FARGO — If you're planning to spend time outside this weekend, doctors are urging you to take precautions during the hotter weather. WDAY News talked to local medical experts about how you can avoid serious issues because of the heat. "It's almost a continuum of heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and then heat strokes.
It's just a continuum going as our body gets warmer and compensating for it, and the best thing to do is to recognize it early and try to get it out of it," said Dustin Czapiewski, a nurse at Sanford Health in Fargo. Being outside in the sun and higher temps comes with the risk of what medical professionals call a heat emergency. There are varying degrees of symptoms, such as extreme thirst, muscle cramps and dizziness.
Emergency Room Dr. Christopher Anderson says, "You've really got to pay attention. Listen to what your body's telling you.
If you're, you know, feeling thirsty, make sure you're getting adequate fluid in." They both say it's best to be proactive, plan ahead and be prepared. "It's a good idea to always bring a water bottle with you wherever you go, just to constantly be taking sips of water throughout the whole day, even before you even start feeling like you're thirsty," Czapiewski said.
Sunscreen is another must-have item if you're planning on spending time outdoors. "We always should apply sunscreen as directed on the label every couple hours. If you're going to be in the water or sweating, just act like you didn't put on any sunscreen and reappl.
