Heat advisory warning and helpful information that may save your life!!!

From the desk of Christopher B. Renne, D.C. August 22, 2014

Hello, friends. I am writing this from my cozy office, currently enjoying 75 degree indoor temperatures thanks to the miracle of Air Conditioning. A few minutes ago, I was in my car, sweating my you know what off. Here in Jacksonville, Florida, the current temperature reads 97 degrees with a heat index of 106 degrees. Certainly way too hot for most of us to be outside laboring or playing.

So, before you or anyone you love gets in trouble with this heat, please take a few minutes to read the following article about the dangers, signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke And be sure to stay indoors, if possible, today and get plenty of healthy fluids!

What causes heat exhaustion and heatstroke?

Heat-related illnesses, such as heat exhaustion and heatstroke, occur when your body can't keep itself cool. As the air temperature rises, your body stays cool when your sweat evaporates. On hot, humid days, the evaporation of sweat is slowed by the increased moisture in the air. When sweating isn't enough to cool your body, your body temperature rises, and you may become ill.

What is heat exhaustion?

Heat exhaustion happens when your body gets too hot. It can be caused by physical exercise or hot weather. You may experience:

• Heavy sweating
• Feeling weak and/or confused
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Headache
• Fast heartbeat
• Dark-colored urine, which indicates dehydration

What should I do if I think I have heat exhaustion?

If you think you have heat exhaustion, get out of the heat quickly. Rest in a building that has air-conditioning. If you can't get inside, find a cool, shady place. Drink plenty of water or other fluids. Do NOT drink alcohol or caffeinated drinks (such as soda). These can make heat exhaustion worse. Take a cool shower or bath, or apply cool water to your skin. Take off any tight or unnecessary clothing.

If you do not feel better within 30 minutes, you should contact your doctor. If heat exhaustion is not treated, it can progress to heatstroke.

What is heatstroke?

Heatstroke is when the internal temperature of the body reaches 104°F. It can happen when your body gets too hot during strenuous exercise or when exposed to very hot temperatures, or it can happen after heat exhaustion isn't properly treated. Heatstroke is much more serious than heat exhaustion. Heatstroke can cause damage to your organs and brain. In extreme cases, it can kill you.

Symptoms of heatstroke

• High fever (104°F or higher)
• Severe headache
• Dizziness and feeling light-headed
• A flushed or red appearance to the skin
• Lack of sweating
• Muscle weakness or cramps
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Fast heartbeat
• Fast breathing
• Feeling confused, anxious or disoriented
• Seizures

What should I do if I think someone has heatstroke?

If you think someone might have heatstroke, call emergency medical personnel immediately. While you are waiting for medical assistance, take the person into an air-conditioned building or a cool, shady place. Remove the person's unnecessary clothing to help cool him or her down. Try to fan air over the person while wetting the skin with water. You can also apply ice packs to the person's armpits, groin, neck and back. These areas contain a lot of blood vessels close the surface of the skin. Cooling them with ice packs can help the person cool down.

Get medical help right away if you have these warning signs:

• Skin that feels hot and dry, but not sweaty
• Confusion or loss of consciousness
• Frequent vomiting
• Shortness of breath or trouble breathing

Do medicines affect heatstroke?

The following are some medicines that can put you in danger of heatstroke because they affect the way your body reacts to heat:

• Allergy medicines (antihistamines)
• Some blood pressure and heart medicines (beta-blockers and vasoconstrictors)
• Diet pills and illegal drugs such as cocaine (amphetamines)
• Laxatives
• Some medicines that treat mental health conditions (antidepressants and antipsychotics)
• Seizure medicines (anticonvulsants)
• Water pills (diuretics)

Tell your doctor what medicines you are taking. He or she can tell you if your medicine puts you in danger of heatstroke.

What does the "heat index" mean?

The heat index tells you how hot it feels outside in the shade. It is not the same as the outside temperature. The heat index is a measurement of how hot it feels when relative humidity is combined with the effects of the air temperature. When you are standing in full sunshine, the heat index value is even higher. A heat index of 90°F or higher is dangerous.

How can I prevent heat illness?

