Hilton Head temps are scorching. How to prevent a beach trip from turning into an ER visit

It’s hard to ignore a blazing sun and it’s easy to forget that we don’t belong under it. Well, not for too long.

The cloying combination of temperature and relative humidity could’ve sent the heat index soaring to 115 in the Lowcountry on Monday, which triggered an excessive heat advisory for Beaufort County.

But the scorching days aren’t going away. And neither are the health risks.

Prolonged exposure to high heat, typical of a Southern summer, can cause health consequences as innocuous as sweating through a T-shirt to as dangerous as ending up in an emergency department on vacation. Compared to deaths caused by extreme weather events like hurricanes, floods and tornadoes, excessive heat kills more people per year, according to a report by the Scientific American.

People over 65, children, athletes, those who are physically ill or immunocompromised, and people who work outside run a higher risk of getting heat-related illnesses.

Young children and older adults cannot cool their bodies as easily. Workers exposed to hot environments, including firefighters, farmers, construction workers and factory workers, are at danger of developing heat stress, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

High heat also poses a higher probability of affecting people who take medications like antihistamines, diuretics or certain antidepressants because they reduce the body’s ability to dissipate heat.

How heat-related illnesses develop

Typically, the body can regulate exposure to heat through sweating, which happens when the sweat evaporates on the skin and lowers body temperature. More heat can also escape when the body sends more blood to the skin, arms, legs and head.

But if the body cannot correct for extra heat, internal temperatures will rise beyond its ideal 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, anywhere from 101 to 104 as heat illness sets in, Johns Hopkins Medicine reported .

It starts with heat cramps. They’re the mildest form of heat-related illness and happen when the body loses water and salt, which causes excruciating muscle cramps and spasms during or after exercise, or heavy exertion, according to the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services . Applying firm pressure or gently massaging the area can relieve cramping.

More advanced, heat exhaustion sets in as the body loses fluids in extreme heat without fluid and salt replacement, typically affecting people who exercise too heavily or work in warm, humid places, the agency said. At that point, the body cannot regulate its temperature and reacts with cool, moist, pale or flushed skin, heavy sweating, headache, nausea or vomiting, dizziness and exhaustion.

Heat stroke, which can lead to brain damage and death, is the most advanced heat-related illness. Hot, red and dry skin, consciousness change, a rapid, weak pulse, shallow breathing, and a temperature of 103 or higher are symptoms of heat stroke.

Heat exhaustion and heat stroke require that the person move to a cooler place, have cool cloths placed on them or get in a cold bath, according to the CDC. People experiencing heat exhaustion can sip water, but medical help is needed if they’re vomiting, symptoms are worsening or last longer than an hour.

A heat stroke victim is a medical emergency that requires a 911 call. The person should not be given anything to drink.

Beyond physical exhaustion and lack of comfort, months of unrelenting heat can have psychological effects. A health survey of millions in America found that for every couple degrees the temperature rose, there was an increase in self-reported mental health problems, according to research by the University of Georgia.

Dealing with excessive heat

Prolonged heat exposure may be unavoidable in the Lowcountry, however, there are ways to safely endure it , according to the agency. The sun’s peak hours are from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., which is when people should especially slow their strenuous outdoor activity.

• Exercise should be done between 4 to 7 a.m.

• Eat small meals but eat more often.

• Consume less protein and more fruits and vegetables, because protein produces and increases metabolic heat, which causes water loss.
• Drink fruit juice or a sports drink when exercising or working in the heat.
• Stay out of the sun and stay in air conditioning.
• If you must go outdoors, wear sunscreen with at least SPF 15 and don a hat.
• When outside, wear loose-fitting, lightweight, light-colored clothing that covers as much skin as possible.
• If you don’t have air conditioning, go to a public building with air conditioning every day for several hours.
• Drink at least two-to-four glasses of water per hour during extreme heat.
• Avoid alcohol or caffeine.
• Avoid taking salt tablets unless directed to do so by a doctor.

Pet heat health matters too

• Never leave a pet in a parked car or vehicle during periods of intense heat.
• Remember that asphalt can get excessively hot and burn your pet’s paws.
• Make sure there is enough water and food for pets and limit their exercise.
• Whenever your pet is outside, make sure they have water and a shady place to rest.
• Cats and dogs can get sunburns.