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Home
and Family
Summertime Living
by Dr. Reuven Bruner, Ph.D.
Feeling dizzy can be a symptom of both heat exhaustion or
heatstroke, both of which can occur if you exercise outdoors
during hot weather, or simply if you are exposed to high
temperatures and don't replace the fluids your body loses
through sweat. Here's a review of problems that can occur
during the hot weather:
A. Heat exhaustion: Symptoms include a mild increase
in temperature, heavy sweating, pallor, muscle cramps,
fatigue, weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea, or vomiting
and fainting. Cooling off usually helps quickly. Get into an
air-conditioned space as soon as possible, drink a cool
beverage — water or a sports drink to replace
minerals lost in sweat, take a cool shower or bath and
change into light clothing. If your symptoms are severe or
if you have high blood pressure, get immediate medical
attention. You could be at risk for heatstroke, a more
serious problem.
B. Heatstroke: Sometimes called "sunstroke," this is
a medical emergency and occurs when the body is no longer
able to regulate its temperature and when the sweating
mechanism is no longer operative. Body temperature can rise
to 106 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Other symptoms include
red, hot and dry skin, a throbbing headache, dizziness,
nausea, confusion, and ultimately unconsciousness and coma.
The elderly and ill are most vulnerable to heatstroke, but
no one is immune. At particular risk are sportspeople who
exercise vigorously in the summer months during the hottest
periods of the day without staying properly hydrated. If you
suspect someone is suffering from heatstroke, call for
emergency help immediately and do what you can to cool the
person: get the victim out of the sun and spray him or her
with cool water. Don't offer drinks of any kind.
C. Heat cramps: These can develop when you exercise
strenuously in hot weather. You'll feel muscle pains or
spasms in the legs, arms or abdomen. If this happens, find a
cool, shaded place to sit quietly, drink clear juice or a
sports beverage and don't resume exercise for a few hours
after the cramps subside. If they don't ease within an hour,
call your doctor. If you have a heart problem or are on a
low-salt diet, call your doctor if you ever develop heat
cramps.
D. Heat rash: This is skin irritation caused by
excessive sweating during the hot weather. The rash looks
like a red cluster of pimples or small blisters and usually
occurs on the neck and upper chest, in the groin, in elbow
creases and other such locations. Keep the affected area as
dry as possible. Dusting powder can help, but don't use any
creams or ointments, which keep the skin moist and may make
matters worse.
(C) 2006 Dr. Reuven Bruner. All Rights Reserved.
Contact him at: POB 1903, Jerusalem, 91314, Israel; Tel:
(02) 652-7684; Mobile: 052 2865-821; Fax: (02) 652-7227;
Email: FitnessDoctor@Bezeqint.net
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