When the heat index is high, stay indoors in air-conditioned areas when possible. If you must go outside, take the following precautions:

• Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.
• Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a hat or using an umbrella.
• Use sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or more.
• Drink plenty of water before starting an outdoor activity. Drink extra water all day. Keep in mind that heat-related illnesses are not only caused by high temperatures and a loss of fluids, but also a lack of salt in the body. Some sports drinks can help replenish the salt in your body lost through sweating.
• Drink fewer beverages that contain caffeine (such as tea, coffee and soda) or alcohol.
• Schedule vigorous outdoor activities for cooler times of the day -- before 10:00 a.m. and after 6:00 p.m.
• During an outdoor activity, take frequent breaks. Drink water or other fluids every 15 to 20 minutes, even if you don't feel thirsty. If you have clear, pale urine, you are probably drinking enough fluids. Dark-colored urine is an indication that you're dehydrated.
• If you have a chronic medical problem, ask your doctor about how to deal with the heat, about drinking extra fluids and about your medicines.

What should I do after having heat exhaustion or heatstroke?

Having heat exhaustion or heatstroke makes you more sensitive to hot conditions for about a week afterwards. Be especially careful not to exercise too hard, and avoid hot weather. Your doctor can tell you when it is safe to return to your normal activities.

Source

Management of Heatstroke and Heat Exhaustion by JL Glazer, M.D. (American Family Physician June 01, 2005,http://www.aafp.org/afp/20050601/2133.html)

If you made it this far, thank you. Hopefully you learned something that may help keep you safe during these exceptionally hot summer days.

Please share this with your friends and family.

As always, be well!

Christopher B. Renne, D.C.

To change or not to change, that is the question!

I found this to be very informative so I thought I'd share it with you guys:

"Should I throw away my pillows?

Most of us don't know we should replace our pillow occasionally. But what's the danger if you don't?

• 
• • Luisa Dillner
  • The Guardian, Sunday 10 August 2014 14.00 EDT

Pillows … how often should you replace them? Photograph: Alamy

How much thought do you give to the cushion that supports your head and neck? Not a lot, according to a survey from pillow manufacturers Ergoflex. Out of 2,200 men and women, only 18% knew they should replace their pillows every two years. The average person uses the same pillow for three years and two months. John MacEwan, the managing director of Ergoflex, is shocked by this relaxed attitude, proclaiming that we are "risking sustained periods of sleeping without an adequate level of support in the neck and head, along with various hygiene problems that may arise from dust mite infestations in older bedding". So should we be heading off to John Lewis before bedtime or is this merely a marketing ploy?

The solution

There is no good evidence for how long most pillows last. The Sleep to Live Institute in America (which again has industry links) recommends replacing them every six months. Many – though not all – sleep experts say that if you fold your pillow in half and it doesn't spring open straight away by itself then it's dead: it can't support your head and neck, so bin it. Dust mites also like pillows, but although the idea of inhaling their dried excrement mixed with your dead skin may be unappealing, it is only people with allergies or asthma who will suffer the effects.

An allergy study in 2005 from the University of Manchester took samples from 10 pillows with between one and a half and 20 years of regular use and found several thousand spores of fungus per gram of pillow. The study didn't look at the effects of sleeping on fungal spores but aspergillus (a common fungus) is associated with exacerbations of asthma. Then there's research showing how using the wrong pillow can cause neck stiffness, arm pain and headaches in the morning. Pillows should support the cervical spine (the neck bit of the spine) in a neutral position as this reduces more extreme movements in sleep. One study found better sleep in people using latex, polyester or foam contour pillows. Feather pillows were associated with more neck pain.

A study in the Journal of Pain Research looking at side sleepers also found feather pillows were more associated with headache or neck pain on waking – latex pillows were rated the best. Pillows are an individual choice but we should at least think about which type suits us and not be embarrassed about asking to try them in the shop. But a pillow should keep your head aligned with your spine and support your neck. You may want to wash your pillows regularly. You can buy dust mite covers for pillows – but they need washing too – see the manufacturer's instructions, but they usually need very hot water."

If you have any questions or would like to see what options are out there for quality orthopedic pillows, please send me an email to jaxchiro@gmail.com or visit us at Active Medical & Chiropractic to see samples of some of the best I have encountered in my 16 years as a practicing D.C.

As always,

Be Well!