THE HEAT IS HERE!

Brothers and Sisters,

Summer is here! And I have some helpful tips to keep you and your family safe from the hot and humid weather, keeping your body cool is extremely challenging so when your body get hot to fast you tend to lose fluid or salt which is caused by sweating or dehydration which then makes your body temperature  rise so it is important that you know the Symptoms.

Heat Cramps

Heat cramps may be the first sign of heat-related illness, and may lead to heat exhaustion or stroke.

Symptoms: Painful muscle cramps and spasms usually in legs and abdomen and Heavy sweating.

First Aid: Apply firm pressure on cramping muscles or gently massage to relieve spasm. Give sips of water unless the person complains of nausea, then stop giving water. 
Seek immediate medical attention if cramps last longer than 1 hour.

Heat Exhaustion

Symptoms: Heavy sweating, Weakness or tiredness, cool, pale, clammy skin; fast, weak pulse, muscle cramps, dizziness, nausea or vomiting, headache, fainting,

First Aid: Move person to a cooler environment, preferably a well air-conditioned room. Loosen clothing. Apply cool, wet clothes or have person sit in a cool bath. Offer sips of water. If person vomits more than once,
Seek immediate medical attention if the person vomits, symptoms worsen or last longer than 1 hour

Heat Stroke

Symptoms: Throbbing headache, confusion, nausea, dizziness, body temperature above 103°F, hot, red, dry or damp skin, rapid and strong pulse, fainting, loss of consciousness.

First Aid: Call 911 or get the victim to a hospital immediately. Heat stroke is a severe medical emergency. Delay can be fatal. Move the victim to a cooler, preferably air-conditioned, environment. Reduce body temperature with cool cloths or bath. Use fan if heat index temperatures are below the high 90s. A fan can make you hotter at higher temperatures. Do NOT give fluids.

Using a fan to blow air in someone’s direction may actually make them hotter if heat index temperatures are above the 90s. For more information on all of these heat related illnesses, see the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) site.