuries is a very serious issue as they cannot sweat and cool their body down naturally.
Following some simple procedures can make all the difference and allow you to continue enjoying your summer activities.
Drink water.
Its so important to stay hydrated, cold water is the ideal. Drinking soda or caffeine based drink and alcohol will only dehydrate you further. In the heat, outside, this is actually dangerous!
Drinks that replenish electrolytes are good but not if they contain too much sugar and any caffeine of course.
Sit in the shade.
If a shady area is not available to you, bring your own by using an umbrella to create shade. This will keep direct sunlight off your body which will also lessen (but not prevent) your chance of sunburn. Find a breeze, if possible. There are some purchased clothing that advertise filtered sun protection.
Cool yourself.
There are many ways to lower your body temperature when outside. One way is to wet a towel in cold water and lay it across your skin and the back of your neck. Change or re-wet frequently.
Some products are available for cooling that maintain coldness for slightly longer periods of time are available in towels, head bands, visors, etc. Wear clothing made of light colored, breathable fabrics.
Misting with cool water provides short term relief. One of the hottest places in the summer is when you first enter your car or van. Pre-cool your vehicle.
Issues that can result from overheating bodies are heat exhaustion and heat stroke. It is hard to differentiate between the two, so plan ahead by drinking water and eating small amounts of salty snacks if your diet allows it.
These are both serious issues that can sneak up on you before you know it is happening.
Therefore, you need to be aware of the symptoms before they get out of control.
Heat exhaustion is caused by water and/or salt depletion in the body.
Signs of heat exhaustion:
Thirst
Weakness
Headache
Eventually loss of consciousness when dehydration occurs.
Watch out for signs of Autonomic Dysreflexia
If you have salt depletion,
signs include:
nausea and vomiting
muscle cramps and dizziness.
One of the first symptoms of heat exhaustion is confusion but also look out for these symptoms
This might be ever so slight and can be first noted by a change in normal behavior and thinking such as agitation, arguing or anger. A change in a person’s regular behavior is an early sign.
The person may exhibit fatigue or sleepiness, grouchiness, dizziness or fainting, especially upon standing but even when sitting.
Cramping in the legs and arms and sweating might be noted depending on the functional ability of the autonomic nervous system.
Those with paralysis might not feel cramping or may not be able to sweat.
A rapid heartbeat will be noted as the body will try to push more blood through the capillaries to cool itself. When dehydration occurs, urine becomes darker than what is normal for that individual.
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