A lot of outdoor activities are scheduled for Independence Day today. The temperatures are also creeping into the nineties with lots of humidity. So, health officials say it’s important to be aware of the risk of heat illness. One of the most common conditions is heat exhaustion. That’s when you get overheated and lose electrolytes through sweating. If it goes untreated, heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke, which can be fatal. Dr. Ed Geno teaches family medicine at the University of Alabama. He says people need to know what to look out when it comes to heat stroke…
“…and they start to have what I call ‘brain symptoms’, like confusion, trouble thinking clearly, seeing or hearing things – so they actually can hallucinate – trouble walking, seizures and passing out. So if you have someone who’s having some of those ‘brain symptoms’, they need to get to a professional really quickly.”
Dr. Geno says it’s important for people working and playing outdoors to stay hydrated and take frequent breaks, especially when the heat index is above 100 degrees.