Summertime in Beijing sees temperatures usually hovering around the low 30’s and down in the 20’s with rain showers. This year we’ve seen multiple days of 40C and over! It has been a record first for Beijing to log 3 straight days above 40C and to surpass the average number of days of 35C and above.

Several cities across China, including Beijing, have had their “red” hot weather alert raised (the highest of a four-tier weather alert system) and warned citizens of the heightened risk of heatstroke.

We talked with Dr. Vera Kosova, GP, to get insight into at-risk groups for heat exhaustion, what to do in the event of someone collapsing from heatstroke and how best to cope under extreme weather conditions during a heatwave.

Heat Exhuastion vs Heatstroke

Heat exhaustion is when you become very hot and start to lose water or salt from your body, symptoms may include heavy sweating and a rapid pulse. Heat exhaustion is one of the three heat-related syndromes, with heat cramps being the mildest and heatstroke being the most severe.

Heatstroke is when the body is no longer able to cool itself and a person’s body temperature becomes dangerously high. Heatstroke is less common but more serious. It can put a strain on the brain, heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys, and can be life-threatening. If heat exhaustion isn’t spotted and treated early on, there’s a risk it could lead to heatstroke.

Let’s not forget sunstroke!

Sunstroke is when someone is exposed to direct sunlight for a prolonged period of time causing the same symptoms and problems as a heatstroke.

First Aid Response for:

HEATSTROKE

Heat exhaustion or heatstroke can develop quickly over a few minutes, or gradually over several hours or days.

Signs and Symptoms of heat exhaustion can include:

tiredness and weakness
feeling faint or dizzy
a decrease in blood pressure
a headache
muscle cramps
feeling and being sick
heavy sweating
intense thirst
a fast pulse
urinating less often and having much darker urine than usual

If left untreated, more severe symptoms of heatstroke can develop, including confusion, disorientation, seizures (fits) and a loss of consciousness.

What to do:

+ Get the person to a cool place – air conditioned room or shade
+ Remove excess clothing – let their skin breath
+  Cool their skin – use a cool damp cloth on their skin
+ Fan their skin while its moist – water evaporating from the skin while fanning will help cool the skin down more
+ Give them fluids to drink – ideally water, fruit juice, or a sports drink

Most people should start to recover within 30mins.

When to call for help:

If you suspect that someone has heatstroke, immediately call 999 / 120 or transport the person to a hospital. Any delay seeking medical help can be fatal.

Call for an ambulance when:

+ the person doesn’t respond to the above treatment within 30 minutes
+ the person has severe symptoms, such as a loss of consciousness, confusion or seizures

In the event of a person being unconscious, you should follow the steps above for cooling them down and place the person in the recovery position until help arrives. If they have a seizure, move nearby objects out of the way to prevent injury.

Image: Oasis International Hospital, Pexels

You’re not imagining it. Beijing’s summer kicked into high gear seemingly overnight and the heat waves are upon us! All of which means, feeling abnormally dehydrated is now just a regular part of the day, as your body tries desperately to keep up with the city’s sweltering heat.

Heat exhaustion and heatstroke are two potentially serious health conditions that can occur if you get too hot. Of course, it’s incredibly important to avoid prolonged sun exposure during heatwaves or in hot climates, and even more so while engaging in strenuous physical exercise. Aside from that, however, we chatted with Dr. Liu Zhenqian, Head of Internal Medicine at Oasis International Hospital, who shared some tips about staying healthy while enjoying all the wonderful summer fun our beloved capital has to offer.

First, a little vocab lesson…

Heat Exhaustion

Heat exhaustion is when your body begins losing water or salt due to excessive heat. Symptoms may include heavy sweating and a rapid pulse. Heat exhaustion is one of three heat-related syndromes, with heat cramps being the mildest and heatstroke the most severe.

Heatstroke

Heatstroke is when the body becomes physically incapable of cooling itself and a person’s body temperature becomes dangerously high. Heatstroke is less common but more serious. It can put a strain on the brain, heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys, and can ultimately be life-threatening. If heat exhaustion isn’t detected and treated early, it could lead to heatstroke.

Sunstroke

Sunstroke, on the other hand, is when someone is exposed to direct sunlight for a prolonged period of time and manifests in the same symptoms and problems as heatstroke.

