St. Louis summers are not to be trifled with. The heat and humidity are notorious, often lingering well into early fall. It’s no time to take chances with heat-related illness, which can quickly become serious—and even deadly.
Dr. Timothy Havens, assistant dean of clinical skills at Saint Louis University School of Medicine and director of emergency medicine at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital, has seen too many cases of heat exhaustion and its more serious counterpart, heat stroke. Many of them, he says, could be prevented with common sense and some basic knowledge.
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“Anyone who has a job where they’re going to work outside or engage in regular exercise outdoors should have a plan to acclimate to the heat,” he says. “Limit your exposure the first few days, but still spend some time in the heat to build up your tolerance.”
Those who are only outside occasionally simply need to be aware of the conditions, avoiding prolonged exposure when the heat index climbs above 100 degrees, he adds.
High humidity is one of the key factors driving heat-related illness because it limits the body’s ability to cool itself.
“So much of our ability to deal with heat comes from evaporative cooling through sweat,” Havens says. “When sweat changes from liquid to gas, it cools you off. But if there’s more water in the air, that change doesn’t happen as readily, so you get much less cooling from sweating than you would in a lower-humidity environment.”
Staying hydrated helps replenish blood volume lost through sweating, whether it’s humid or not. And while electrolyte powders and sports drinks are popular, Havens says they’re not typically necessary because the kidneys do a good job of regulating the body’s electrolyte balance. However, if a sports drink sounds more appealing than water and encourages you to drink more fluids, it’s a perfectly reasonable option.
Avoiding heavy meals before spending time outdoors can also help the body cool itself more efficiently.
“If you have a really big meal, and your body is doing a lot of work to digest that, and then you’re out in the heat, you have less total physiologic resource to push toward cooling mechanisms, so you can get yourself in trouble,” Havens says.
That doesn’t mean heading out on an empty stomach. Instead, aim for a balanced meal or snack that provides energy without overtaxing your body.
Those who wait until they feel overheated to take a break are already pushing their luck, Havens adds.
“Once you start experiencing symptoms, you’re close to that place where you could be compromising your ability to react rationally because one of the things that goes along with heat illness is altered mental status.”
Signs of heat illness include abdominal or muscle cramps, clammy skin, dizziness, fainting, nausea, and a rapid pulse. If you or someone you’re with begins experiencing symptoms, the goal is to lower body temperature as quickly as possible. Move to a cool location, drink cold fluids, mist the skin with water, and use a fan if available. Ice packs placed under the arms and in the groin area can also help accelerate cooling.
Havens also stresses the importance of looking out for children and older adults.
“It’s always tragic when a child is left in the car in a high-heat situation, so be really mindful of the temperature, even if you only plan to leave the car for a minute,” he says. “And check on your elderly neighbors who might not have consistent access to air conditioning.”
