Hot…Hot…Hot

This week, I really wanted to focus on heat related issues. I don’t know about you, but I have been sweating my skin off this week and wanted to remind everyone that there are some serious issues that can arise from ignoring what your body is telling you when it is super hot out. Having your body tell you that your temperature is too high is not something that you should mess around with, as heat related illnesses can be deadly. Sadly, there are too many instances where people try to tough out the heat for whatever reason and end up passing away because the human body can only take so much.
If you are a caregiver to someone who is very young or someone who is elderly, you need to pay special attention to these types of symptoms during the summer especially. Children often won’t be able to tell you that something is wrong and the elderly often don’t realize that they are at a higher risk. I know that my mother is a high risk for heat illnesses and she is extremely stubborn so she will very rarely complain about not feeling well. With people like this, you need to learn to read the signs so that they don’t put themselves at a higher risk than they already are. This is also something that you need to pay attention to with people who are non-verbal or who have developmental disorders which may prevent them from letting you know when something is wrong.
Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are both terrifying disorders that need immediate medical attention. Making sure that you and those you care for are appropriately hydrated is something that you should always take extremely seriously. Many people forget about drinking more than usual during the summer and this can quickly turn into a serious medical issue if you aren’t careful. Always pay attention to any sensation that is not normal and keep an eye on how much water you are drinking. It is suggested that you increase your liquid intake by at least twenty five percent during the summer and there is nothing wrong with making sure that you keep to that. Just be careful not to overhydrate, as that is also a serious medical issue that can occur. Listen to your body and you should be fine. Here at Wirth Chiropractic, we just want you to be safe!