BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) – According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an average of about 658 people lose their lives each year to heat-related illnesses.

Given Baton Rouge’s extreme summer temperatures, it’s essential to be aware of the symptoms of heat exhaustion and know how to avoid it.

Symptoms and Treatment

Knowing how heat exhaustion affects the body and what to do to alleviate the symptoms can save lives.

Signs of heat exhaustion are listed below:

• Headache
• Cold, pale and clammy skin
• A rapid, weak pulse
• Nausea or vomiting
• Muscle cramps
• Dizziness
• Tiredness or weakness
• Irritability
• The thirst.
• Profuse sweating
• High body temperature
• Fainting or fainting

What to do if you suspect you have heat exhaustion:

• Move to a cool place
• Loosen your clothes
• Put wet, cool clothes on your body or take a cool bath
• sip water
• Seek immediate medical attention if you vomit, your symptoms worsen, or if they last longer than an hour.

Heat-related illnesses are preventable

During the hot summer months, it may be a good idea to stay in a cool, air-conditioned place as much as possible.

Outdoor enthusiasts can still enjoy the fresh air and sunshine, but it is advisable to do so by wearing light, light-coloured, loose-fitting clothing and opting to go out during the cooler hours, such as morning and evening.

Also, while implementing a balanced exercise program into your schedule is always a good thing, during the hottest time of year in Louisiana, it may be best to scale back workouts by outdoors.

When choosing to exercise outdoors, the CDC recommends starting slowly and building up gradually. He adds that if the exertion in the heat makes your heart race and leaves you out of breath, that’s a warning sign from your body to stop all activity. At this point, it’s best to find a cool place or some shade and rest, especially if you become dizzy, confused, weak, or passed out.

Summer in Baton Rouge comes with many perks. For one thing, it’s a time when the city becomes a venue for a host of outdoor concerts and other events.

It is possible to take full advantage of every event and avoid unnecessary health emergencies by keeping the CDC’s guidance on heat-related illnesses in mind.