At-risk groups

Anyone can develop heat exhaustion or succumb to heatstroke during a heatwave or laborious activities in hot weather. However, some groups are at a higher risk when exposed to heat and the sun. People over 65, young children, and infants are all at a greater risk of developing heat exhaustion.

Older folks are more vulnerable as their bodies cannot cope as well as younger people with sudden temperature changes. This, coupled with the possibility of chronic health conditions and certain medications, might also impair the body’s ability to regulate its temperature.

Young children and infants sweat less, thus limiting their ability to cool down. Young children also produce more heat than adults when active, and this puts them at a higher risk of heat-related illnesses while out having fun in the sun.

Impaired health

Heat exposure can put a lot of stress on a person’s body. Those with serious chronic conditions should be extra vigilant on sunnier days, and particularly those suffering from heart or breathing problems.

Illnesses causing dehydration such as a recent bout of gastroenteritis may leave someone vulnerable to further dehydration and they should take care when out and about.

Certain medications can affect your body’s ability to regulate heat. Medications such as diuretics, antihistamines, beta-blockers, and antipsychotics can interfere with the body’s ability to dissipate heat, so take care if you’re taking such medication during those really hot summer days.

Work and lifestyle

Your choice of job can have you working outdoors in all sorts of weather conditions. During extreme heat those undergoing strenuous exercise for long periods, such as military soldiers, athletes, hikers, and manual workers should take care to:

• Keep hydrated
• Wear fast-drying, lightweight clothing
• Wear broad-brimmed hats to reduce direct sun exposure

At the same time, working indoors in hot, poorly ventilated rooms also puts the body under stress and at risk of heat exhaustion.

Appropriate clothing is important on hot days. Sweat can form an insulating layer on the body, making it work harder to regulate your internal temperature. Wearing tight, restrictive clothing in excessively hot weather can put you at risk.

Alcohol and drug abuse can lead to further dehydration on a sunny day and should be avoided.

First Aid Response

Heat exhaustion or heatstroke can develop within just a few minutes, or gradually over several hours or days.

Signs and symptoms

• tiredness and weakness
• feeling faint or dizzy
• a decrease in blood pressure
• a headache
• muscle cramps
• feeling and being sick
• heavy sweating
• intense thirst
• a fast pulse
• urinating less often and having much darker urine than usual

If left untreated, more severe symptoms of heatstroke can develop, including confusion, disorientation, seizures (fits), and a loss of consciousness.

Lifesaving steps

• Get the person to a cool place – an air-conditioned room or shade
• Remove excess clothing – let their skin breath
• Cool their skin – use a cool damp cloth
• Fan their skin while it’s moist – water evaporating from the skin while fanning will help cool the skin down more
• Give them fluids to drink – ideally water, fruit juice, or a sports drink

Most people should start to recover within 30 minutes.

When to call for help?

If you suspect that someone has heatstroke, immediately call 999/120 or transport the person to a hospital. Any delay in seeking medical help can be fatal.

Call for an ambulance when:

• the person doesn’t respond to the above treatment within 30 minutes
• the person has severe symptoms, such as loss of consciousness, confusion, or seizures

In the event that a person becomes unconscious, you should follow the steps above for cooling them down and place the person in the recovery position until help arrives. If they have a seizure, move nearby objects out of the way to prevent injury.

Tips for Staying Cool

Cool your environment

• Draw your curtains or blinds over windows that are exposed to the sun during the hottest part of the day
• Turn off non-essential electrical equipment, as they generate heat
• Indoor plants and bowls of water in the house can cool the air
• If you have no air-conditioning, an electric fan can provide some relief

Keep yourself cool

• Keep out of the sun between noon and 4pm
• Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing, and a wide-brimmed hat
• Use sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or more
• Have cool baths or showers, and splash yourself with cool water
• Keep hydrated. Heat-related illness can also result from salt depletion, so it may be advisable to substitute an electrolyte-rich sports drink for water during periods of extreme heat and humidity
• Avoid fluids containing caffeine or alcohol, because both substances can make you lose more fluids and worsen heat-related illness
• If you’re not urinating frequently or your urine is dark, it’s a sign that you’re becoming dehydrated and need to drink more

KEEP READING: The Heat Is On! These Water Parks Are Open To Help You Stay Cool This Summer

Images: Pexels

Despite occasional thunderstorms at night, hot spells linger throughout much of the day. Just recently, an African tourist suffered heat stroke while visiting Tian’anmen Square. State media, quoting Beijing Morning Post and reporting a viral Weibo post, said the 60-year-old man gradually recovered after receiving treatment and resting under a guard’s umbrella.

