BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Doctor Gabe Campion, an E.R. doctor with Dignity Health, warns that the Bakersfield heat is no joke.
“When your body overheats and you’re starting to run low on water, becoming a little bit dehydrated, your body can’t cool itself anymore cause the main way your body cools is to sweat,” said Dr. Campion. “So if you become dehydrated, you can’t sweat anymore; it’s just so overwhelming. Your body can’t keep up.”
Dr. Campion says symptoms of heat-related illness come in various forms.
“There’s a spectrum of symptoms that people may encounter with heat-related illnesses, from something as mild as heat cramps, where you start to feel when you’re working outside that your muscles are cramping up, and you’re starting to feel a little bit tired, up to heat exhaustion, where people may start feeling nauseous, they start to vomit, they may feel like they’re about to pass out, and they start feeling very overheated, up to heat stroke. At that point, people can become confused. They can have a seizure. That becomes a life-threatening condition where they’ll need immediate medical attention.”
Dr. Campion recommends hydrating before you go outside. And if you plan on staying out for a longer amount of time, bring a sports drink.
“For extended periods of time, it’s not just water you lose, but all the salt in your sweat,” said Dr. Campion. “So you’re gonna wanna have something to replace that with a pack of electrolytes that goes in the water.”
But if you notice someone who is showing signs of heat stroke, such as confusion or vomiting, Dr. Campion says not to force them to drink water.
“If they’re at the point where they’re confused, they’re vomiting, they can’t keep anything down, they’re getting pretty sick at that point, they might need some IV fluid, so that’s the time to get some medical attention,” said Dr. Campion.
Again, heat stroke can be life-threatening. If you notice symptoms such as confusion, nausea, vomiting, fainting, or seizures, seek immediate medical attention.
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