By Jennifer Dorsett
Field Editor
As triple-digit temperatures set in and heat advisories remain in effect across parts of the state, farmers, ranchers and other Texans spending time outdoors are encouraged to be aware of signs and symptoms of heat-related illness.
Knowing the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke can make the difference between life or death, according to Dr. James Sharp, a family physician in Waco.
“They’re the same type of problem, but at opposite ends of the spectrum,” he said. “The common ground between heat exhaustion and heat stroke is they’re both related to exerting one’s self in a hot or humid environment and being insufficiently hydrated.”
Summertime presents different challenges for those who spend large amounts of time outdoors, Sharp said. Heat-related illness begins with dehydration and can quickly progress to more serious forms if left unchecked.
When possible, Sharp advises rescheduling strenuous activities to early morning or evening.
“And don’t do harder work than you’re accustomed to in that heat environment,” he added. “Pace yourself.”
If it’s not possible to put an outdoor task off until it’s cooler, Sharp said to dress appropriately, including wearing a wide-brimmed hat, take frequent breaks in the shade or air-conditioning and drink plenty of fluids.
Sustained dehydration and exposure to high temperatures can lead to heat exhaustion, which occurs when the body becomes overheated and dehydrated.
Signs of heat exhaustion include excessive thirst, dizziness, headaches, excessive sweating and significant physical weakness.
“Heat exhaustion would be something a lot of us get where we’re outside working too hard,” Sharp said.
“With heat exhaustion, someone may collapse, but they should regain consciousness immediately. They should be able to drink on their own and answer questions.”
If someone has symptoms of heat exhaustion, they need to be taken out of the heat immediately.
Have the individual lie down, give them plenty of liquids like water or electrolyte drinks (such as Pedialyte or Gatorade) and get them to a cool environment indoors or in a vehicle. Sharp advised undertaking other cooling measures, such as cold compresses, if possible.
“Cold cloths or ice packs on the back of the neck can help and even more so underneath the armpits, where the body puts out a lot of heat,” he said. “That will really help dispel some of the heat built up in the trunk, where most of our vital organs are located. And drinking cool liquids puts cooling inside the body, which helps a little bit, as well.”
If these measures fail to help within an hour or so, call for emergency medical assistance as the next stages of heat illness can quickly turn fatal, according to Sharp.
“With heat exhaustion, there’s no organ damage. It may take you an hour to feel better, but you’ll get up and walk away on your own,” he said. “There’s an in-between stage from heat exhaustion to heat stroke that may not seem like that big of a deal, but it can be very dangerous, too.”
He explained exertional heat injury is a milder form of heat stroke. Symptoms may include all those typical with heat exhaustion, with the addition of nausea or vomiting, diarrhea and muscle cramps.
“Exertional heat injury is basically heat stroke without neurological injury. But what we have to watch out for is when your muscles are cramping and you’re throwing up, you may have organ injury or breakdown of muscle tissue, and we wouldn’t know that without bloodwork. That could be a serious problem without treatment,” Sharp said. “Once you start having other symptoms beyond thirst and exhaustion, you really need to see a physician to rule out the possibility of organ or muscle damage.”
Sharp said neurological problems related to heat stroke are a life-threatening emergency.
In addition to the same symptoms as heat exhaustion, heat stroke victims often experience confusion, unusual fatigue and difficulty concentrating.
Clinical symptoms of heat stroke include fever, decreased sweating, rapid heart rate, quick and shallow breathing, low blood pressure and even seizures or unconsciousness.
Someone who is suffering a heat stroke will have obvious difficulty continuing any activity and is often clumsy and weak, Sharp added.
“If someone seems to not ‘be themselves,’ like crying or becoming very irritable, those are symptoms of neurological injury. That sort of behavior would be an emergency,” he said. “During heat stroke, the body loses the ability to regulate temperature. Once a person has a 101- or 102-degree fever, they’re already in trouble. Begin cooling people off, get them hydrated, but it’s an outright emergency. Call 911 and get them to medical treatment as quickly as possible.”
Sharp noted many medications, including popular blood pressure-lowering drugs, can exacerbate heat-related illnesses.
These drugs function by decreasing heart volume output or sometimes have diuretic effects which can cause dehydration more easily. That makes a person more susceptible to different forms of heat-related illness, according to Sharp.
“If you’ve been started on a new blood pressure medication, discuss with your doctor if it may make you less heat-tolerant or more prone to dehydration,” he said. “If you work outdoors frequently or are planning to do any physical activity after starting a new medication, be sure to ask about these possibilities. Prevention is much easier than treatment.”
Sharp stressed the importance of sun protection to prevent skin damage, including sunburn and melanoma. He recommends buying sunscreen with minimum rating of 45 to 50 SPF and reapplying every two to three hours.
Wearing appropriate sun protection is the most effective way to prevent sun damage. Sharp recommends wide-brimmed hats, light colored long-sleeved shirts, sunglasses and sunscreen.
“These are all excellent ways to keep the direct sun off skin, especially that wide-brimmed hat—not a ball cap,” Sharp said. “There are many good options out there now for long-sleeved shirts that have venting and UPF properties that make them a little more breathable and bearable in summer heat.”
Take in enough fluids, watch body temperatures during these long, hot days and be alert for signs of heat-related illnesses. Sharp said the life you save just might be your own.
Click here for more tips on staying safe in the heat.