Boomers and beyond: Hot weather can be harmful to your health

It’s too darn hot! For a Northwestern paradise, Idaho, you can sure show us some good, old-fashioned, Midwestern heat. Heat like this serves only one purpose: It’s a taste of what the rest of the country has to deal with all summer long, and it makes us very grateful that we live here instead of there.

With summer’s scorching heat at hand, it’s definitely time (for me anyway) to “hit the mattresses,” to use the old mobster’s term, meaning to drop out of sight and lay low, when the heat is on. Yeah, so it’s a different kind of heat – but heat is heat and staying home, stoking the air conditioner works for me.

So does getting up at 4:30 a.m. to get chores done. It’s deliciously cool and you’re always the first one there … wherever you happen to go. Getting up early to enjoy the freshness of the mild morning is absolutely one of summer’s best treats.

During extremely hot weather, there’s always the danger of heat injury. Having lived in Fort Worth, Texas, for 25 years, I learned firsthand how quickly one can become overheated.

I actually jumped into the Brazos River, one time, dress shoes and all. I had to get cool, immediately and I knew it. Drowning? Didn’t even think of it. Priorities rule.

Speaking of hot places – how about Iraq? How our troops over there can survive, wearing combat gear in that unrelenting heat, is awe-inspiring.

Comparing Idaho with Iraq sure takes the punch out of my complaint about Idaho heat, now doesn’t it?

Despite my weak complaint about our heat wave, the truth is, heat injuries are more common than people think. Existing medical problems that limit a person’s ability to sweat, can place some folks at higher risk of getting into trouble in hot weather. Note, people taking antihistamines, certain antidepressants, or high blood pressure medications can be more readily susceptible to heat problems.

Always at greatest risk for heat-related illness are people who are unable to take the necessary measures to cool themselves – infants, the elderly and bedridden. We should be observant and aware of this vulnerable population when our local temperatures are extreme.

Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are the most common forms of heat injury, with heat stroke being the most serious. Both can occur when people work or play in a hot, humid place and they lose excess body fluids through sweating – causing the body to overheat.

Symptoms vary and may overlap, but it is important to be aware of the difference between heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Heat exhaustion causes the skin to feel pale, cool and moist to the touch. There can be profuse sweating, feeling faint, nausea, thirst, weakness, headache and increased pulse.

Heat exhaustion must be treated – immediately – or it may lead to full blown, heat stroke. (Heat stroke has a 50 percent mortality rate.) Heat stroke brought on by exertion is characterized by profuse sweating.

In a classic heat stroke – another type of heat stroke – the person has stopped sweating, their skin is hot and dry.

A classic heat stroke is dangerous, as the body’s cooling system has stopped working. Victims of heat stroke may exhibit mental confusion, delirium or dizziness, even unconsciousness. They will have flushed, hot and dry skin. It’s a 911 emergency. Brain and organ damage can occur if medical help isn’t found immediately.

We’re advised not to try to treat heat stroke at home, but while waiting for medical help to arrive, we should move the person to a cooler place and moisten their skin with lukewarm water and fan them. Cool nonalcoholic beverages can be offered.

Once under medical care, doctors will take very aggressive measures to lower the patient’s core temperature. They may immerse the person in tepid water, fan their wet skin, and place ice packs under their arms and in their groin. Please note: None of these measures is suggested for home care.

In the case of heat exhaustion, medical help may be needed at some point to rehydrate the person, but those near the victim should take immediate measures to get the situation under control. Move them to a cool, shaded area, loosen their clothing and give cool fluids or Gatorade. Salty snacks are fine as tolerated. Do not give alcohol rubs or beverages containing alcohol or caffeine.

Gotta go … time to stoke the air conditioner and open another bottle of water.