Stave Off Heat Illnesses With Portable Air Conditioners

The body's nervous system helps maintain a healthy body temperature. Sweating and blood flow to skin helps the body keep cool. When people are exposed to hot weather, places not equipped with air conditioners, or poorly ventilated rooms, hyperthermia (high body temperature) can set in. With hyperthermia can come a variety of heat related illness because the body cannot transfer heat effectively or because external heat gain is excessive. Some of these illnesses are:

-Heat rash: Occurs when the sweat ducts are blocked, swell and cause discomfort and itching.

-Heat cramps: Occurs in muscles after exercise because sweating causes the body to lose water and salt and minerals (electrolytes).

-Heat edema: Swelling in legs and hands that occurs when a person sits or stands for a long time in a hot environment.

-Heat tetany: Hyperventilation and heat stress caused by short periods of stress in a hot environment.

-Heat syncope: Fainting that occurs from low blood pressure when heat causes blood vessels to expand (dilate) and body fluids move into the legs because of gravity.

-Heat exhaustion: Develops when a person is working or exercising in hot weather and does not drink enough liquids to replace those lost fluids.

-Heat stroke: The body fails to regulate its own temperature and the temperature continues to rise, often to 105 degrees or higher.

These heat illnesses are caused or made worse by dehydration, fatigue, exercising during hot weather, working outdoors, overdressing for the environment, and consuming caffeine and alcohol. So when the weather starts scorching try to stay away from these things. Drink lots of water, be in an air conditioned environment when possible, and most of all chill out!