With temperatures on the rise, feeling more like summer than spring throughout the Cariboo, it’s important to know the difference between heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
Dr. Brandon Yau, Public Health Resident Physician with Interior Health said symptoms of heat exhaustion includes heavy sweating, headaches, muscle cramps, and feeling generally unwell.
Heat stroke Dr. Yau noted is a medical emergency and happens when the external temperature exceeds the ability of your body to cool itself down resulting in quite a high body temperature, some confusion and dizziness as well as flush skin.
If someone your with is showing those signs, Dr. Yau explained what you should do while you wait for medical help to arrive.
“In the meantime it’s important to try to move them to a cooler space and a shaded area and you can try to cool people down with cold water, moist towels around the arms and neck, as well as applying ice packs to the body to try to cool down their body.”
Yau said its important that everyone avoid doing physical activities during peak sun hours, take cold showers to cool your body and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.