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B.C. is in the midst of a heat wave, with 34 communities breaking temperature records on Saturday, so it’s important to be careful about your own body heat.
Heat-related illness is when your body gains heat faster than it can cool itself down. This type of illness can almost always be prevented, but it leads to weakness, disorientation, and exhaustion. Severe cases can lead to heat stroke, also known as sunstroke. Heat stroke is a serious and life-threatening medical emergency.
Not surprisingly, the effects of heat are worse if you’re not drinking enough to stay hydrated.
Usually, a healthy human body stays around 37°C . When that temperature rises, your body releases the heat through sweating and blood flow to the skin, allowing the body to cool. Heat-related illness, however, comes when your body can’t properly cool itself down in hot environments or during intense physical activity.
How can you tell if you have heat-related illness? There’s a variety of mild to severe symptoms, including:
Those at higher risks are young children under four, those 65 years or older, or healthy people who do lots of physical activity or work in a hot environment. Other factors for increased risk are:
Now, what can you do to reduce the risk?
Finally, what can you do if someone has mild heat-related illness? Some home treatments are:
If symptoms last longer than one hour, or if they change, worsen, or cause you concern, talk to a health care provider. Mild heat exhaustion doesn’t change mental alertness, so consult a health care provider if someone who has been in the heat, has been exercising, or has been working in the heat has a change in mental alertness.
Remember that animals can get heat stroke too. Don't leave your pet in a parked car, and check out these signs of heat stroke in pets.
And now you have the information you need about heat-related illness and heat stroke. Check out HealthLinkBC if you have any more questions.
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