SATURDAY, May 25, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Climate change is pushing daytime summer temperatures higher for longer periods of time, and that can spell real danger for folks who work outside, like gardeners and landscapers. Protecting yourself in the heat and knowing the warning signs of heat-related illness is crucial, said Chris Enroth , horticulture educator at University of Illinois Extension. He should know: It happened to him.
“When I was working as a landscaper, we had to sod a large backyard during a day when the temperature was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit,” Enroth said. “We were hustling to get the sod down quickly, so it didn’t burn up in the hot sun. About midway through the day, I started feeling nauseated and dizzy, and I stopped sweating.
I was disoriented and could no longer push my wheelbarrow," he added. "That’s when I knew I was suffering from severe heat exhaustion, perhaps even heat stroke ." Heat exhaustion and heat stroke occur when the body can no longer maintain its normal temperature.
Work exacerbates the problem, since working muscles generate their own heat, Enroth explained. Here are the symptoms of heat exhaustion to look out for: Increased body temperature, above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (F) Cool, moist, clammy skin Weakness and muscle cramps Headache Dizziness, nausea or vomiting Fainting If you or someone near you is experiencing at least some of these symptoms, get them to a cool place, preferably with good air movement, Enroth said. Ha.
