Amidst record-breaking temperatures across South Florida, the Chief Medical Officer of Broward Health Medical Center weighed in on what happens internally when your body experiences extreme heat.
Dr. Joshua Lenchus explains that when temperatures become extreme, sweat can no longer evaporate, which makes it harder for you to cool down.
The evaporation of sweat off of skin is a cooling mechanism that people naturally undergo when they become hot, he said.
Heat cramps, which are caused by a loss of water and electrolytes, can be an early sign that you should hydrate and cool down.
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"You start to experience some signs and symptoms that are kind of your body's warning system, 'hey you better get out of the heat,' so things like nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fatigue, here at this point you're profusely sweating, you're drenched, you start to have that feeling of being sort of stifled, if you will," Lenchus said.
At this point, your internal body temperature is rising above its natural 98.6-degree level similarly to how it would if you had a fever, he added.
When your internal body temperature has risen and the symptoms are not addressed quickly enough, it can progress to heat exhaustion, Lenchus said.
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"That heat exhaustion, after about 15 or 20 minutes without intervention, that can really tip over into heat stroke," he explained.
The internal body temperature can rise to between 103 and 104 degrees, he said.
"This causes confusion, dizziness, passing out, this is a medical emergency at this point," Lenchus said.
When you undergo a heat stroke, the body loses its ability to self-regulate, so you experience little to no sweating.
"Your body's basically crashing in at that point," he said.
Humid climates like South Florida make it even more difficult for the body to cool itself down.
"The humidity prevents that evaporation, that cooling mechanism, so people are at a higher risk of suffering from heat-related illnesses in a higher humid environment than one of lower humidity," Lenchus said.
It's important to keep cool in order to avoid heat related illnesses. Here's some tips that Lenchus advised for staying safe:
- Avoid outdoor activities between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
- Take frequent breaks from the heat
- Hydrate before, during, and after outdoor activities
- Wear bright, loose clothing
