After a mild start to summer, Cincinnati is heating up. The National Weather Service is forecasting temperatures in the 90s starting Monday this week. The heat index could reach triple digits each afternoon.
The combination of high temperatures and humidity increases the risk of heat illness, says Dr. Steve Feagins, Hamilton County Public Health’s medical director.
“When the humidity is very high, you're unable to sweat, you're not able to get rid of the heat, and so it can really, really add up,” Feagins told WVXU.
Heat exhaustion occurs when the body overheats due to excessive loss of water. If untreated, it may progress to heat stroke, which can be fatal. Symptoms from headaches to nausea to thirst can indicate your body needs to cool down.
Summer heat is intensifying as the climate changes, according to the State Climate Office of Ohio. Scientists say the state will have more extremely hot days in the coming years.
Whether you’re spending time outside for work, sporting events or July Fourth, Feagins offers these tips for staying safe.
Hydrate (alcohol doesn’t count)
One of the best precautions you can take in extreme heat is drinking water. That fuels your body’s cooling system and prevents dehydration. Feagins says by the time you feel thirsty, you’re already behind in replacing fluids lost through sweat.
“You really want to hydrate even before you develop thirst when you’re out there in the heat and humidity – especially when you're on the river or on the lake, you're in direct sunlight, there's no shade,” Feagins said.
The color of your urine will indicate whether you’re drinking enough water. The lighter it is, the better hydrated you are.
Feagins says hydration does not include alcohol, since it’s a dehydrating liquid and can impair your ability to think straight. If you’re having an occasional beer, be sure to hydrate with water in between.
Take breaks
If you’re spending time in the heat, take frequent breaks in air conditioning to allow your body to cool down.
“Don't just push through it, that's the dangerous part,” Feagins said.
You can’t treat heat illness when you’re out in the heat, Feagins adds. He recommends approaching being outdoors in extremely hot weather like being outdoors in extremely cold weather.
“It's just like when people are shoveling snow, we say take a break in the warmth,” Feagins said. “Same thing when you're outside working in the garden or working around your home – every 30 or 40 minutes or so, come inside and take a take a break, cool off, and then you can go back out and feel refreshed.”
Know where to go for AC
Public libraries, recreation centers and some YMCA branches in the Tri-State serve as free cooling centers during official heat advisories.
Use a portable fan
Donning a portable fan is another way to keep cool in the heat. Many can be worn around the neck and look like headphones.
“Those little fans - they really cause a heat dissipation from your face just from air currents,” Feagins said.
He says they can be particularly effective for people with lung disease, like emphysema, in helping with breathing and cooling down.
Take an ice bath
Look to athletes for a solution if you start feeling dangerously hot. Feagins says at sporting events, doctors get athletes into cold water when they develop early signs of heat stroke.
“Getting into ice-cold water is the most rapid way of decreasing core temperature,” Feagins said. “There are other ways, of course – IV fluids, things like that – but those require expertise or healthcare workers. Getting into an ice-cold bath requires no expertise, just having an ice-cold bath.”
If it turns out you didn’t need it, Feagins says the only risk you run is ending up cold.
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