Take Bark Out Of Dog Days Of August
The "dog days" of August are in full swing in most parts of the country, with soaring temperatures the rule and not the exception.
There's no doubt the heat can make you sick, and Early Show medical correspondent Dr. Emily Senay offered advice Tuesday on how to keep the heat from harming you.
She pointed out that global warming has "absolutely" led to more heat-related health woes, saying, "In the last five to ten years, we've seen serious illness and death, heat-related. And honestly, I think it's a sign of the times. We all need to get familiar with what happens during this, and do our best to prevent anything bad from happening to us or our loved ones."
What does happen?
"Things," Senay explained, "go in a sort of progression. Usually. Though not always. People certainly can develop the most serious form of heat-related illness, heat stroke, right away, without any warning sign. But, usually the first thing people experience is heat cramps. That usually means you get a little pain or some discomfort in your calf, or hamstring. That's very easily managed. Get out of the heat, cool off, drink some fluids, and that should put an end to that. But, as I said, it can progress.
"The next thing that often happens is heat exhaustion. And workers who have to work outdoors are probably familiar with this, when the weather's bad. They usually have a sense of feeling fatigued. They might have a little nausea, a little vomiting, even. They might feel dizzy at times. That also can be managed. In some cases, they might need I.V. (intravenous) fluids to re-hydrate.
"Beyond that, you're into the trouble zone.
" … The worst form (of heat-related illness) is heat stroke. And this is what, when heat waves happen, unfortunately, kills people. This is a medical emergency. This is a 911 call if you see someone suffering from these symptoms. (They) include confusion; people might act a little weird. They might act agitated. What happens, often, is their skin becomes dry. Their mechanism to cool down and sweat is no longer there. Again, (this is a) medical emergency. (Call 911 and) in the meantime, pack them with ice."
A key to preventing any form of heat-related illness, Senay stressed, is staying properly hydrated.
What's the best way to stay go about that?
"Obviously," Senay responded, "water is the best. If you can, have access to some of the drinks that are out there, that's probably OK, although water is best. The three things you want to avoid in weather like this are alcohol, coffee and tea, because those can actually dehydrate you."
How much liquid do we actually need?
"The Institute of Medicine recommends that, on a normal day, women get about nine cups, and men get about 11 cups of fluid," Senay replied. "Obviously, when the weather is like this, the CDC (federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) says you really need to ramp up the fluid intake, somewhere between two and four cups an hour when you're in hundred-degree weather."