GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – A local emergency room physician is warning people to be careful when participating in Saturday’s Bellin Run, or any other outdoor activities this summer.
HSHS St. Vincent Hospital’s Dr. Jocko Zifferblatt notes heatstroke is the most serious form of heat injury, occurring when one’s temperature reaches 104 degrees.
“The symptoms of heatstroke are pretty straightforward. You’ll start getting headaches, body aches. They’re going to feel light-headed, dizziness. They feel weak.”
Other signs include: confusion, irritability, lack of concentration, increased heart rate, more rapid breathing patterns, throbbing headaches, and no longer being able to sweat.
Zifferblatt notes heatstroke can cause brain damage, kidney failure, muscle breakdown, and in the long run, death.
He urges anyone experiencing those symptoms to seek immediate medical attention.
Zifferblatt says what a person wears when spending a significant period of time outdoors in warm weather makes a notable difference.
“Loose-fitting clothing. You need clothing that is lightweight that will wick away fluids from your body. Lighter colors, so it doesn’t absorb the sun as much.”
Zifferblatt notes it’s a process to get adjusted to the return of warmer weather.
“You can’t get acclimated that quickly to hot temperatures when we’ve been in the cold for a whole winter. One way to get acclimated is short periods of time out in the heat and then coming back in and cooling off.”
Zifferblatt encourages people to stay hydrated, with water being the beverage of choice.
He also urges runners and other athletes to eat a healthy diet, one that includes lean proteins and healthy carbohydrates.
