NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — As extreme heat makes its way to middle Tennessee, so do the dangers that come with it.
"So we think of heat illness as a spectrum," Executive Medical Director of Emergency Services at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Dr. Tyler Barrett said.
It only takes a few minutes for the effects of heat to set in. Barrett said the hospital is bracing for an influx of patients with heat-related illnesses.
He said, "So when we have high temperatures and high humidity it impacts your body's ability to sort of get rid of heat by sweating, evaporation."
It's that ability to cool off that can make the difference between heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
"With heat exhaustion you may start to see people feeling more tired, feeling nausea, having some headaches," said Barrett. "A lot of times it's just your body saying our temperature is rising; you need to get into a cool environment."
But heat stroke sets in when the body hits about 105 degrees. Symptoms include nausea, fatigue, and red skin.
"We use sort of the mantra in the emergency department of wet and windy," said Barrett. "If they're wearing a bunch of excessive clothes, tight clothes - get those off of them. A little kind of temperate water bottle, spray some water on them, put a fan on them. That just helps your body kind of get rid of heat."
But if you or someone you know is experiencing a heat stroke, call 911.
Dr. Barrett also says to be careful of your caffeine and alcohol intake over the next few days - both can make you dehydrated even faster. If you have to be outside, try to go out either early in the morning or later in the evening. Wear loose, light clothing, take breaks, and drink plenty of water.