The incident became a trending topic on Chinese social media, with many people noting how unbearable the heat is now. Weather authorities in Beijing warn that soaring temperatures of 38 degrees Celsius are expected in the next few days.

The scorching weather to come marks the peak of what the Chinese solar calendar calls as “Major Heat” (大暑 Dà shǔ). Too much of staying under the sun, or in warm and humid places, can result in either heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke.

What are these illnesses?
Mayo Clinic website explains that these heat-related illnesses can strike anyone from infants and children, the elderly, athletes, workers, or healthy adults.

• Heat cramps cause involuntary muscle spasms and are often associated with dehydration.
• Heat exhaustion happens when sweating does not “dissipate the heat generated within the body” during activities like exercising or working.
• Heat stroke is a condition when body temperature becomes elevated, causing dehydration. Heat stroke is preventable but is some extreme cases, it turns to a medical emergency and can be fatal.

You can beat these heat-related illnesses by taking precautionary measures like keeping yourself hydrated, wearing loose-fitting and light clothing, and limiting outdoor activities (like exercising or working) if necessary. Eating cooling fruits and vegetables and even ice cream help lower your body temperature. Click the infographic below to see other ways to prevent heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Photos: IB Times (For featured image – China Daily/Reuters), Weibo photo via CCTV,  Aman Foundation infographic via AryNews.TV

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Email: andypenafuerte@beijing-kids.com
Instagram: @coolkidandy

The dog days are here – forgive the pun, but the hottest days of the year have arrived, and of course, we want to stay healthy and keep away from heat-related illnesses. But also keep an eye on your beloved pets, because they can suffer those conditions without us even knowing. Mary Peng of the International Center for Veterinary Services (ICVS) gives us more ideas about pet exhaustion/fatigue in summer.

How does heat stroke happen in pets?
Heat stroke happens when your pet’s body has exceeded its ability to dissipate heat by normal processes such as panting and sweating.  As a result, body temperature rises, which can cause serious damage to many of the body’s systems, particularly the heart and lungs. If allowed to continue, these elevated temperatures can also cause tissue damage and degeneration. Although most common in dogs, heat stroke can also occur in cats and other pets.

What causes heat stroke in pets?
Heat stroke often occurs when animals are exposed to abnormally high levels of heat, are exposed for long periods of time, or do not drink adequate amounts of water. Often, humidity can also contribute to heat stroke because it decreases animals’ ability to dissipate heat.

What are factors that increase the chances of pets getting heat stroke?
Some animals are more susceptible to heat stroke, such as those with heart conditions or those who are elderly. In addition, animals with thick, furry coats (such as shepherds) or animals with short noses (such as bulldogs) are more susceptible because they cannot dissipate heat as effectively.

What are the symptoms of heat stroke in pets?
Some easily identifiable symptoms of heat stroke are vomiting, difficulty breathing, rapid breathing, seizures and inability to walk.

What if my pet gets these symptoms?
Do not wait for the situation to get worse or the symptoms to go away! This is a serious medical condition. You may wet down your animal with cool water, but be sure not to use ice water or freezing water as this can cause blood vessel contraction that will worsen the problem. Also, do not cover your pet in with wet towels as the towels can trap heat. If available, apply ice packs to the body and alcohol to the pads of the feet. Encourage drinking water. Seek medical help immediately.

How can I prevent heat stroke?
When it is hot and/or humid, keep your animals out of the heat as much as possible. You can take them for multiple, shorter walks rather than fewer, longer walks. Avoid taking your animals out in the middle of the day, when temperatures are highest. Do not leave your pets in the car or in any unventilated space unattended. Always make sure that your pet has access to fresh water.

For more information about preventing heat stroke in pets and to get expert advice, contact ICVS at www.ICVSASIA.com or add their WeChat (ID: ICVSCHINA or scan the QR code:

Photos: congerdesign and kubicekonderka via Pixabay, ICVS

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Email: andypenafuerte@beijing-kids.com
Instagram: @coolkidandy